MPG While Towing

Aggie79 · 06-23-2019, 06:46 AM

I just towed my 11K lb fifth wheel from Dallas to Victoria down Hwy 77 (369 miles). With my 6.2L gasser, I averaged 6.2 MPG trying to hold 65. Way more hills than I thought. Don't know that I missed a gas station. Also, have a 26 gallon tank so it looks like I'll need fuel about every 110 miles. May be back in the market for a long bed F250 gasser with 48 gallon tank or a diesel. Losing dollars either way.

2017 F250 Lariat 6.2L Crew Cab 6 3/4 ft bed 34 gallon tank (per brochure).

How are y'all doing on towing MPG?

TCNashville · 06-23-2019, 07:00 AM

Is your current 6.2L a Ford or Chevy and what year? My 2017 F-250 with the 6.2L averages 9mpg towing my 9K Eagle. Starting in '17 Ford increased the torque value of the 6.2L and mated it with a different transmission. My truck is a full crew cab short box and has a 34 gallon tank and while towing I get around 250 miles between gas stops.

Woodworker · 06-23-2019, 07:03 AM

28ft Jayco SLX at approx. 6,500lbs being drug by a 2019 8ft bed, 6.4 Hemi Ram averaged around 12- 13mpg. In the breaking in period so kept it between 50 an occasional 60 mph. No mountains but not much flat ground either Just a hilly highways in Ga.

**Midnightmoon** · 06-23-2019, 07:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aggie79

I just towed my 11K lb fifth wheel from Dallas to Victoria down Hwy 77 (369 miles). With my 6.2L gasser, I averaged 6.2 MPG trying to hold 65. Way more hills than I thought. Don't know that I missed a gas station. Also, have a 26 gallon tank so it looks like I'll need fuel about every 110 miles. May be back in the market for a long bed F250 gasser with 48 gallon tank or a diesel. Losing dollars either way.

How are y'all doing on towing MPG?

Is that 6.2mpg hand calculated or via the EVIC?

Screwby · 06-23-2019, 07:13 AM

In all the years on forums when this question pops up it seems the average is 10-12mpg. No matter the rig, no matter the trailer. The small trucks get good gas mileage empty but drop significantly when towing. The big rigs never got great gas mileage to begin with and the weight doesn’t effect them as much so they stay there. There’s always the anomaly but all in all I’d say expect those numbers as a part of the cost to RV

hbravo · 06-23-2019, 07:17 AM

'14 F250 short bed extended cab 6.2 gas with 35-gallon tank towing Jayco 26 RLS. Trailer weight - 6700 empty, 8500 gross. I consistently run 9-10 mpg up and down the east coast and as far west as Kentucky.

While I've run some pretty good grades, I haven't hit the extended big mountains of the Rockies, etc. with this setup, yet.

I run 65 on the highway. I drift up a little on occasion and run a bit slower more often as conditions dictate. (Tires are rated above 65 mph)

I'm very happy with my setup. As we all know, less than stellar mpg is the price of doing business but I will take every mpg I can get and I do like the larger gas tank. I'm usually ready to stretch my legs at the 2.5 hour mark and my tank capacity allows that range.

Aggie79 · 06-23-2019, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midnightmoon

Is that 6.2mpg hand calculated or via the EVIC?

Hand calculation was 6.4. Computer 6.2.

Scott_Trailer_Newbe · 06-23-2019, 07:29 AM

Getting 10-12 MPG towing with a gas engine is remarkable. With my 9K rig the best I ever did with my tundra was 8 MPG. My neighbor is camping with us this weekend with his 9K trailer. I asked him what was his MPG getting here and he also said 8 MPG. Granted, we both had to tow through Salt River Canyon to get here which is workout for any tow vehicle. My Diesel RAM did about 10.7 MPG.

Screwby · 06-23-2019, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott_Trailer_Newbe

Getting 10-12 MPG towing with a gas engine is remarkable. With my 9K rig the best I ever did with my tundra was 8 MPG. My neighbor is camping with us this weekend with his 9K trailer. I asked him what was his MPG getting here and he also said 8 MPG. Granted, we both had to tow through Salt River Canyon to get here which is workout for any tow vehicle. My Diesel RAM did about 10.7 MPG.

Agreed, my 6.7 one ton gets 10-12mpg regardless of which trailer I pull. The 23’ Jayco TT or the 39’ Open Range Fifth Wheel. It’s got to just be a physics equation full of aerodynamics, truck weight to trailer weight, gear ratio, engine size, and blah blah that brings us all back to the same range of mpg lol

Aggie79 · 06-23-2019, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TCNashville

Is your current 6.2L a Ford or Chevy and what year? My 2017 F-250 with the 6.2L averages 9mpg towing my 9K Eagle. Starting in '17 Ford increased the torque value of the 6.2L and mated it with a different transmission. My truck is a full crew cab short box and has a 34 gallon tank and while towing I get around 250 miles between gas stops.

2017 F250 Lariat 6.2L Crew Cab 6 3/4 ft bed 34 gallon tank (per brochure).

LarryJ · 06-23-2019, 07:45 AM

With Ram 5.7 got 10.5 with 264bhw, with Silverado HD 6.0 got 8.5. But Silverado handled TT much better...

Retire- · 06-23-2019, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aggie79

I just towed my 11K lb fifth wheel from Dallas to Victoria down Hwy 77 (369 miles). With my 6.2L gasser, I averaged 6.2 MPG trying to hold 65. Way more hills than I thought. Don't know that I missed a gas station. Also, have a 26 gallon tank so it looks like I'll need fuel about every 110 miles. May be back in the market for a long bed F250 gasser with 48 gallon tank or a diesel. Losing dollars either way.

2017 F250 Lariat 6.2L Crew Cab 6 3/4 ft bed 34 gallon tank (per brochure).

How are y'all doing on towing MPG?

Smaller rig but...While towing we get between 10.5-11.5 depending on wind and terrain (60-65 mph with cruise set). Empty we get up to 24-28 mpg when not towing (70 mph and under with cruise set). See signature below for TV/RV info. These mpg's were figured by the truck over an 1100 mile trip to the Ozark mountains in Northwest Arkansas. 806 miles were towing miles and about 300 miles of sight seeing while there.

SkyBound · 06-23-2019, 08:42 AM

9mpg average here using 91 octane. Small lift, bigger tires, tow mirrors, 3.73 gears, all in all I think it's fair. Trailer weighs in at just under 7K loaded.

DonaandDon · 06-23-2019, 08:51 AM

Lots of MPG noted here. Not much RPMs. If your running above 1500 rpms then decrease your speed to below the 1500 margin. Double check your MPG and adjust accordingly. If at the end of the day your unhappy, consider a rear ratio to achieve your 1500rpm.

Additionally, are you 1) using cruise control, 2) tow haul mode, 3) staying in overdrive (6th gear)?

Duke4857 · 06-23-2019, 09:01 AM

The old 1990 GMC suburban 2500 got about 6 mpg pulling our Jayco 24RKS. The 2014 RAM 1500 with 5.7 hemi. gets about 6 mpg maybe better if you keep it at 55. Pulling the same trailer. We have been over some of the same roads. Taking a fuel milage hit towing in the nature of the beast.

Bassdogs · 06-23-2019, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Screwby

In all the years on forums when this question pops up it seems the average is 10-12mpg. No matter the rig, no matter the trailer. The small trucks get good gas mileage empty but drop significantly when towing. The big rigs never got great gas mileage to begin with and the weight doesn’t effect them as much so they stay there. There’s always the anomaly but all in all I’d say expect those numbers as a part of the cost to RV

This post is on the money. Could be less if you are towing a too heavy RV with a to small TV but 10-12 is where you'll be with a proper weight / power balance.

One comment is for the Ecoboost advocates. Yes you have the kick to make it happen but you take a big hit on the MPG's compared to when not towing. Maybe higher daily driver mph but likely a little lower towing mph when you are driving on the turbo more.

curver900 · 06-23-2019, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aggie79

I just towed my 11K lb fifth wheel from Dallas to Victoria down Hwy 77 (369 miles). With my 6.2L gasser, I averaged 6.2 MPG trying to hold 65. Way more hills than I thought. Don't know that I missed a gas station. Also, have a 26 gallon tank so it looks like I'll need fuel about every 110 miles. May be back in the market for a long bed F250 gasser with 48 gallon tank or a diesel. Losing dollars either way.

2017 F250 Lariat 6.2L Crew Cab 6 3/4 ft bed 34 gallon tank (per brochure).

How are y'all doing on towing MPG?

I have the same deal with my half ton.. i just carried a couple of extra gas cans for when I was out west but never needed them... stopping every 100 miles does suck... but you do what you do... it is about 2 hours give or take.. so at least you get to pee allot

curver900 · 06-23-2019, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DonaandDon

Lots of MPG noted here. Not much RPMs. If your running above 1500 rpms then decrease your speed to below the 1500 margin. Double check your MPG and adjust accordingly. If at the end of the day your unhappy, consider a rear ratio to achieve your 1500rpm.

Additionally, are you 1) using cruise control, 2) tow haul mode, 3) staying in overdrive (6th gear)?

1500 RPM towing with a gas might be lugging it a bit.. unless downhill with a breeze to your back... I run around 2500... level on the freeway around 70... at 1500 I would be a hazard on the freeway...

**norty1** · 06-23-2019, 12:38 PM

My old 6.0 Diesel, in my sig. gets 11 to 11.5 consistently. It has increased as the truck eased over 100k miles.

**JFlightRisk** · 06-23-2019, 01:34 PM

We get in the 10 to 11 mpg range, towing a 19RD with a 2010 Tundra TRD with a 5.7l. That's always with tow/haul mode, no cruise, staying around 60 to 62 MPH, and RPM's are just a nick under 2000 on flat roads. I've always been told that to get the best mileage from a Tundra, keep it under the 2000 RPM range. When we hit the hills, it sure will kick down the tranny, but we coast on the downhill side, hoping it averages out in the end.

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