A quick pole here, and maybe this has been covered before, but I am a little dissappointed in my '03's economy when hauling a tall load (comparable to a pickup camper or 5th wheel trailer). Basically, I built a rack to haul both of my quads over the bed of the truck (think flatbed over the bedsides), so I could still tow my tent trailer. Now, the quads weigh about 600lbs each,and the tent trailer is about 1500lbs fully loaded. So, the weight certainly ain't doing the damage; it's the wind resistance from the quads being higher than the roofline. So, what kind of fuel economy are those of you towing 5th wheels or toting campers getting? My last two camping trips, setup as mentioned, cruising between 55-65mph, I averaged no better than 12mpg....

 

If I can keep to around 65 I get 13.5 - 14 towing a 10k 5th wheel (mid profile). If it gets to 70 and up it drops down to high 12's and low 13's. Biggest problem is keeping the speed down. It really seems to hit a groove around 70 and wants to keep pulling harder and harder.

 

Long hauls on the Interstates, like from up here to Florida, if I stay at about 2100 to 2200, I will average 12.5. If I drop to about 2000 or a little under , with my gross at 18k I can allmost get to 13.<br><br>Bill

 

I've never done a tank-draining session pulling my twin chevy engined &quot;camper&quot;, but with trailer the camper weighs about 8500# and on a 15 mile highway trip to the ramp, the overhead computer readout drops from 18 to 11.5. Package includes 2 adults, 3 or 4 teenagers, pop/beer and ice, and 100 gallons of gas. At a relaxed cruising speed of 65-70. I would consider my camper to be pretty aerodynamic.<br><br>My old F350 used to get 5 or 6; struggling at 60-65. Honest.

 

That sounds like a cool set up. Do you have any pics of your rig with the quads on it?

 

12 w/ 7k trailer and my truck weighs 9k. doing 70+ mph.

 

Just got back from a 1690 mile trip with a 44ft enclosed trailer I scaled when I left at 27780 GVW....speed was 65-72 MPH average MPG was 10.3 95% of my driving was Inter-State hwy

 

Just returned from a 2000 mile trip. I have a full height fiver that weighs close to 12,000 pounds and was able to average 11.5 while towing. I do drive conservatively.<br><br>Casey

 

I am getting 11 - 13 pulling my 2003 Sprinter 300FKMS TT at 65 MPH. I think the trailer weighs about 9500 lbs. I have not had a chance to check the weight yet. Someone is going to be at the IRV2 rally in Nashville TN in June who is going to weigh the tow rigs and campers and make suggestions about safety.<br><br>Bill

 

With my 94 and 12k trailer ---16mpg fueled up and heavy<br><br><br>20 stock same trailer going the same place(baja 4 the winter) i only get 12 mpg so much for the computer eh!!!

 

Pulling my 11K fiver, full height on a recent trip to Tennessee and back (from Northwestern Lower Michigan) I averaged 11.7 miles towing. That's actual fill-the-tank, do-the-math numbers, I don't have the trip computer.<br><br>DeWain

 

I got 12mph (average) pulling a 12,500 5er from CA to IN., if I was keeping the speed around 60. If I went up to 65 to 70 it was around 10mph.<br>Big dawg

 

16000# high fiver, staying 55 - 60 for 300 miles - - 12.4 mph.

 

From Ohio to Florida and back pulling 5,000 pound Airstream , 4 adults ,bed full of camping equipment averaged 70-75mph got low of 10 to high of 11 mpg. empty run get 14mpg. Brand new truck with 700 miles on engine at start of trip.