jerrybizzle

I get nine mpg usually towing through the idaho mountains with my guesstimate 6000 pound tt. I would love to get anywhere near 13.

Menormyfords

Hello, we have a 2010 F150 Super Crew 2wd. 5.4L with Max Tow pkg. We tow an Award travel trailer weighing 4200lbs loaded and we also are getting 18L/100k's if we keep it at 90kph or less. It seems as soon as we exceed 90 the fuel economy drops significantly, even though our trailer is claimed to be the most aerodynamic. I understand your situation with your transmission being "all over the place", if I use the cruise control it cannot select a gear, it's constantly hunting for another gear which can't be good for it. 6th, 4th, 5th, 6th again, down to 4th, all over the place even on what appear to be flat highways. If I don' tuse the cruise the issue is far less prevalent, however we tow for hours at a time, I want the cruise. Is there anything I can add to our truck to program the tranny? Maybe lock out 6th gear so it won't downshift so far as 4th every time? Ford tells me this is normal and even went so far as to say we're overloading the truck. Shame on them if 4200lbs is overloading! Otherwise I love to tow with it but one of these days I'm afraid we'll find the tranny on the side of the highway!

superdave150

The gentleman who pointed out it is the aero drag and not the weight was absolutely right. Aero HP requirements rise exponentially over 45 MPH, and anything other than an Airstream is just a brick. (And a square TT butt is just as bad as a square front.)

I tow a 5,600lb TT with a 2010 5.4. I set a goal but let the conditions determine the speed. If the tranny is hunting then for goodness sake change what you are doing!!!

Averaging 65-70 over 20,000 miles of towing averages 9.3 MPG.

Previous tow vehicle was a 4.6 Explorer with exact same trailer. Averaging 60-65 it would get 9.25 MPG.

I get 11-12 MPG on curvy Colorado mountain passes because I am going slower and therefore pushing less air.

KRIEGHOFF

When I pulled my trailer with a Cadillac ESV I got 8.5mpg.

When I went shooting in New Jersey last month I had 4 guys and all their gear with shotgun shells and only got 8mpg.

Part of that was my fault because I was running at 71mph.

I am going to SC in 3 weeks and I will be running at 65mph. Hope that helps the mpg.

If I get 13mpg I will be really happy!

jcain

V nose trailers getting higher mpg is a myth, too.

KRIEGHOFF

So what you are saying is that the V Nose trailer doesn't cut the win better?

The next time you are riding down the put your hand out the window with your palm facing the way you are going. Then turn your palm down and tell me it doesn't make a difference!

This is what Ford tells you on their web site.

Frontal Area



is the total area in square feet that a moving vehicle and trailer exposes to air resistance. The chart shows the

limitations that must be considered in selecting a vehicle/trailer combination. Exceeding these limitations may significantly

reduce the performance of your towing vehicle. Selecting a trailer with a low-drag, rounded front design will help optimize

performance and fuel economy.

Menormyfords

Hello, I don't leave the tranny hunting and pecking for gears, I just slow down and I don't use the cruise. Problem solved, sort of.
Our other truck is a 1996 F-150 Eddie Bauer, the old body style with a 302ci and OD transmission with the tow package. Although that truck has less power it tows far nicer. I just turn off overdrive and away we go, no problem. Towing the same trailer at 95kph we can easily achieve 16mpg. I guess we were just hoping that the 14 year newer truck would have only improved it's towing capabilities and fuel economy and was disappointed the first time I towed. It has far more power and in stop & go traffic does get better fuel economy than the '96 likely because of the 6-speed, however we're lucky to get 13mpg at the same 95kph.
We do also have an Airstream although it has been in storage a few years therefore we haven't towed it behind the 2010. Towing with the '96 we achieve the same fuel economy towing both trailers. I agree 100% with the drag comment as the Award is only a 23' whereas the Airstream is a 30'.
I was hoping there would be a way just to turn off 6th gear and that would likely eliminate the problem and allow me to use the cruise again. I notice the 2012 F150 allows you to alter the tranmission's programming for towing, I was hoping there was a way to tap into that on our 2010. Ford offered no help as does our local aftermarket shop. Does something exist that would allow me to do this that anyone knows of?

RedOne

Yep, exactly as IronJose and SkiSmuggs said, I get right at 11mpg doing 60mph with mine (8000# to 8500#) if I stay out of the hills with my 5er.
Last year 10.6mpg round trip from STL to Smokey Mountains and back. Just as it sat in the pic...

HoustonRider

Awesome!

murf

I'm also right at 11mpg with my 5er. Took a 12 foot v nose enclosed trailer with a harley and a harley trailer in the back of the truck on a 2500 mile route. 14.8mpg for the entire trip. My dad borrowed my truck and he said he ran 70-75 the whole time.