Gas milage - towing

3 dog nights wrote:
OK, I've got a V-10 Gasser, weight is about 24k#, about to take the first trip with the Toad, weighs 3500#. What kind of effect will this have on my MPG ? Trying to plan stops.

I'm guessing from some experience, that it only takes a loss of approx. 1/2mpg for a toad.

OP here, purpose of question was the up coming trip is 300 miles out, 300 miles back. Have an 80 gallon tank @ 8mpg, should be able to complete the trip on one tank. I'm not a fool, will plan on filling up on the flip. Question was if I'm going to be surprised by dropping to ..say 4mpg, I probably need to locate a truck stop or large gas station on the way out, and plan to stop there again on the way back. First trip with the toad, I don't like surprises. Also don't like searching for appropriate sized gas stations while traveling. Did that once with my 5'ver and almost ran out before I found a diesel station. Consensus seems to be I won't lose more than 1 mpg, so I will stick with original plan. Thanks All !!

It all depends on how you camp/travel and how you use the toad. I usually put as much or more miles on the toad as I do on the MH. The MH gets 8.7 mpg and the toad gets 40 mpg. Say you visit Yellowstone for a week you will put a lot of miles on the toad running around seeing the various parts of the park. Using your toad more that makes up for any gas mileage that you use towing.

If you have it and plan on using it you need to put fuel in the tank so what does the MPG matter?

I used to check gas mileage after every trip; long or short. After. Our recent 5k mile trip, I’d decided that for planning purposed I will use 7 MPG, towing or not. I have now swapped my 2,700 lb Chevy Sonic for a 4,000 (+/-) Jeep Wrangler and may be compelled to check it again. Though I’m not sure it matters that much.

Dale.Traveling wrote:
Probably 1/2 MPG but since you will be two vehicles you have a "Double Bonus". So from 8 you'll drop to 7.5 or so, but with the double bonus if will feel like 15 MPG. Just be sure to remove the EZ-Pass transponder or the toll authority will also get a double bonus also.

What's the "double bonus"? (I do get the toll transponder part but not the MPG part)

I always use my cruse control as much as possible. And remember you don't buy an RV for gas millage.

We found that towing doesn't make much of difference. Not sure why you have to 'plan'. When you drop below 1/2 tank or so start looking.

We have a 2000 v10 powered coach 37'8" loaded weight 21,130lbs with a toad same weight as yours. Over the years we've averaged 7 mpg.

Good luck and safe travels.

I lose about 1/2 mpg pulling my 4,000lb toad.

How far are you going?

For planning purposes I calculate 50 mph average speed even if it's all freeway.