beemerphile1
I'm only 54, I'm not a
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Joined: 04/20/2007
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Rig in my signature gets 7-9 m.p.g. towing at 55-60 m.p.h.
Tim (in NE Ohio)
"Okay, I admit it, the only thing I'm really good at is being me."
2006 Weekend Warrior FK1900
1998 Ford E150 4.6L
1996 BMW R1100GS
2007 Trek 7.2FX
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DuckTang
NC
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Joined: 09/03/2009
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My 98 F-150(3.73 /5.4L) and my Aero Cub get 10-11 mpg at best @60mph. The F-150 gets 18 mpg at best not towing on highway. I do have a high top camper shell on the truck that I feel slightly helps throw the air over the Cub. The cub is only 8' 2" tall, so my profile is lower than most other TT's and its front is sloped. On the other hand I have a 6 X 16 enclosed trailer I pull that is 9 foot tall, but 2' narrower and has a flat front. I am ecstatic if I ever get more than 9 mpg with it. It weighs 1/2 as much as the camper. Like others said, it is the exposed frontal area that kills mileage. Ever noticed the flairs big rigs have to push the air around there trailers? I am designing one for the cargo trailer to help it.
2002 215 Aero Cub
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Deen
Vancouver, WA
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With our 8.3L ISC I've seen 3 miles per gallon up to 256 mpg. The 3 mpg was in the Columbia Gorge fighting a headwind towing the Jeep at 70 mph. The 256 is down a 6% grade with the throttle closed. Take you pick as to what mileage I get!!
On flat ground, holding 60 mph I can see 12.5 to 17. Overall is in the 8's which is pretty good for 32,000#'s towing another 5,000#'s
Deen - Vancouver, WA
'02 Dutch Star 4090 (41+', triple slide)
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whjco
Lexington, KY
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2oldman wrote:It's not necessarily the weight, but the front end wind resistance.
I agree. I recently towed my 24' enclosed car trailer from Kentucky to Minnesota and picked up a 3800# car. I got exactly the same mileage both directions. The biggest load is the wind resistance.
Your mileage isn't out of line for a gasoline engined tow vehicle.
Bill J., Lexington, KY
2006 Starcraft 2500RKS 25' Travel Trailer
2000 Excursion Ltd. 7.3 PSD
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Mr.Beebo
Illinois
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Joined: 04/21/2009
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Our 2006 Tahoe, same engine as yours, averages about 12 mpg pulling our 21' Starcraft but I drive like your grandma to the post office. Use cruise only on the flats and shut it off anytime your going thru hills. 55-58 mph is about what we run as well. If there is a wind that day, it won't matter what I do, the gas will be gulped.
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Ken O
I live half way between Grayling and Cadillac, MI
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Thanks for all the replys. I thought I had a good way of checking since it was round trips on the same day.
The reason I asked is because a fellow that has a slightly smaller trailer and pulling with a much smaller truck said he got the same milage towing or not. He was claiming 20 mpg both ways.
I thought that maybe I had something wrong that needs to be addressed. I see the biggest thing to do is slow down to get better mpg. I would guess that a diesel might be the way to go if I make many trips.
I see many large rigs that fly by me on the freeway, way over the speed limit, so I did't think the speed had that much to do with it.
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murffdog
Poughkeepsie, NY
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Travelaire Canuk wrote:65 mph is still way too fast for economy. slow to 58 and you will see a big difference. Safer too. Bring back the 55 mph speed limit please.
If your doing 58 in a 65 MPH speed zone, I'm going to run you over:-)
If I have to worry about gas milage, I may as well stay home.
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moterman
Fl
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Joined: 06/30/2009
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I get 10 mpg towimg mid profile 5th wheel 8500 lbs got 7-8 mpg towing 23 ft TT
4500 lbs with same veh.5.7 chevy TT was a big flat front wind resitance makes a big differance.
bruce@melanie
al E. gator the cat
95 K2500 tricked out
07 surveyor 5th wheel
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BarneyS
S.E. Lower Michigan
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Ken O wrote:The reason I asked is because a fellow that has a slightly smaller trailer and pulling with a much smaller truck said he got the same milage towing or not. He was claiming 20 mpg both ways.
That fellow has a way of really stretching the truth! No matter what size truck or trailer, what he said is not possible in my opinion - especially the part about it being the same whether towing or not!
Barney
2004 Sunnybrook 30FKS TT
Hensley "Arrow" 1400# hitch
2002 Ford F250 Super Duty, 7.3L PSD
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shum02
Burlington ON CDA
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murffdog wrote:Travelaire Canuk wrote:65 mph is still way too fast for economy. slow to 58 and you will see a big difference. Safer too. Bring back the 55 mph speed limit please.
If your doing 58 in a 65 MPH speed zone, I'm going to run you over:-)
If I have to worry about gas milage, I may as well stay home.
What do ya do when you come up to an OTR tractor that is governed to 55mph/90kph 
The difference of traveling 58mph as apposed to 65 mph over a 100 mile distance is only 11 minutes. I'm just not in that much of a hurry that 11 minutes every 100 miles will make or break a trip. JMVO.
2007 F150 XLT CC 4x4 5.4L 3.73LS
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