Fuel consumption too high?

[Urriellu]

Hello, I have a Ford Ranger 2019 that does 18-21mpg on the highway at around 65mph. I have just purchased a GD 17MKE which is a 21', 6400 GVWR, travel trailer.

I expected to go from 18-21mpg not towing down to maybe 11-13mpg while towing.

Unfortunately I'm doing 8.5mpg at 65mph or 7.4mpg at 75mph.

My brake controller seems to work. RV tires are at 60psi, truck tires at 40psi.

Does this seem reasonable?

Thank you!

[Gdetrailer]

4x4van wrote:
I have to laugh at the tow capacity wars that the manufacturers are currently waging with small/midsize trucks. Towing a 6400lb trailer with a small 4000lb truck at 75mph? While it may be able to TOW it, and it may be able to STOP it (with trailer brakes), in an emergency maneuver, the trailer will drive the truck. Hope I'm nowhere near the OP when that happens.

Trailer brakes generally are required items once you go above 2,001 lbs in some states and 3,001 lbs in most all other States. So in reality, yes, a "4,000 lb" truck CAN safely not only tow but STOP.

The trucks brakes handles the weight on the truck up to the rated GVWR and the trailers brakes handles the trailers weight up to the rated GVWR.

So in reality, it CAN be safely done, might not be pretty or fun but still very possible to safely stop during emergency maneuvers.

A lot of folks out there towing even greater of a mismatch, while that doesn't make me feel safe it is the reality we must deal with. Eventually with a big and heavy enough trailer even a F450-F550 truck will be much lighter than the trailer..

My personal feeling is I would much rather have a bit beefier tow vehicle to start with which provides a firmer platform (IE stiffer springs, firmer shocks and some added weight to match closer to the trailer's weight). But obviously not many people are willing to step off the 1/2 ton platform because they prefer the softer ride and a perceived lower cost to buy and a couple of MPG better mileage when empty.

[bgum]

You are driving too fast to get any better gas mileage. Slow to 55-60 then report what your mileage is.

[4x4van]

I have to laugh at the tow capacity wars that the manufacturers are currently waging with small/midsize trucks. Towing a 6400lb trailer with a small 4000lb truck at 75mph? While it may be able to TOW it, and it may be able to STOP it (with trailer brakes), in an emergency maneuver, the trailer will drive the truck. Hope I'm nowhere near the OP when that happens.

[Grit_dog]

Edd505 wrote:
Ford Ranger 2019 = not enough truck unless it's a small pop-up.
Ford Ranger 2019 = not enough HP or torque.
Ford Ranger 2019 = 270 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
Ford Ranger 2019 = Torque 310 lb.-ft. @ 3,000 rpm
Towing 75 = poor mileage.

Another funny post….
I like mo’ power as much as the next guy, but always find it funny when people forget what they used to have/drive/past technology.
We all say what a pooch the new 300hp ish little trucks are (which is true compared to all the “big” offerings.) Yet, most of y’all are older than me and I remember doing a lot of work with 200 ish hp or less than 200hp “full size” trucks. That also only had 3 or 4 speed transmissions and high first gears comparatively.

[Grit_dog]

shelbyfv wrote:
Probably we can skip the irrelevant posturing. OP apparently got what he wanted and hasn't been back in over a month.

You must be new to BotP’s posts. They’re generally a comprehensive ramble, which to be fair, have some good points, but undoubtedly, if he practices what he preaches, is the guy who is _____ing off everyone around him on the highway while he’s practicing hyper-miling! Lol

[Flapper]

For my truck, with a 32' fifth, I got 10.5mpg average over 14,000 miles.
Now same truck, 34' tow behind trailer (same weight), I get 8mpg after 10,000 miles.

I blame it on much poorer aerodynamics with the tow behind.

[Edd505]

Ford Ranger 2019 = not enough truck unless it's a small pop-up.
Ford Ranger 2019 = not enough HP or torque.
Ford Ranger 2019 = 270 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
Ford Ranger 2019 = Torque 310 lb.-ft. @ 3,000 rpm
Towing 75 = poor mileage.

[Fisherman]

He's not hiding, he had to get a second job to pay for gas. Like trying to pull a train with a washing machine motor.

[spoon059]

shelbyfv wrote:
Probably we can skip the irrelevant posturing. OP apparently got what he wanted and hasn't been back in over a month.

So, are we disbanding rv.net? This isn't even the tow vehicles section!!!

[shelbyfv]

Probably we can skip the irrelevant posturing. OP apparently got what he wanted and hasn't been back in over a month.

[BackOfThePack]

Grit dog wrote:

profdant139 wrote:
Back of the Pack, I am about to display my ignorance -- what does it mean that trailer drums have no reserve?

Do you mean that it is not safe to go over 60 even though the tires themselves are rated at a higher speed? Why not?

Note that I am not disagreeing with you -- I am just looking for information. Judging by your post, it looks like you know more about tires and wheels than I do.

He's insinuating that apparently, a 60mph to 0 stop is all a set of trailer drum brakes can handle, thus rendering them ineffective for a stop from a higher speed.

True statement? No, I'd say Somewhere between debatable and conditional. Just like some of his other assertions...

Recommend you test a full-on emergency stop from your towing speed. Drums overheat. When they do, they lose effectiveness. Much fun involved with a heavy load and still moving too fast. Of course, maybe they’ll lock up first and the trailer will get sideways on liquid ball bearings (formerly tire tread) just before they blow.

Antilock disc brakes should be a priority.


Dislike the other assertions ? Test them. None are difficult.

I’ve been pulling travel trailers 50-years and learned from father and grandfather before me in traveling the USA, Canada & Mexico on weeks-long trips. Being a truck driver the past quarter-century only reinforces (deepens) understanding as “towing” (combined vehicle) is full-time.

Big trucks are more likely to have steer axle disc these days. (At least it won’t pull itself into the next lane or ditch). But you’ll run out of “brakes” LONG before you come to a stop without emergency downshifting. Drums WILL run out of reserve ability.

With a travel trailer and poor hitch rigging, the tow vehicle front axle and trailer front axle wind up having to do the job, but at 50% capacity. WDH spreads the TW force against all three axles (brakes). It’s also why you want the trailer dead-level after proper hitching. (Carpenters level longitudinally at doorway) as vehicles go nose-down under heavy braking (another reason why a pickup NOT loaded near to stated rear-axle capacity is a poor tow vehicle).

To a point, the more TW transferred to the trailer axles is straight-up beneficial. (Test heat after hard stop; use CAT Scale Axle Slide reading to “get” — understand — the loading per trailer axle).

It SHOULD be obvious that a TV with nearly 50/50 weight distribution BEFORE hitching will have the most effective braking afterwards. From 35-mph, if the hitched combination DOES NOT stop faster than the solo vehicle, something is wrong. Fix it.

It’s easy to get into trouble. It’s HARD to get out of it.

[1320Fastback]

Perfectly acceptable for the speed at which your towing.

[Grit_dog]

profdant139 wrote:
Back of the Pack, I am about to display my ignorance -- what does it mean that trailer drums have no reserve?

Do you mean that it is not safe to go over 60 even though the tires themselves are rated at a higher speed? Why not?

Note that I am not disagreeing with you -- I am just looking for information. Judging by your post, it looks like you know more about tires and wheels than I do.

He's insinuating that apparently, a 60mph to 0 stop is all a set of trailer drum brakes can handle, thus rendering them ineffective for a stop from a higher speed.

True statement? No, I'd say Somewhere between debatable and conditional. Just like some of his other assertions...

[profdant139]

Back of the Pack, I am about to display my ignorance -- what does it mean that trailer drums have no reserve?

Do you mean that it is not safe to go over 60 even though the tires themselves are rated at a higher speed? Why not?

Note that I am not disagreeing with you -- I am just looking for information. Judging by your post, it looks like you know more about tires and wheels than I do.

[BackOfThePack]

TT towing is an approximate 40% penalty versus the solo MPG where the TV load hasn’t changed.

For TT with slides, even worse (taller floor height).

It’s an aero problem.

As none ever do a competent test while solo — and vehicle spec, climate & topography figure in — don’t ever expect to find ACCURATE comparisons if fuel-squeezing is your thing.

The test is only against ones self. The tenths of a MPG is how things add up, and chasing those (mechanical condition) isn’t always obvious. Neither are the other details which add up fast (where to fuel, how to park, etc).

TIRE CHOICE is the biggest thing (on TV). Bargain brands never pay.

The start is in determining the TRUE vehicle MPG, and that’s the AVERAGE. One must record all miles and all gallons. (Try FUELLY app or pencil & paper).

To separate RV miles, fill fuel to auto shut off about 75-miles outbound from city center; a rural area (warmup almost complete; tires take forever). That’s the “zero” point. Last fill is the same at trips end.

Gallons/Miles/Engine-Hours = Average MPG & Average MPH. Those two derived figures ARE the story.

There are those who “think” they travel fast, but an examination of Average MPH shows ONLY a huge gap between travel set speed and actual. (Meaning there wasn’t any benefit to the fuel burned to get to a higher speed and consequent higher brake/tire degradation).

Best MPG numbers are in never having to change lanes or use brakes to slow for other than a highway exit. At 62-mph versus 68-mph with medium Interstate traffic, “the gap” above is quite telling: the average speed won’t have moved up beneficially: too many accel/decel events. Too many course corrections (higher wind loads). Greater driver fatigue (reduced peripheral vision).

Commercial traffic centers near 65-mph. Stay below that. Trailer drums have no real reserve and are already taxed at 60-mph. Ease along, slow further to get passing traffic around you SOONEST. (NEVER, EVER, allow a pack to form alongside of and behind you).

Get a feedback device. ULTRAGAUGE or SCANGAUGE. Learn to read, “Engine Load Percentage”. (Don’t exceed 80% as a rule; grade ascent, in main).

Hitch Rigging is as valuable as the two vehicles. Has equal weight (Steer Axle same hitched or solo; same day).

Pickups are inherently imbalanced. Always the poorest highway vehicle for stability. If the SECURED bed load PRIOR TO HITCHING doesn’t get you nearer 50/50 FF/RR, it’s the wrong vehicle to use. (Bed cover good for aero; no ideal aero bed caps commercially available).

Proper tests of MPG: if it shows a greater than 50% change solo to hitched (all else the same), examination of vehicles PLUS driver habits are the problems to examine AFTER hitch rigging (dead level trailer after hitch).