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Is there a calculator that can approximate the expected MPG

ng2951
Explorer
Explorer
I know there are a number of variables, but is there a calculator that looks at a particular TV weight and TT weight and takes a guess wild guess at what an approximate MPG would be? It ought to take into account whether you are using gas or diesel.
Foard County News & Sassy Schoolmarm
with Chloe, Belle, & Danke
2017 GD Imagine 2800BH
2017 53 days camping
'07 GMC Sierra 2500HD Classic 4x4 LBZ Duramax Diesel
Honda 2000sThe Bayou Bounty Hunters Cowboy Club
The Single Action Shooting Society
15 REPLIES 15

APT
Explorer
Explorer
Budget 8mpg gas towing any high walled RV.
Budget 10mpg diesel towing any high walled RV.

You may get slightly better, but you will be much happier budgeting for 8 and getting 9 than budgeting for 10 and getting 9.

Weights do not matter (much). Every hill you go up you come back down. The fuel cost is for the aerodynamic drag at 65mph.
A & A parents of DD 2005, DS1 2007, DS2 2009
2011 Suburban 2500 6.0L 3.73 pulling 2011 Heartland North Trail 28BRS
2017 Subaru Outback 3.6R
2x 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EUV (Gray and Black Twins)

Bird_Freak
Explorer II
Explorer II
Try a crystal ball.
Eddie
03 Fleetwood Pride, 36-5L
04 Ford F-250 Superduty
15K Pullrite Superglide
Old coach 04 Pace Arrow 37C with brakes sometimes.
Owner- The Toy Shop-
Auto Restoration and Customs 32 years. Retired by a stroke!
We love 56 T-Birds

valhalla360
Nomad III
Nomad III
The old 7.3 diesel averaged just shy of 13mpg but as low as 9mpg (into a 25mph headwind) and as high as 16mpg (30mph tail wind).

The new V10 doesn't have as many miles on it but seems to be running around 9mpg.

Way to much variation in rigs and how you drive to give a good estimate.
Tammy & Mike
Ford F250 V10
2021 Gray Wolf
Gemini Catamaran 34'
Full Time spliting time between boat and RV

Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Explorer III
MH........SWAG is 6 mpg
Truck,,,gas.....SWAG is 8 mpg
Truck,,,diesel.....SWAG is 10mpg
Is it time for your medication or mine?


2007 DODGE 3500 QC SRW 5.9L CTD In-Bed 'quiet gen'
2007 HitchHiker II 32.5 UKTG 2000W Xantex Inverter
US NAVY------USS Decatur DDG31

mkirsch
Nomad II
Nomad II
Captain_Happy wrote:
Try dividing the gasoline used into the miles driven using an old school adding machine. Works every time.


0/0 = UNDEFINED

He is looking for a caculator to *PREDICT* the fuel economy of a yet-to-be-determined rig.

Putting 10-ply tires on half ton trucks since aught-four.

donn0128
Explorer II
Explorer II
Down load the smart phone app, gas logger. Works great to give you cost and MPG for each fill up.

coolbreeze01
Explorer
Explorer
You can expect over 6mpg and less than 16mpg.
2008 Ram 3500 With a Really Strong Tractor Motor...........
LB, SRW, 4X4, 6-Speed Auto, 3.73, Prodigy P3, Blue Ox Sway Pro........
2014 Sandsport 26FBSL

monkey44
Nomad II
Nomad II
We just did 7500 miles and averaged 10.7 about half of it in the Rockies. That's derived from gallons bought and odometer miles.
Monkey44
Cape Cod Ma & Central Fla
Chevy 2500HD 4x4 DC-SB
2008 Lance 845
Back-country camping fanatic

SoCalDesertRid1
Explorer
Explorer
There are too many variables for even the same truck and same trailer to get the same mpg driving on the same road, when driven by different drivers. The driver has alot to do with the mpg. Then start trying to compare completely different trucks, trailers, roads and drivers all together and that's just a big mess that you really can't get any reliable data from.
01 International 4800 4x4 CrewCab DT466E Allison MD3060
69Bronco 86Samurai 85ATC250R 89CR500
98Ranger 96Tacoma
20' BigTex flatbed
8' truck camper, 14' Aristocrat TT
73 Kona 17' ski boat & Mercury 1150TB
92F350 CrewCab 4x4 351/C6 285 BFG AT 4.56 & LockRite rear

SouthpawHD
Explorer
Explorer
OP,what are you trying to accomplish? You've been around here long enough to know that RVing isn't an MPG friendly hobby. So curious as to why you are asking.
Palomino SolAire 307QBDSK
2016 Chevrolet 2500, CC, 6.0L, 4.10

LadyRVer
Explorer II
Explorer II
I use calculator...miles divided by gallons, each fillup. At end of trip total miles div. By gallons for trip average. Gas 2500, Avg 9.5, towing only..gas motorhome, Ford V-10 always seemed to be 8.0. Doesn't seem to matter uphill, downhill. Tail wind will give a tad better on a fillup, headwind wind a little less. Speed 55-60.

Captain_Happy
Explorer
Explorer
Try dividing the gasoline used into the miles driven using an old school adding machine. Works every time.

Campfire_Time
Explorer
Explorer
There are far too many variables to easily calculate this. Average is 10. I get 10 with my current combo. I previously towed this trailer with a 2003 Trailblazer and I got 8. The same Trailblazer with a 17 ft hybrid and I got 11.
Chuck D.
โ€œAdventure is just bad planning.โ€ - Roald Amundsen
2013 Jayco X20E Hybrid
2016 Chevy Silverado Crew Cab Z71 LTZ2
2008 GMC Sierra SLE1 Crew Cab Z71 (traded)

nickthehunter
Nomad II
Nomad II
No there isn't. 10 is about the norm, some as little as 6, 12 if your pulling a popup. The weight of the TT doesn't matter as much as the speed you travel and the "frontal area". A larger TT then the one you have now won't make much difference unless it is a 5er with a larger frontal area.