How far can you tow prior to fill up?

[John_Joey]

Thinking about getting rid of the Class A and getting a different RV for traveling cross country in. So bear with me since I'm really new to TT's.

As a newbie to TT's I'm attempting to wrap my head around how far you guys can pull prior to a fillup. If all you're getting is 10mpg and a standard pull vehicle has lets say a 14 gallon tank then you must be pulling over all the time to fill up. What am I missing?

[Danasdaddy2002]

Tvov wrote:

Danasdaddy2002 wrote:
Gotta hook up the sway control - some say that helps with fuel.

I don't think that will help with fuel economy, that is all about safety while towing.

Try a trip at 60-65 mph maximum, and see how the fuel economy is. And 6,000rpm? That's got to be close to the engines redline... I would suggest trying to avoid that. Plan on going slower up the hills, don't try to maintain cruising speed.

Fuel economy is never great when towing a big box.

I questioned it too. Some say that because a trailer sways slightly it causes enough drag that it effects fuel economy. But yeah for sure it will make for a safer tip none the less.

[Monaco_Montclai]

I use the half tank idea. happy-camping

[Tvov]

Danasdaddy2002 wrote:
Gotta hook up the sway control - some say that helps with fuel.

I don't think that will help with fuel economy, that is all about safety while towing.

Try a trip at 60-65 mph maximum, and see how the fuel economy is. And 6,000rpm? That's got to be close to the engines redline... I would suggest trying to avoid that. Plan on going slower up the hills, don't try to maintain cruising speed.

Fuel economy is never great when towing a big box.

[gon2dadawgs]

It depends on when we get hungry.

Michael

[Danasdaddy2002]

Danny. I bet a lot has changed since then lmao. Especially the gas prices. On our way to Prince George last summer we stopped in a little truck stop near the Ice fields. Gas was $1.80 a litre. What's that around $7.00 a gallon. Lol.
Everything is paved. The roads are nice and wide with lots of passing lanes for those who don't wanna be stuck behind us campers lol

[Danasdaddy2002]

GMT830 wrote:
I think we have a little confusion with GCVWR and tow ratings.....

Crap. You are absolutely correct. My total allowable weight including a loaded truck and RV should not exceed 11,100. Max trailer weight is 5800 lbs. wow. I am right at the max I would say. Glad you mentioned that.

[GMT830]

I think we have a little confusion with GCVWR and tow ratings.....

[Desert_Captain]

Danasdaddy, You're welcome. I suggest you recheck your towing numbers as there is no way your straight 6 is rated to tow 11.300#, it's probably about half of that number. The only F-150 with that number is the EccoBoost with the heavy duty payload and towing packages. Keep in mind that a tow rating of "X' number of pounds does NOT refer to towing a TT. That is the max weight of the most efficient trailer out there like a flatbed or very streamlined boat.

I wish you well but IMHO you do not have anywhere near enough truck for that trailer (as evidenced by your mileage running empty). Load it up and head to the CAT scale before trying any mountains. Good luck! :C

[dannydimitt]

Danasdaddy2002 wrote:
Lol. Well Danny. The wife sister is in Prince George B.C. We live in Brooks Alberta. The two of them came up with the idea to meet up half way at Jasper. I've been throughout the mountains several times now and after a few times off seeing the beautiful secerny I started to take the long way around the mountains lol. Adds about 3 hours to the trip but it takes away from the winding roads and the constant grade change.

Tiss a Grande and rare work of art, your Canadian Rockies !!!
We plan on entering your fair country at Rooseville on the Montana border mid June , then working up through Baniff Natnl park, up through Jasper, Grande Cache , Grand Prarie, then over to Dawson Creek BC and all the way up to Alaska, Have not been in your beautiful country since we drove up to Alaska back in 1970 and we are very much looking forward to this return trip. I hear that the road up that away has been paved !
The highest price we ever payed was 75 cents a gallon for a Canadian Gallon of Gasoline in Ross River , Yukon Terr. bet it's a bit pricier now !:E

[Danasdaddy2002]

Lol. Well Danny. The wife sister is in Prince George B.C. We live in Brooks Alberta. The two of them came up with the idea to meet up half way at Jasper. I've been throughout the mountains several times now and after a few times off seeing the beautiful secerny I started to take the long way around the mountains lol. Adds about 3 hours to the trip but it takes away from the winding roads and the constant grade change.

[dannydimitt]

dannydimitt wrote:

Danasdaddy2002 wrote:
Hey Captain. Thanks for complimenting my RV. ??
My truck is a straight V6 - no ecoboost. That said according to my owners manual and double checking online I am able to tow 11,300 lbs. not sure who came up with that figure but I wouldn't wanna be the one doing it. I'd say it would probably take a lot of life out of the engine for sure. There were times when for no reason the gear would drop into second and put the RPM to 6000. Really bogged the truck down and I was using the "tow/haul".
I am sure with more experience will come better fuel economy but I will be dropping my speed for
sure lol.
Thanks.

That 11,300 lbs is for a chunk of lead neatly loaded onto a short narrow trailer tucked in behind your pickup in it's slipstream that catching no air of it's own ! 😉
MAYBE ?
Welcome to the wonderful world of dropping gears going up a grade club!
Head over to Jasper and you will probably find grades where your transmission will be in the bottom hole at times. It simply has to to be able to move that kind of weight up hill and displace huge amounts of air with the front of your trailer. Not to try and discourage you but I have pulled square camp trailers with 6 bangers in the past that would not go over about 35 to 40 mph on flat to slight downgrades because of nasty headwinds. "inline Chevys with 1 barrel carb" so your 6 puts out a lot more HP and winds up a more rpms than my old POS could ever put out.
there is more than one reason why virtually all "big trucks" no longer use gasoline engines "as they did in the 30's and 40's.
and well into the seventy's for some die hards.
Having started out in some of these old gas rigs and having to shift up or down almost endlessly and having your right arm aching from endless shifting , it's not something I care to go back to. Of course most all the pickups and motor homes have "automatic transmissions" now days " have some horror stories about early allisons they stuck behind big gasoline engines in sixtys" I will stick to the manual transmission's behind the Cummins 6 banger diesels to get from point a - b till I get to that last steep grade with no down grade on the other side.

just like to have 100 % control of when the trans. shifts.

Danny and Rachael
and Basset hound Fred

[dannydimitt]

Danasdaddy2002 wrote:
Hey Captain. Thanks for complimenting my RV. ??
My truck is a straight V6 - no ecoboost. That said according to my owners manual and double checking online I am able to tow 11,300 lbs. not sure who came up with that figure but I wouldn't wanna be the one doing it. I'd say it would probably take a lot of life out of the engine for sure. There were times when for no reason the gear would drop into second and put the RPM to 6000. Really bogged the truck down and I was using the "tow/haul".
I am sure with more experience will come better fuel economy but I will be dropping my speed for
sure lol.
Thanks.

Welcome to the wonderful world of dropping gears going up a grade club!
Head over to Jasper and you will probably find grades where your transmission will be in the bottom hole at times. It simply has to to be able to move that kind of weight up hill and displace huge amounts of air with the front of your trailer. Not to try and discourage you but I have pulled square camp trailers with 6 bangers in the past that would not go over about 35 to 40 mph on flat to slight downgrades because of nasty headwinds. "inline Chevys with 1 barrel carb" so your 6 puts out a lot more HP and winds up a more rpms than my old POS could ever put out.
there is more than one reason why virtually all "big trucks" no longer use gasoline engines "as they did in the 30's and 40's.
and well into the seventy's for some die hards.
Having started out in some of these old gas rigs and having to shift up or down almost endlessly and having your right arm aching from endless shifting , it's not something I care to go back to. Of course most all the pickups and motor homes have "automatic transmissions" now days " have some horror stories about early allisons they stuck behind big gasoline engines in sixtys" I will stick to the manual transmission's behind the Cummins 6 banger diesels to get from point a - b till I get to that last steep grade with no down grade on the other side.

just like to have 100 % control of when the trans. shifts.

Danny and Rachael
and Basset hound Fred

[Merrykalia]

facory wrote:
I don't care how 'hopped up' a 6 cylinder engine is, when it comes to towing you need the cubic inches. ECO Boost may be OK for running around with an empty truck, but you need more than that to tow something of substance. You are asking the 6 cyl to work too hard. That's just the way life it.

The EB is MADE to tow. That is specifically what it was made for. A factory EB without the Max tow and/or HD is rated to town 9,600.

That being said.....SLOW DOWN!!

We tow with a 2012 EB Max tow and HD and we get right at 10 mpg towing. Non-towing, we get around 18-19. When towing, we travel at or around 62 mph on the interstate highways. Yes, it will go faster, but that is where we feel the most comfortable towing a load.

[Danasdaddy2002]

Hey Danny. Yeah I get great mileage on the highway empty. I can usually get 1000 kms/620 miles to a tank. My tank is 136 L /36G.
Sometimes not as good. Sometimes better. Love the great distances I can drive.
I still have some work to down with setup. Gotta hook up the sway control - some say that helps with fuel. Gonna make sure I am perfect level with the trailer - The guy at the dealership set me up in an area where the pad had a big drop. Gonna check tire pressure. And yes I learned what happens when towing at high speeds. I thought my new truck was gonna spit the engine out. The noise in the cab was upmost unbearable with the roar of the engine.
Thanks again for the tips guys. It is greatly appreciated. This is a great forum for sure.

[Danasdaddy2002]

Hey Captain. Thanks for complimenting my RV.
My truck is a straight V6 - no ecoboost. That said according to my owners manual and double checking online I am able to tow 11,300 lbs. not sure who came up with that figure but I wouldn't wanna be the one doing it. I'd say it would probably take a lot of life out of the engine for sure. There were times when for no reason the gear would drop into second and put the RPM to 6000. Really bogged the truck down and I was using the "tow/haul".
I am sure with more experience will come better fuel economy but I will be dropping my speed for
sure lol.
Thanks.