Towing MPG

Rich

Rich

Asshole at large
Joined
Mar 17, 2005
Location
Central PA
Finally calc'd my milage towing the FJ to and from the driveshaft shop..

windshield down, typically 2.5 - 5 over the limit, some traffic slow-downs, and letting the cruise control handle uphills and downhills (which is certainly NOT the most fuel-efficient method, but is relaxing!) Obviously, the truck never lost speed on the hills between Raleigh and Charlotte.

Got 13.1... I was pretty happy, especially since there's another 1mpg towing to be gained if I can ever get my timing adjusted...

I was 13,300 crossing the scales (which is not mandatory, just was curious)

This was calc'd by hand, not using some notoriously inaccurate trip computer or something.
 
Not bad... I only got between 9 and 11ish (by hand/mental calc after pumping diesel) on the way to/from WV hauling BUG (15k all told approx). (And to the beach pulling camper (12.5kish), which is more stop/go)

I am getting 17.x on the highway, rolling 75mph fully loaded with luggage to/from KY.

3.73 gears... 7.3 PSD, Auto Tranny...2002 Ford Excursion 4x4, weighs about 8500 lbs EMPTY...

I am getting 16.x commuting...and I am little disapointed in that. I need to change the fuel filter (as recommended here on the board) but other than that I am not sure what else to do. I try to stay 65ish mph on the hwy commuting, not a ton of in town traffic...but I wonder how much I am killing it by starting the motor 5 minutes early to cool interior down, etc?

Sam Hinton
 
milage

I get 15.5 mpg at 70 mph grossing 13,500. It drops to 14.5 with the slide-in camper pushing the gross to 16,300 and a lot of wind resistance.
 
Thats not to bad. I got around 15.5~16.5 towing my heep down the the playground. Im right around 12700lb loaded for tread ready.
 
LARRY SMITH said:
I get 15.5 mpg at 70 mph grossing 13,500. It drops to 14.5 with the slide-in camper pushing the gross to 16,300 and a lot of wind resistance.
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Are you towing with a Honda? that's great milage. I get about 10 with gross weight around 14k, running 75-80
 
I calculated around 13mpg flat-towing out to Tellico, windshield up. We were making quick time, I think I was accelerating up black mt. I didnt have my pyro installed, but it couldnt have looked good.
Commuting, I'm consistently just shy of 16.5mpg
 
I get about 10.5-12.0 towing with the f250 7.3sd. I tip the scales at about 15k. I did the chip and everything else i could think of to improve it, but nothing gave me the significant gains they promised. The power levels increased alot so maybe i just stick my foot in it more?
ts perf 6 pos chip, i tow in 100hp mode most of the time, good for about 1mpg
FASS fuel system
regear to 4.30 on 35" tires
blah,blah,blah.......exhaust,intake, and tons more i cant think of.

I sure would like to see that 17.5 mpg
 
My old school 12v 5 speed (#5 plate, 4" exhaust, 3.2K gov, 375 marines, smaller housing and timing bump to 17, valve springs and keepers, airaid cold air) nets me 22~24 empty on the highway as long as I keep in under 2100. Loaded (no idea what weight) 10 gvw trailer, runner, asst'd junk and a heavy foot will get 14 ~ 17. There again, keeping it under 2100. Thats around 68 with the 3:50 gearing. Before the 375's it was getting 26 empty and 17~19 loaded. Best I ever got was 21, 4 horse steel stock goose neck, 4 horses, tack, 4 people and enough stuff for a week in the saddle. I kept is dead on 60 all the way to Blowing Rock and back.
 
Towing to tellico and back with my bone stock 97 12v cummins with 280k miles I calc'd around 12-14mpg towing fully loaded with gear for a week of camping, and the XJ on a dolly. I was going 65-75 the whole way except in parts of the mountains where I slowed to 50-55.

-Tim
 
mpg

I tow with a 1997 Dodge 2500 CTD, 5spd, 4x4, 3:54 gears. This truck has gotten great fuel milage from day one. I think most of the 94-97's got good fuel mpg.
 
1979 J-10. 304 T-18 and 3:54 gears. Pulls slow up the hills. About 6500lbs of trailer and rig, I get a whopping 9MPG. Alone it gets about 12mpg.
 
with my buddies f-250 6 speed, i towed the buggy back from richmond and got 16 mpg, with the 2 wheel drive f-150 i get 10-11.
 
Last trip to Tellico with Camper on Truck, Trailer and Jeep I got around 8-9MPG
This is with a F250 and a 460 GAS ENGINE... so not to bad.. but I wish it was better..
Oh ya I was at 14,500LBS

Speaking of Better who here knows Ford Engines like the back of there hand???
 
Ken, that's pretty good for that motor and the load. Consider yourself lucky -- both guys I know towing with similar rigs only got 5-7mpg. ;)
 
'92 F250, 7.3L NA, 5spd (OD), 4.10s
Best empty = 17mpg
Avg. empty = 15-16mpg
URE round trip last month w/ approx. 13K+ = 12.xmpg (was on it HARD)
Last weekend w/ trailer (1/2way) & approx 1500#(M416 + assorted 1/2way) = 13.1mpg (M416 trailer was like a giant drag chute!)
 
My trailer: dual axle 16-foot with full steel deck, weighs 2600 empty.

Tow rig 1: My totally stock 1990 1/2-ton 4x4 Burb with 6.2L diesel, TH700R4, 3.42 gears, 235/75/15 tires. Weighs 6000 with the everyday amount of gear and passengers, maybe add a couple hundred more when towing.

I get an average of 17.5 empty, with best of 19.x . That is commuting from northern Alamance county to RTP, not all highway milage, and running 70-75 on the highway.

Towing 13,500 total weight (TJ) to and from Uwharrie I got 11.75mpg. Towing 11,500 total weight (CUCV chassis) from the coast to Burlington I got 12.5mpg. Just pulling my trailer empty I get 15.x .

It lays black smoke screen when under any type of load, so I know it's not getting enough air. Will be swapping a better intake manifold that is much less restrictive, and that should help the mpg some.

Tow rig 2: 1977 Chevy 1-ton 2WD rollback tow truck. 454, 4-barrel, 4-speed (SM465), 4.10 gears, 235/85/16 tires.

Gets 10-12 empty, depending on speed. The faster you go, the worse it gets, especially over 65mph.

I have never weighed it, but I'm sure it's heavy (steel bed).

Loaded with a CJ backwards on the bed (windshield up) and pulling my car trailer with a Suburban on it, coming back from Ocracoke I averaged 6mpg, and that was rolling like 70-75mph.
 
I got 17.5 going to crackers neck last fall and 18.5 on the return trip, total of 18,420 lbs from the weigh station at exit 150 40/85.
Best was going across Kansas a year ago to go west and ski, it was 23.5
done by hand from a full tank something like 750 miles. got a little better on the trip back almost 25 but it was for just under 1/2 tank then I refueled.
That was most down hill.
My old 12v woould hit 25 all the time with no load.
The key to it is keeping the RPM down.
I did do a lot of driving one trip and at 75+ it would cut me to 14-15 MPG.
Jon
 
25mpg? Dayum, I know I gained 1mpg when going from 75 to 70, but I like to get where I'm going sometime during this century... 'Course I have the worst possible aerodynamic configuration...
 
93JXJ said:
'01 2500HD w 6.0, AT, 4.10 Gears
12-13 Empty
9-11 Towing
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DAMN, took the words right out of my mouth. :lol: mine is the same scenario other than i get the ride quality of a 3500 :rolleyes: if i'm heading downhill with a tail wind the whole trip i might can swing an extra 1 mpg, but doubtful.
 
Rich said:
25mpg? Dayum, I know I gained 1mpg when going from 75 to 70, but I like to get where I'm going sometime during this century... 'Course I have the worst possible aerodynamic configuration...
Click to expand...
Yep 25mpg in the 12v.
It had 3.54 gears. Did not pull the hills that good but it did ok on the fuel.
The 03 is hard to get the higher MPG I think a lot has to do with the weather and road your on. Coming down out of the Rockies gets real good mileage. Get the weather and air pressure the turbo likes and that gets you the higher mileage. Some days I can get 25 psi boost and others can get 22-23 tops no mater what you do. Cant do it all the time but its nice when you can.
Jon
 
upnover said:
1979 J-10. 304 T-18 and 3:54 gears. Pulls slow up the hills. About 6500lbs of trailer and rig, I get a whopping 9MPG. Alone it gets about 12mpg.
Click to expand...

I have A 84 J10 and a trailer but since it is the trail rig right now it can't tow its self. so driving it to the trail I get around 13.5-14 MPG
350 TBI 4sp auto 35's and 4.56 gears
 
Taking speed into consideration, I got over 20mpg towing back from Crackers Neck in the snow but never got over 55mph. If I stayed around 65-70 my mpg is around 14 towing, but I usually run 5 to 10 over the posted limit and get worse milage..then again my fuel is free so who cares. :flipoff2:
 
^^^^lucky bastard^^^

you would think with free fuel, you would get a bigger trailer and pull multiple rigs to wheeling spots, i would throw you some cash....
 
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