What camper to tow with 1/2 ton and decent MPG

nate7123 wrote:
I know I'm wanting the best of both worlds, which probably won't happen.

Yep, it won't happen. But gas is only a small fraction of vehicle ownership. Depreciation, maintenance, insurance, license tags all add up to be over 50 cents per mile from the day you buy the vehicle until you trade it in on a new one.

The extra $$ it takes for fuel when towing my TT is a non-item for me. I like bringing it all with me. I hate hotels when I travel. I put up with the frequent stops for fuel.

Thanks again for all the replies.

I have moved up and started looking at the Cherokee Wolf Pup's and the Gulfstream Amerilite. Both are around 3000 lbs. unloaded. I've also started looking at a few more that are a little bigger.

As far as my mpg in my truck. I didn't think about it being so cold lately, thus my truck sitting idle warming up in the mornings. Probably one reason why my mpg has been on the lower side. Other than that, I don't have a real heavy foot and nothing that I know of is wrong with it that I can tell.

Back to the research...

I must be bored, but I was thinking about this. I found THIS pop-up that I would consider average for what you would be looking for. I also found THIS hard sided trailer that is slightly larger but very similar in GVWR.

Keeping in mind what others have posted...the gas mileage really isn't going to be significant enough to matter on the average family trip.


They both have roughly the same GVWR 4500/4800. However, the popup is considerable lighter dry 2400/3700. This of course translates to more junk you can take, and with 3 kids you will need the essentials, plus some. The pop-up is also considerably lighter on the tongue 265/510 which could really make a difference if you want to put 5 bikes, 2 scooters, firewood and a kayak in the truck bed.

The PU will require mom to entertain the kids while dad sets up (yes, a sexist remark....maybe dad can watch the kids while mom cranks), whereas the TT can be backed-in already set up.

No more of that----that is the hole PU versus TT debate. We loved our PU, so glad I know longer need to set it up, tear it down, dry it out, etc....

IMHO....if you can do WITHOUT the clutter...hardside will have you camping faster and more comfortable. If you need the STUFF that 3 kids can be used to having. Get used to setting up/tearing down, cause you DAD need to sacrifice for that extra payload capacity. You can load 2000# of stuff in the PU only about 1100# in the TT, and don't forget that tongue weight.

EDIT: Just realized that the furnace and frig are optional on the pop-up and there is no mention of A/C. All of which come with the TT. There goes some of that payload. :S

pitch wrote:
I have got to agree with tatest. The mileage you are achieving with your truck tells me that it either has a mechanical problem or that your foot is way to heavy.
I have a half ton with a 5.7 and in normal driving I am at 18+, sometimes I can hit 20. Towing my 5000 lb htt I get between 8 and twelve averaging just a hair above ten.
Look under the hood or in the mirror for mileage improvement!

The only time I have seen 18+ is if I make longer trips from home. I work 5 miles from home. There are 9 stops signs going to work---no traffic. There are 8 stop signs coming home---traffic depends on time I get out of work. Average speed is about 35mph terrian is hilly. Lucky to get 13 mpg.....right now it has been averaging 11 mpg, probably because I have 300lb of sand over that rear axel, and it has idled a lot for warm-ups in the fridig temps. Like I said, normal is 13+ ....real close to the 14 that RAM claims for the HEMI.

Average for a 2000 mile trip we made last year, pulling a 3400# (GVWR is 3500) 19' trailer, with just me and the wife/nothing in bed of truck....11 mpg. Then again, we averaged 70mph. So I know part of that balme is on me for blasting up the mountain.

You do not buy a truck for the gas mileage, you do not pull a trailer worrying about gas milegage.

There are plenty of 18-24 foot hard sided trailers out there with bunk beds, a table that converts to a bed, and a queen for mom and dad. Brother-in-law rented one last year, 22' one slide, slept 6....3500 gvwr. Just stop looking at the 30'ers, and there really is no need to think pop-up. Those big pop-ups may have a bit more floor space, but they are still in the 3000+ gvwr range.

Airstream, the fiberglass eggs (Casita, Scamp, and the like) could yield better gas mileage. They're nicely rounded at both front and back and often also have a lower profile.

All of the others, you're still towing a big wall down the road. An aerodynmic-appearing front doesn't help much if the rear is flat - nothing sucks like a vacuum. (Point of reference - I get 25-26mpg not towing, 11 mpg towing. This is about the same mileage that much less fuel-efficient vehicles get when towing the same trailer.)

The most effective other way to save fuel: slow down.

I have got to agree with tatest. The mileage you are achieving with your truck tells me that it either has a mechanical problem or that your foot is way to heavy.
I have a half ton with a 5.7 and in normal driving I am at 18+, sometimes I can hit 20. Towing my 5000 lb htt I get between 8 and twelve averaging just a hair above ten.
Look under the hood or in the mirror for mileage improvement!

OP,

Get this month's Trailer Life. Special section on small, light trailers.

My advice, 6800lbs isn't going to get you a huge rv anyway. Give yourself a 10% cushion at least, then go look at some units in your weight and price range to get an idea what you are looking at. A decent sized pop up will give you the best mileage and easiest towing experience, and can handle 2 adults, 3 kids. Buy a decent used one, take care of it for a few years, then upgrade when the time comes. That is also a good time to upgrade the truck;)

Reading your responses since my first answer, it bothers me that you get only 15 mpg driving a F-150 with the 4.6 V-8. I do better than that with my bigger, heaver E-350 van with the 5.4 geared for a heavier gross and tow weights.

Your 15 MPG is saying things about your driving that do not bode well for good MPG towing. If you want to see much better than 8-9 MPG towing a "regular" travel trailer with 80 sq ft frontal area you might have to slow down, accelerate more gently.

12-15 MPG is achievable towing a smaller or collapsible trailer, 50-65 sq ft, but that is for vehicles and drivers accustomed to getting 18-24 mpg from those same vehicles when not towing.

Smaller Airstreams get reasonably good mileage pulled by diesel pickups.

One I like is the 19' Escape. It is big enough to be a functional RV with good size bed in back, decent convertible dinette in the front. Stove, conventional oven, microwave..decent stuff. Customizable during order to some degree-inverter extra batteries etc.

15 MPG towed at 60ish MPH on recent 1000 mile trip towed by Nissan Frontier 4.0. It was towed by a 4Runner previously and got 16 MPG towed conservatively.

If you really go small as in 13' Scamp, these will tow with some 4cyl cars and get over 20MPG. They''re fine as sleeping capsule.