Fuel mileage 5th wheel vs travel trailer

[FIRECHIEFBUBBA]

We just sold our 2011 Crossroad Cruiser Patriot 5th wheel for a 2020 Winnebago Voyage travel trailer. The 5th wheel was 34 foot and weighted 9700 pounds. The new Winnebago is 36 foot and is 1500 pounds less at 8200 pounds. The question is the t re mailer gets less gas mileage by about 3 mpg that the taller heavier 5th wheel. Both pulled by same truck .My thought is the weight distribution and pulling of hitches? Any thoughts?

[dieseltruckdriv]

When we went from our S&S truck camper to our first 5th wheel, there was no difference in mileage. I honestly did expect mileage to get a little worse, but there was no change. There was a large weight difference, but not as much in aerodynamics.

[Michelle_S]

I pulled a 24' TT, a 30' TT, and a 35' Fifthwheel all with the same truck, a 2005 Chevy Extended Cab Dually with the Duramax and got almost the same mileage with all three, at least not enough difference that you could really tell.

[spoon059]

StirCrazy wrote:


I had a 29 foot 8000 lb trailer and I got about 12 mpg, then I got a 39 foot 14000lbs 5th and I went up to 16.5 mpg.

Steve

No you didn't. Maybe once, going downhill from the gas station... unless you have one of those super carburetors the govt tried to destroy...

[time2roll]

TomG2 wrote:

time2roll wrote:
3 mpg seems a bit much to lose. From 12 down to 9 mpg is 25%. I think speed, wind, terrain might also be an issue. See how next trip goes.

Who gets 12 mpg towing almost 10,000 with a gasoline fueled tow vehicle? "gets less gas mileage by about 3 mpg". Probably lucky to get 8 mpg which resulted in 5 for the travel trailer. Since we don't know the route or even the average speed, simply saying 40% less gas mileage is meaningless.

We still don't know the numbers or how it was calculated.

12 is high? Sure. Say it was 9 and dropped by 3 to 6 mpg. That is a 33% drop. Seems high percentage for like conditions.

[rhagfo]

MFL wrote:
Wow Steve...that is terrific mpg towing a 14K FW! I'm not sure my gas 6.2 will get 16.5 mpg running empty? Maybe on a still day at 55 mph.

Jerry

Maybe an issue with metric to imperial conversion.

[MFL]

Wow Steve...that is terrific mpg towing a 14K FW! I'm not sure my gas 6.2 will get 16.5 mpg running empty? Maybe on a still day at 55 mph.

Jerry

[TomG2]

Just think of the mileage one could get with a fifty foot, 20,000 pound fiver. At least 20 mpg. Anyone top that?

[StirCrazy]

the fith wheel should get better milage due to less of a low pressur zone behind the truck. with a trailer you have two full blowen low pressure areas (one behind the truck and the other behind the trailer both causing drag as you drive. with a fith wheel the front one is reduced therefor less drag. if your truck is a short box you would get even better milage with the 5th but its up to you if the dealing with a sliding hitch is worth it.

I had a 29 foot 8000 lb trailer and I got about 12 mpg, then I got a 39 foot 14000lbs 5th and I went up to 16.5 mpg.

Steve

[TomG2]

I towed a flat bed trailer loaded with 7,000 pounds of castings and got worse mileage than towing my travel trailer. Of course I was driving 75 mph instead of 58 mph with the TT. One was for work and one was for play.

[way2roll]

FIRECHIEFBUBBA wrote:
To answer some of the questions in this topic. The truck has a cover on the bed to keep wind drag down. The first trip out was a 300 mile round trip to a campground we go to couple times a yr. With in the same state of Michigan. Speeds of 62 to 65. Mid grade gas. All same factors that we did with the 5th wheel. My thought would have been with less weight-1500 pounds and lower trailer, better gas mileage. I have to wonder if the difference being hitch over the wheels sets up different than just dragging it behind you. Leaving for 2500 mile trip next week we'll see what this shows..

I watched a show once (mythbusters?) where they illustrated that truck bed covers actually make MPG worse. Something about an open bed creating a "ball" of air that forces air up and over as opposed to a covered bed which created more down force. As far as MPG trailer vs a FW, I would guess MPG has more to do with the Tow vehicle, terrain, wind, and driving habits than splitting hairs about which type of condo you are pulling - lb for lb of course.

[MFL]

Towing this all aluminum snowmobile trailer 7x23 ft v-nose, mileage is same as my FW, about 8-9 mpg. Sled trailer is only 2,200 dry wt, with a GVWR of 6K. Loaded with 3 mountain sleds and gear about 5K. In comparison my FW is about double the weight. Only time the sled trailer gets better mpg, is with a strong tail wind.



Jerry

[TomG2]

I can change my mileage 5+ mpg (from 15-20) on the same ten mile stretch of road, if I want to. MPG statements on the Internet are subject to some degree of doubt.

[FIRECHIEFBUBBA]

To answer some of the questions in this topic. The truck has a cover on the bed to keep wind drag down. The first trip out was a 300 mile round trip to a campground we go to couple times a yr. With in the same state of Michigan. Speeds of 62 to 65. Mid grade gas. All same factors that we did with the 5th wheel. My thought would have been with less weight-1500 pounds and lower trailer, better gas mileage. I have to wonder if the difference being hitch over the wheels sets up different than just dragging it behind you. Leaving for 2500 mile trip next week we'll see what this shows..

[TomG2]

time2roll wrote:
3 mpg seems a bit much to lose. From 12 down to 9 mpg is 25%. I think speed, wind, terrain might also be an issue. See how next trip goes.

Who gets 12 mpg towing almost 10,000 with a gasoline fueled tow vehicle? "gets less gas mileage by about 3 mpg". Probably lucky to get 8 mpg which resulted in 5 for the travel trailer. Since we don't know the route or even the average speed, simply saying 40% less gas mileage is meaningless.

[time2roll]

3 mpg seems a bit much to lose. From 12 down to 9 mpg is 25%. I think speed, wind, terrain might also be an issue. See how next trip goes.