Trailer Weight Vs. Fuel Economy

nhtope wrote:
Hello,
I have been going back and forth on how to improve my fuel economy. Our current set up is a 2013 Chevy 4X4 2500 hd with 3.73 gears gas. I know that diesel would have been the way to go but it was too expensive. We pull a Wilderness 3150ds. It is 6700lbs dry so I am estimating it at around 8,000 loaded. We also tow with a Hensley arrow. Currently I am able to get about 7 mpg. We would like to venture further out west but I am concerned with how often we would have to stop. Would going to a lighter trailer that is a little shorter help with this? For example I have seen some 26 foot trailers around 5,000 lbs. Would it be enough of an improvement to be worth a trade in? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. one last thing. Do the vehicle tuners like the Bully Dog help with this at all? Thanks

You need to let us know your driving habits. What speed do you cruise at? I have the same truck and a simular TT (8500#) and I have been getting 8-9mpg. I tow at 62-65mph. I'm not sure how the terrain is where you tow as that can have a big effect on mpg. I can go about 300 miles on the 36gal tank. I can't imagine wanting to drive longer than that without stopping.