So what are folks average MPG when towing

[Can_t_Wait_Now]

Well I am towing a 2800lb base weight figure 3600 actual with full propane tanks Battery and gear, Towing with a 2011 Nissan pathfinder V6 Pa is hilly so in 4th gear allot is automatic but to limit beating the tranny I run it manual, Well I am getting 8.7 mpg. Not thrilled but oh well having fun anyway. We have a 600 mile trip to Myrtle beach planned so hoping no more than 4 fill ups one way.

[4X4Dodger]

brulaz wrote:
Not a lot of data yet for the new Ram CTD 2500, but after ~1000 miles am getting 11.2 mpgUS with upto 8500# sail/trailer. That's mostly rural hilly roads, max 65 mph. Expect it to improve as the engine loosens up, and we spend more time on the highways.

The old EcoBoost averaged ~10.0 mpgUS towing the same trailer, same speeds, on Reg gas, and ~10.4 mpgUS on Premium, over 24K miles.

I too have a 2016 Ram Cummins TD. I am now getting between 13 and 15 towing my 33 foot trailer all loaded. and about 22-25MPG not towing.

Now it wasnt this good until it hit about 5000 miles on the odo. Then it took a noticeable leap up. This is to be expected with a diesel.

Note: I bought my new truck on the road in Oregon while on the way to Alaska. It has been towing from day one. And this is what the Cummins likes to do...work. (and what the owners manual suggests for break-in.

[drmopar]

Here is my numbers with my 1999 Dodge 4X4 24 valve Cummins. All stock, no chip. First I have a hard Tonneau cover on my 8ft bed, wash/wax truck, tires at full pressure. Normal mileage at 55mph with 410 gears in overdrive, 24mpg. One trip from SF bay area to Meridian Yacht plant in Washington state to pickup a Teak Deck kit for my 580 Meridian. Pulling my Pace enclosed car trailer empty to Washington I averaged 21mpg. Slightly loaded on return trip, (in the rain), 19mpg. Last week towing my 34' Stealth Toy Hauler to Corning Ca for the car show, 16.1 with 25mph headwinds. Towing back from Corning, (Rolling Hills Casino), 17.3 with very little wind. When driving I5 for example, I see guys towing 65-70 in left lane just blowing through their fuel. When I tow, I just relax in the right lane. Very little wear and tear if you drive easy. Don't settle for low fuel mileage. An open pickup bed with tailgate will slow you down a lot. Waxing your truck will help a lot as well. Tire pressures should be at max rated load capacity. The trailer should also be clean and waxed, tire pressures max for the weight. Oh, and the big thing for better mileage, leave the lead foot at home!

[filrupmark]

When we had smaller gas rigs 7-9 mpg. Our current rig gets 9 - 11.8 depending on conditions.

[brulaz]

Not a lot of data yet for the new Ram CTD 2500, but after ~1000 miles am getting 11.2 mpgUS with upto 8500# sail/trailer. That's mostly rural hilly roads, max 65 mph. Expect it to improve as the engine loosens up, and we spend more time on the highways.

The old EcoBoost averaged ~10.0 mpgUS towing the same trailer, same speeds, on Reg gas, and ~10.4 mpgUS on Premium, over 24K miles.

[krobbe]

My 8.1L big block gasser averaged 9.4 mpg over the entire 5100 miles from Mich to the Pacific Northwest and back towing my 7200# Bullet. A small percentage is non-towing. My towing speed is 60 to 65 mph but exceeding that when passing slower vehicles.

[Len_in_PHoenix]

12.5 mpg with the rig below. Truck gets 15 mpg in city traffic empty, 18 on the highway.

[Campfire_Time]

Current combo in sig, 9.5-10 mpg.

Previous combo, same trailer in my sig towed by Chevy Trailblazer I6 3:42 gears, 8 mpg

Before that we towed a 3500# hybrid with the Trailblazer and got 11-12 mpg.

coolmom42 wrote:


Your mileage sounds reasonable, but if you want to improve it, the best thing you can do is slow down. 55-60 in the right lane of an interstate is a good place to be.

X2!

[allen8106]

So I see a lot of posts regarding fuel mileage. Many of which are difficult to believe, such as "I get the same mileage towing my 20,000 lb. fifth wheel as I do not towing it". Personally I don't believe this and if you do I have some ocean front property in western Kansas I'd like to sell you. My "real" data is below.

I drive mostly 55+ mph to and from work each day, 62 miles round trip.
Each way = 4 miles at 30 mph on gravel roads, 12 miles at 65 mph, 15 miles at 70 mph.

I drive 65 or under while towing my 5ver.

2013 GMC 2500HD, long bed, regular cab, 4X4, 6.6L Diesel, purchased new.
2010 Jayco 31.5 RLDS, weighed 10,500 at grain truck scale a year ago coming home from the lake.

8,475 miles mostly towing - 11.48 mpg (75% or more towing)
3,376 miles some towing - 14.85 mpg (less than 25% towing)
38,634 miles no towing - 17.0 mpg

These numbers are based on actual numbers from 112 tanks of fuel between 10/19/13 and 5/22/16.

I don't have the exact numbers but in May 2012 my 2009 gas engine GMC averaged about 7-9 mpg towing to California and back, 3000 miles round trip, and averaged about 15-16 mpg when not towing.

[restlesswind]

korbe wrote:
We average between 10 and 12 mpg depending on terrain and wind.

X2
I have gotten as high as 16 a couple of times, How much wind resistance your trailer has, has a lot to do with mpg, so 2 of the same trucks pulling different trailers may well have very different mpg. That right foot action plays a big part also. I usually get better mpg when I drive than when my DW drives.
I used to hand calc mpg with every fill up, gave it up as nothing would change our driving habits, and as long as we can afford the next tank of fuel, that's all we care about.

[korbe]

We average between 10 and 12 mpg depending on terrain and wind.

[larry_barnhart]

Last 2 trip from Washington st to Az we got 11 mpg hand calculated, Pretty much this is what we have gotten on every trip including Branson, Wisconsin and Texas and then towards Az. I guess the trip back north would not be that good because the horse wants to get back to the barn. Not that we have a barn but I drive different maybe. 22,920 lbs combined.

chevman

[hawkeye-08]

If I recall, 7.2-7.5 mpg when towing ~63-65mph, 8.2-8.5 when towing ~58-60mph.

[SouthpawHD]

Overall speed really impacts my MPGs. Towing at 55MPH I was around 10MPG. Towing at 65MPH dropped that to 8MPG.

[Sprink-Fitter]

Have never checked the mpg, same thing when we rode the Goldwing pulling a camper, people would ask what kind of mileage I get, told him I didn't have a clue because I don't check the mileage.

[mabynack]

W5CI wrote:
It Is what it is, If I was worried about it I would have never bought the 5er, all you can do is Slow down. IMHO

x2.

The biggest factor in fuel economy while towing is wind resistance. The faster you go, the more the wind resistance plays into the equation.