Forum Discussion

tim665214's avatar
tim665214
Explorer
Jul 23, 2017

First extended trip with 5th wheel

2016 Jayco Eagle HT 29.5 BHDS. Approx 10K GVWR. Tow vehicle is 2016 Ford F250 6.7 Diesel Crew Cab lariat. Coming from North of Fort Fort Worth to San Antonio via 281. For anyone not familiar with this route this is right on the edge of Texas Hill country. So not flat, but not exactly mountain terrain either. It was me, my wife, 15 year old daugther and her friend as passengers.

I was really hoping to get close to 12 mpg, but overall I averaged right at 10 mpg. Does this seem about right. I also noticed that when I had cruise control on (65 mph) that on the steepest hills it would always shift down to 5th gear, and 2 times it shifted to 4th. My truck had no problem holding speed, but it just surprised me that it had to shift down like that. When I wasn't using cruise control, it never had to shift into 4th, but it still shifted into 5th quite often.
Is this what everyone else is noticing who has a similar setup?
  • stickdog's avatar
    stickdog
    Explorer
    Jul 23, 2017
    12mpg in your dreams. Just be glad diesel isn't $4.00 a gallon.
  • corvettekent's avatar
    corvettekent
    Explorer
    Jul 23, 2017
    If you want better mileage you will need to slow down on the hills. I would not be hoping for much more than 11 mpg.
  • Toolguy5's avatar
    Toolguy5
    Explorer III
    Jul 23, 2017
    Going from Cleveland Ohio to Yellowstone west gate. Down to Moab then to Arizona ( painted desert ).
    Across Arizona through New Mexico, Texas , Oklahoma on I-40 back home to Cleveland.
    I averaged just under 13 miles per gallon.
    5er loaded is around 13,000 lbs.
    Truck GMC 3500 Denali 6.6 Diesel. Average speed about 63 MPH. I get my best mileage between 58 and 63 MPH.
  • jrs1871's avatar
    jrs1871
    Explorer
    Jul 23, 2017
    Those hills on 281 can be long and the extended pull while not steep will cause your transmission to shift down. Eleven MPG is actually pretty good but it might go up just a bit if your speed dropped a couple of MPH. We get our best mileage at 62-63 MPH. Just saying.
  • mowingman's avatar
    mowingman
    Explorer
    Jul 23, 2017
    Just got back from our first long trip,Denton,Tx. to the Black Hills in S.D. Have a 2016, F250,6.7 diesel, towing a 26' travel trailer. Average for the whole trip was 10.7 MPG. I run between 60 and 65 most of the time.
    Also recently did an 400 mile trip with our 34'Hitchiker 5th wheel, from Kansas down through Oklahoma to Texas. Same truck and we averaged 10.5 MPG. So, we got about the same results with the larger trailer. I had expected less, due to towing a lot more weight.
  • azrving's avatar
    azrving
    Explorer
    Jul 23, 2017
    2014 3500 CTD CC 3:42 60 mph 5th gear double towing almost 15,000# usually 10 mpg. More hills 9.x. Flat easy stuff 10.x. Towing different FW 9,800 5th gear 60 mph 13 mpg.
  • Me_Again's avatar
    Me_Again
    Explorer III
    Jul 23, 2017
    mowingman wrote:
    Just got back from our first long trip,Denton,Tx. to the Black Hills in S.D. Have a 2016, F250,6.7 diesel, towing a 26' travel trailer. Average for the whole trip was 10.7 MPG. I run between 60 and 65 most of the time.
    Also recently did an 400 mile trip with our 34'Hitchiker 5th wheel, from Kansas down through Oklahoma to Texas. Same truck and we averaged 10.5 MPG. So, we got about the same results with the larger trailer. I had expected less, due to towing a lot more weight.


    Look for the differences between the front of the 5th wheel and the TT. Also the 5th wheel is closer to the cab of the TV. Also a flat back on the TT vs a rear cap on a 5th will make a difference. Square corners hurt mileage.

    AND WIND!
  • Go_Dawgs1's avatar
    Go_Dawgs1
    Explorer
    Jul 23, 2017
    Stay off the cruise control and slow down. Remember your tires are rated for 65 mph. I tow in the Pacific Northwest and I am finishing a 3 week trip to the NE part of our state. Quite a few passes of 3500 to 5500 feet on two lane roads. I run as low a 8 mph and as high as 11.5 mph on this trip (which includes flat towing). I have a 2017 GD Reflection 303 at 12,000# towing with an 04 F350 Dually 6.0 diesel. When all said and done I will probably average 10 mpg and I will be happy with that.
  • Itinerant1's avatar
    Itinerant1
    Explorer
    Jul 23, 2017
    That's the normal characteristic of the truck dropping a gear or 2 on a climb. Speed kills mileage along with hill climbs. I'm averaging 9.5-10 mpg pulling 15.5k through the west.
    Hope you had a great time camping that's what really matters.
  • larry_barnhart's avatar
    larry_barnhart
    Explorer
    Jul 23, 2017
    Toolguy5 wrote:
    Going from Cleveland Ohio to Yellowstone west gate. Down to Moab then to Arizona ( painted desert ).
    Across Arizona through New Mexico, Texas , Oklahoma on I-40 back home to Cleveland.
    I averaged just under 13 miles per gallon.
    5er loaded is around 13,000 lbs.
    Truck GMC 3500 Denali 6.6 Diesel. Average speed about 63 MPH. I get my best mileage between 58 and 63 MPH.


    I also found that just over 60 mph give us the best fuel mileage.

    I feel going up a mountain and then going down doesn't hurt the end result as much as like the hill country. I had a perfect DIC for mileage and fuel used until 2009 when the cluster gears went out and never was perfect after the repair. I hand do the mileage going south and this is the normal result. DIC shows 11.4. math is 11.18.

    22920 combined lbs. Little less coming North each April. I don't hotrod. chevman

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