Towed a U-Haul 5x8 cargo trailer loaded full of furniture this weekend. Trip was about 3.5 hrs one way (~230 miles or so). Speed limit was 110 Km/h, or about 70 mph. I obeyed the limit. Weather was just below freezing. Wind was up pretty good, side wind both ways.Trip there pulling the U-Haul trailer, 12 mpg (20L/100 Km).Trip home without the U-Haul trailer, 17 mpg (16L/100 Km).Not really impressed. This is for the truck in my sig pic, and it has about 150,000 miles on it (242,000 Km).

If doing a buck ten towing that is to be expected. What miledge do you normally get? A lot has to do with driving habits. Do you drive a steady speed and use cruise control or is there a lot of hard acceleration on hills or passing? Is the truck properly tuned? Are the tires properly inflated?I live in south central BC, if I keep the speed around 95-100 KMH my 05 ctd will go to Vancouver and back comfortably on one tank of fuel. 110+ I have to top up about 125 km from home.

Side wind is always worst mileage, especially towing, as it catches both fronts, rather than directing much air over the top. I don't think 12 and 17 mpg is bad for the conditions and speed. My Ford wouldn't get near 17 non-towing at 70, without strong tail wind. MPG are just numbers, but that Dodge in your sig is a nice looker.Jerry

You pulled that trailer 70 mph? WOW!

You got 12 towing and 17 not towing with a full size truck and you think that's bad. Man, you must not drive a truck much :). That seems really good to me.I've never had a truck, diesel or gas, that would get more than 17 empty. I've never gotten more than about 10, diesel or gas, towing anything.I think your MPG is normal or slightly above normal.

Cr@p mpg | Good Sam Community

56 Replies

Hannibal
Explorer
Nov 29, 2018
Mileage sounds acceptable to me. Too many variables to make a hard conclusion. I took the Prius up to Marianna to help with Hurricane Michael tree cutting last week. On the way back home I got 43mpg on the first leg and 58 on the second leg running the same 72mph. Both way out of it's normal 48-53mpg range. I agree that side wind hurts more than a head wind of the same wind speed. My F250 is more stable at 17~~mpg highway empty and 8.5mpg towing. Those little U-Haul trailers are like drag parachutes. I like that they use bias ply tires. The benefits far outweigh the slightly, possibly immeasurable reduction in fuel mileage. I have Carlisle bias ply on my boat trailer. I might put a set on our 32.5' TT.
There's a lot of OCPD up in here, lol!
ib516
Explorer II
Nov 29, 2018
This one had the "55 mph" stickers on the fender, which I completely ignored.
Lynnmor
Explorer
Nov 28, 2018
Meaningless posts from those that encourage folks to speed while towing a trailer that they know nothing about is one of the reasons that this forum is going downhill.
IdaD
Explorer
Nov 28, 2018
Bionic Man wrote:
Me Again wrote:
old guy wrote:
You pulled that trailer 70 mph? WOW!

Do u-haul trailers still have the 45 MPH STICKERS?

Do you mean the ones that have no legal standing?

Meaningless stickers are of huge importance to the weight police. It stands to reason they'd matter a lot to the speed nazi's too.
Bionic_Man
Explorer
Nov 28, 2018
Me Again wrote:
old guy wrote:
You pulled that trailer 70 mph? WOW!

Do u-haul trailers still have the 45 MPH STICKERS?

Do you mean the ones that have no legal standing?
Me_Again
Explorer III
Nov 28, 2018
old guy wrote:
You pulled that trailer 70 mph? WOW!

Do u-haul trailers still have the 45 MPH STICKERS?
fly-swatter
Explorer
Nov 28, 2018
Seems about right to me, I had an 08 and that's about all I could get out of it. I tried once to baby it and got 23 MPG but it's not much fun driving 90 km/h.
jerem0621
Explorer II
Nov 28, 2018
Sounds about right IB. I like your new to you truck. Very nice looking.

Thanks!

Jeremiah
ksss
Explorer
Nov 26, 2018
IdaD wrote:
I only got about 15 mpg coming home from the inlaws with the family the other day and we weren't towing anything, and that's with a diesel truck. 85 mph into a headwind on a cold day will do that for you, though.

Winter Blend Diesel doesn't help either.
IdaD
Explorer
Nov 26, 2018
I only got about 15 mpg coming home from the inlaws with the family the other day and we weren't towing anything, and that's with a diesel truck. 85 mph into a headwind on a cold day will do that for you, though.

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Cr@p mpg

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