Fuel Consumption: (curious)

[Drew]

Just wondering...what sort of fuel consumption do you guys record when pulling your trailer? I get about 11 to 13.5 mpg w/ a Ford Deisel pulling a 25' trailer (about 6000 lbs)....really depends on how fast I try to pull it. Could you guys just list your rig, and what you think you're getting as far as mileage?

thanks,
Drew

[John]

Drew,

I pull a 28' 6700#'s with a 2000 Chevy Silverado K-1500 1/2ton 5.3L 4:10 and I get: 13mpg on the hwy @ 55mph and 10.5mpg on the back roads & on mountain passes.
John

[InsideOut]

We get about 12 mpg with our 1/2-ton GMC Yukon pulling our '64 GlobeTrotter, 3,000 lbs +/- dry.

Shari

[Pick]

I get 9.5 mpg with my 454 pulling my 31 footer on none interstate highways through the hills of Pennsylvania. I got around 10.5-11 mpg on a 400 mile trip to Indiana, pulling 60-75 mph. I have never scaled my combo, but I believe the trailer is under 6500 Lbs.

[john hd]

with a 2000 chev 2500HD 4.10 rear, 6.0 liter 300 horses. pulling a '92 29' excella, 6800 lbs. mileage varies with speed. i have had runs around 13mpg if i keep my foot out of it.

john

[j54mark]

Tow vehicle: '94 Chevy Diesel Extended Cab pickup. 3.73 rearend.
Towee: '85 Sovereign 25'. About 5500 lbs usually.

13mpg if I am towing in the back roads of northwest Arkansas - viscious hills.
14 mpg otherwise, unless conditions are juuussst right, then it can crowd 15 mpg.

Mark

[JohnGalt48]

I've got a 5 speed '95 Cummins diesel Dodge Ram 2500 with a 3.54 rear end...I get about 13.5-14.5 towing my slightly under 6,000 lb. '77 31 ft. Sovereign as fast as I want to go...great combo.
JG

[jcanavera]

I get about 10 mpg. towing in 3rd with a 5.7 liter Chevy Express Van. The Safari is about 6,000 lbs.

Jack

[Pahaska]

I get 10.5 to 11 towing a 5000# International with a 5.3L Silverado Z71.

I would probably get a little bit better mileage on flat country, but so far, I have never towed any distance on terrain that wasn't pretty hilly.

[LeeC]

12-14 towing our 34 footer with an '01 Chevy diesel crew cab.

In the hot months, a/c keeps it closer to 12.

The truck and trailer are usually loaded heavy. We carry fresh water, goceries, too many clothes and etc.

The truck generally has generator, firewood, grill, tools, and etc.

Conditions permitting, I drive the speed limit plus 5 up to 70 on the interstates.

Lee

[startrekker2001]

I have a 2001 Ford Excursion powered by a gas V-10 310hp with 3.73 rear end. The trailer is a 1978 31' Excella that weighs around 6800 pounds. I get 11.5 at 65mph on fairly flat land. In hilly country I get 10. Looks like the diesels win. I have gotten up to 12, down hill with the wind.

[davidz71]

'01 Chevy 2500hd with 8.1 litre engine/Allison 5 sp. auto transmission pulling a '77 Excella 500 31': best was 13 mpg on the interstate, flat ground, no stops, no A/C running; usually get 10-12 combo highway and side roads.

[koltys]

I pull a 27ft 1974 Overlander with a 1995 Ford Bronco w/358 engine & tow pkg, the most truck I can afford at the moment. I have been keeping it out of overdrive, and get about 8 mpg as a result. Ack! Truck gets closer to 13 when not towing.

Question: if it is not a particularly hilly area, is it OK to leave the overdrive on and let the transmission shift in and out as needed?

Thanks,

...Ray

[Pahaska]

I have the tow-haul mode, and it goes into overdrive in tow-haul mode, also, only at different shift points. I can stay out of overdrive only by manually shifting.

In flat country, I run with the selector in "D". When the transmission shifts down (unless it looks like a one-time shift), I pull it down to "3" right after it shifts. I leave it in "3" until I see a long stretch of level or downhill road ahead, then I shift it back to "D".

I find this works very well in the Texas Hill Country. I get the economy benefit of the higher gears when I'm running on the flats, parallel with the hills, and I get very few transmission shifts when I am crossing the hills.

It's the constant shifting that can do a transmission in.

[koltys]

Thanks, John.

That sounds like a good way to handle it.

...Ray

[maznblu]

On my trip west last summer, I got 13-15 on my '93 Ford F-350 Banks turbo-charged diesel towing my '77 31-ft Sovereign. The lower mileage came on days I had to run a/c, also in the mountains. Recently I removed the tailgate from the truck and immediately noticed less wind resistance, so expect to gain a little bit in the mileage.
Eugenie