What's your fuel economy for a 16 foot Sport Airstream

[renderit]

We are out camping now. In the Rockies (front range Wyoming so far, did the Black Hills Wyoming this week also) we are getting between 10.5 and 14.5. We are hitting 13.5 more often than not. This is mostly at speeds between 70-75 and up to 80 for stretches!
At 65 we do a little better, but not much. If on Interstates we are stroking the larger numbers pretty much without slowing down. This GMC is fantastic! With the Fastway E2 hitch it is stable as can be. No anxious moments period!

Rig: 2014 Airstream 16 Bambi loaded and with 1/4 tank water and maybe 1/4 tank average backwater (Gotta keep that Blackwater rollin keep on rolling, Mississippi moon just keep on shinin' on me), put in 24" Samsung TV and tons of additions, so we are not towing it light.

2014 GMC Sierra 1500 SLE Z71 4x4 with offroad package, Texas Special edition Package, 5.8 V-8, 3.42 rear end, trailering package, navigation. I added those steps that come down when you open the door, the brake controller, a fold down bed step, weather tech mats, rear fold out tool box. Tonneau not in yet.

And bear in mind, the truck ain't broke in yet...

[mnmhays]

I don't have anything as short as a 16' but we just did 1300 miles with our 30' Sovereign and came in at 11.5 mpg averaging 65 mph with our 1996 1/2 ton Suburban. 5.4L w/ 3.73 gears. My friend towed our 26' Argosy the same distance 2 years ago with his 2004 3/4 ton Dodge diesel at approximately the same average speed and maintained 16-18 mpg. Both TTs weigh about the same.

[scamp]

So I'm going to answer my own post ,I just picked up our new 2015 16 foot sport with optional microwave and gold ultra leather interior,,
Here are the results( no trailer just truck) I drove my 2012 silverado 4x4 extend a cab 6.5 foot box ,tonneau cover,5.3 liter engine,6 speed trans ,3.42 locking diff with factory tow package.i drove about 500 miles to get the trailer and got 23.9 mpg ( imperial gallon) at 63mph, on the way back with the trailer and water tanks empty besides for 6 gallon hot water heater, and a few extra pounds of food in the fridge,I got 19.4 mpg ( imperial gallon) at 57 mph. Also using regular unleaded gas with 10 percent ethanol, for those that don't know ethanol has less b.t.u in it so fuel economy will be less.( use more fuel about 3%) also noted the next day that tire pressure on trailer was about 3 psi lower then recommended pressure of 50 psi. So I should get a bit better fuel economy now that tire pressure is up to specs.also this was in tow haul mode when trailer was hauled it didn't have to be used as this is a light load for this 9700lbs capacity truck.

[TinTin]

Scamp, it would be much simpler to calculate and to understand (at least for me), if data were in miles/US gallon (4 litres). The imperial gallon is a dinosaur, isn't it?
It would also allow data to be easily compared with other forum threads on the subject.

You seem to be getting very decent mileage, particularly while towing!!

Bob

[scamp]

Hi Bob .the imperial gallon is the Canadian gallon 4.54 liters =1 imperial gallon ( Canadian) and 3.78 liters = 1 U.S.A gallon , and if we're looking at the way we calculate the metric way liters per 100 kilometers ,not towing I was getting 11.8 L per 100 kilometers,and while towing was getting 14.3 liters per 100 kilometers , I put it in miles per gallon as most forum users are American but used imperial gallon because being Canadian and i remembered the old system before metric and the figures of m.p.g. Are stuck in my head from years ago , I think the metric system is great for temp,and distance ( kilometers ) but for pressure (kilo pascals) and fuel consumption liters per 100 kilometers, they don't mean so much to me as the old system did.oh yes it would have been easier to compare if I did post in u.s. Gallons ,sorry too late to edit , I was trying to be precise with all the other specs to be accurate and overlooked the imperial u.s. Gallon thing .

[TG Twinkie]

Isn't the Canadian (Imperial) gallon 4 liters?

[TinTin]

Yeah Don, I'm old enough for the old miles/imperial gallon as well. I still think in Fahrenheit temperatures, somehow they seem warmer!!

I've never gotten used to the litres/ 100 kilometre thing.

TGT, as mentioned by scamp, imperial gallon is 4.54 litres.

[scamp]

Originally Posted by TG Twinkie

Isn't the Canadian (Imperial) gallon 4 liters?

1 imperial gallon is 4.546 liters and it makes a big difference when measuring fuel economy as for lots of folks say one u.s. Gallon = 4 liters that's not right and not precise .

[Scotsman1963]

2013 VW Touareg TDI pulling 16 foot Bambi
Not pulling at 70-75 MPH, get about 31 miles per US gallon. Pulling my Bambi at 60-65 mph with a canoe on top of car, this drops to about 19 miles per US gallon.

[Mergatroyd]

Originally Posted by scamp

What is your fuel economy while towing a 16foot sport airstream ,what's your tow vehicle ,engine ,trans ,rear axle ratio,and at what highway speed do you travel also fuel is it in litters,u.s.a. Gallon ,or imperial gallon,also what road conditions ,flat ,hilly,etc

Pulling a 2014 22' Sport with a 2014 MB ML350 diesel at 65 mph, got 17.9 mpg. The car is rated at 28 mpg highway, but on a trip like this without towing I would typically get over 30 mpg.

[dquarasr]

I understand what the OP is going after, maybe I can contribute.

We tow with a 2011 Honda Pilot, mostly in Florida, where it is flat. We noticed when pulling our 1971 Shasta that it was aero limited. Same issue with the Bambi.

Running behind semi trucks we'd get 15-16 MPG, out on our own 9-11 MPG. So I purchased a roof-mounted air deflector.

Without the deflector, at 65 MPH, we'd run with the torque converter not locked, around 2700 RPM, 10-11 MPG (US Gallons). With the deflector, 13-14 MPG, fifth gear, torque converter locked, 2100 RPM. I did some calculations and with the purchase price for the deflector of about $350, gas at $3.50/gallon, it would pay for itself in 4,000 miles towing, which we have already surpassed.

I bought my deflector from Icon Direct, a Canadian company. Fast shipping, good service, I'd recommend it. I believe since we bought our deflector the number of models offered is lower, but still check it out.