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realistic MPG expectations

danimal53
Explorer
Explorer
after some searching, I'm wondering what kind of mileage people are getting when towing. I know the frontal area of the trailer is a big factor, as far as wind resistance, even more so than weight. What have others experiences been with mileage? What kind of mileage does your TV get when not towing, and what do you get when towing? I have a jeep liberty, towing a coachmen clipper 17bh with 3700lb max. We'll be going on a long trip next month, so I'll have a solid number for my average MPG then.
2010 Jeep Liberty Sport 4x4
2016 Coachman Clipper 17BH
80 REPLIES 80

dodge_guy
Explorer II
Explorer II
danimal53 wrote:
dodge guy wrote:
My gas mileage with the wind deflector would disagree with you! I bought one 2 years ago and my towing mileage increased by approx. .8mpg. so my $75 craiglist investment paid for itself on our trip to Myrtle Beach. My Excursion tows very differently with it. no more does it downshift at the slightest headwind or hill. and with my scanner the throttle opening % decreased by about 12%. so yes they do work, but as was stated they need top be back near the TT. On my X the wing is at the very rear and it does what it is supposed to do. I believe on a Pick Up truck with a TT it would not be very helpful due to the distance between the trailer and cab.



.8 seems ok, but some of them advertise 3+! And i would agree that further back on the TV would be best, however it would still seem there's quite a distance between the TV and TT. Do you have a WDH? Your TT looks pretty close to the rear of TV, mine definitely sits further back with my WDH than it would without.


Yes I do have a WD hitch (DualCam). It's probably the way the picture is taken, but it is a bit further back than it looks. It's also a fairly flat front trailer. Not one where the front wall is laid back. Another thing I should've mentioned is that my trailer is 11.5' tall. Most standard trailers are 10-10.5'. So on the lower ones a wing may not make that much of an improvement. For the $75 I figured it was worth it, even if it didn't help the mileage it would keep the bugs off the front of the trailer!
Wife Kim
Son Brandon 17yrs
Daughter Marissa 16yrs
Dog Bailey

12 Forest River Georgetown 350TS Hellwig sway bars, BlueOx TrueCenter stabilizer

13 Ford Explorer Roadmaster Stowmaster 5000, VIP Tow>
A bad day camping is
better than a good day at work!

chacoetaco
Explorer
Explorer
8'ish towing more than 20K miles
V/r,
Dave

Tundy
Jayco 25BHS

danimal53
Explorer
Explorer
dodge guy wrote:
My gas mileage with the wind deflector would disagree with you! I bought one 2 years ago and my towing mileage increased by approx. .8mpg. so my $75 craiglist investment paid for itself on our trip to Myrtle Beach. My Excursion tows very differently with it. no more does it downshift at the slightest headwind or hill. and with my scanner the throttle opening % decreased by about 12%. so yes they do work, but as was stated they need top be back near the TT. On my X the wing is at the very rear and it does what it is supposed to do. I believe on a Pick Up truck with a TT it would not be very helpful due to the distance between the trailer and cab.



.8 seems ok, but some of them advertise 3+! And i would agree that further back on the TV would be best, however it would still seem there's quite a distance between the TV and TT. Do you have a WDH? Your TT looks pretty close to the rear of TV, mine definitely sits further back with my WDH than it would without.
2010 Jeep Liberty Sport 4x4
2016 Coachman Clipper 17BH

dodge_guy
Explorer II
Explorer II
My gas mileage with the wind deflector would disagree with you! I bought one 2 years ago and my towing mileage increased by approx. .8mpg. so my $75 craiglist investment paid for itself on our trip to Myrtle Beach. My Excursion tows very differently with it. no more does it downshift at the slightest headwind or hill. and with my scanner the throttle opening % decreased by about 12%. so yes they do work, but as was stated they need top be back near the TT. On my X the wing is at the very rear and it does what it is supposed to do. I believe on a Pick Up truck with a TT it would not be very helpful due to the distance between the trailer and cab.

Wife Kim
Son Brandon 17yrs
Daughter Marissa 16yrs
Dog Bailey

12 Forest River Georgetown 350TS Hellwig sway bars, BlueOx TrueCenter stabilizer

13 Ford Explorer Roadmaster Stowmaster 5000, VIP Tow>
A bad day camping is
better than a good day at work!

Community Alumni
Not applicable
Air deflectors are pretty ineffective. The gap between the trailer and the vehicle is always too great for the deflector to be effective.

rbpru
Explorer II
Explorer II
I have wondered about wind deflectors also but I have not seen any in use.

I suppose there are some but if they made a significant difference, everyone would be bragging on them.

They might help with bug deflection.
Twenty six foot 2010 Dutchmen Lite pulled with a 2011 EcoBoost F-150 4x4.

Just right for Grandpa, Grandma and the dog.

danimal53
Explorer
Explorer
PureMI wrote:
Has anyone tried to mitigate the wind resistance with an air deflector? You don't see many rigs with one, I figure they must not work too well...


was thinking the same thing. reviews i've seen have been mixed. i've read some people like them because they help keep bugs off the TT! hmmmm not the intended purpose but i guess...
2010 Jeep Liberty Sport 4x4
2016 Coachman Clipper 17BH

PureMI
Explorer
Explorer
Has anyone tried to mitigate the wind resistance with an air deflector? You don't see many rigs with one, I figure they must not work too well...

colliehauler
Explorer III
Explorer III
SprinklerMan wrote:
2012Coleman wrote:
Why even worry about MPG? It is what it is. Forget about it and just enjoy camping.


Exactly , I dont even look at the pump when i fill up , it uses what it uses .
So you know how far a tank of gas will take you between fill ups.

ryanw821
Explorer
Explorer
PAThwacker wrote:
How is the timing belts doing on the 2005/6 CRD Liberty? I had one new and dumped it in 2009 due to timing belt backorder and nobody was qualified to do the change.


CRD Timing Belt Change

Had mine done at 117,000 miles when I bought it, I couldn't confirm if it had ever been done, cost me around $1500 parts and labor (including water pump) at a local diesel shop who had done a few before and had the tools. Parts are easy enough to come by, but shops that know them are still a bit rare, this is one of the reasons we got a more common tow vehicle.

rbpru
Explorer II
Explorer II
I have run out of gas only twice in my life. Once just out high school in a Volkswagen and 50 years later when I bought my first TT. :E

Take a well sealing 5 gallon gas can. :B

Once in a while things just happen.
Twenty six foot 2010 Dutchmen Lite pulled with a 2011 EcoBoost F-150 4x4.

Just right for Grandpa, Grandma and the dog.

PAThwacker
Explorer
Explorer
How is the timing belts doing on the 2005/6 CRD Liberty? I had one new and dumped it in 2009 due to timing belt backorder and nobody was qualified to do the change.


CRD Timing Belt Change


8 to 10 hour job, and $800 plus in parts.

We currently have a 2006 libby crd bone stock w/zero options. 139K no factory tow, just used a runabout. Catastrophic diesel engine failure pending at any given moment.
2015 Keystone Springdale Summerland 257rl
Tow vehicle: 2003 GMC K1500 ext lb
Previous: 14 years of 3 popups and a hybrid tt

SprinklerMan
Explorer
Explorer
2012Coleman wrote:
Why even worry about MPG? It is what it is. Forget about it and just enjoy camping.


Exactly , I dont even look at the pump when i fill up , it uses what it uses .

2012Coleman
Explorer II
Explorer II
Why even worry about MPG? It is what it is. Forget about it and just enjoy camping.
Experience without good judgment is worthless; good judgment without experience is still good judgment!

2018 RAM 3500 Big Horn CTD
2018 Grand Design Reflection 303RLS

Templar1
Explorer
Explorer
I have a 2012 F150 Supercrew with the 5.0, and a 24RKS Trailer Blazer. I'm 13500lbs when lashed up. My solo mileage is 16mpg to 22mpg depending on how much highway driving I do. Towing seems to be 9.5 regardless. I am going up the Coquihalla highway here in BC in July, will be interesting to see what happens to my mileage on that pull.