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Well....most are. That is a Tire and Rim Association standard spec for ST trailer tires.
Butt....take a look at the Goodyear bulletin in the link below. It explains that if you want to run their Marathon ST tires up to 75mph, just pump the pressure up by an additional 10 psi. The Goodyears are built strong enough to safely exceed that 65mph rating.
Smaller, less powerful V8s like Ford's 5L or Chevy's new 5.3L, may actually get a bit better mileage towing, but they'll be downshifting more and up in the rpms when they do it. And the unloaded mileage is a bit worse according to the EPA.
The bigger V8s with similar torque and HP to the 3.5L EcoB will probably get similar mileage towing heavy, but much worse mileage when unloaded, although cylinder cut-off used by RAM & Chevy V8s should help some.
One way to get substantially better mileage than the EcoB when loaded up is to go to a diesel with similar power. The O.P's 4800# trailer could probably be towed by RAM's EcoD and get much better mileage. Unfortunately that's not enough truck for my trailer/needs (low payloads, and the 3L V6 EcoD only puts out 240HP, but at low rpms).
Just for the sake of comparison, I actually get a little worse mpg towing w/ my '10 Suburban 5.3. That truck is usually in the high 9's, maybe just over 10. But it is hard to compare in a sense, because I tow faster w/ the EB, mostly just because the EB tows easier and at lower RPM. So I'm more likely to set the cruise at 65 or 68 going down the freeway in the EB, while I'm closer to 60 in the Suburban, no cruise, coasting down hills and easing off going up hills.
I have broken 11 a couple times in the EB, towing on back roads where I couldn't go very fast.
I have also towed the same travel trailer w/ an '06 Duramax that I owned for 4 years. Of course, the Dmax barely broke a sweat w/ my 6500 lb trailer back there. It was consistently in the 11's when towing. Got as high as 12.5 in Oregon 55 mph backroads.
I've been following Ram's Ecodiesel a little bit. Seems to be getting very good mileage and reviews. People are reporting surprisingly good towing mileage numbers. I'm a bit skeptical that 15 mpg towing is feasible, but I've seen more than one person make that claim.
Here are a couple pics of trips pulling my car to track events in my enclosed car hauler. The trailer weighs 6400 to 6500 lbs loaded up.
The 1266 mile tow was Daytona Beach up to Virginia Int'l Raceway (a few grades in SC, and a lot more in NC), and the 1569 mile trip was up to Bowling Green Kentucky (a lot of hills north of Chattanooga).
I get about 10 hauling my 5500# cargo trailer to the track. It's pretty flat and mostly turnpike. I get around 11-12.5 towing a smaller trailer. I drive a lot of hilly areas.
Last edited by Wannafbody; 11-27-2014 at 11:35 PM.
GA & SC rolling hills, interstate hwy 12.3 mpg @ 55 mph. Toy hauler loaded with two dirt bikes, 6700# loaded camper, 12,900# GCVW. Faster travel or better fuel economy, make your choice.
2500 miles towing the trailer in my sig. (total load about 8200lb)
1000 miles unloaded for a combined total
Saw a minimum of 7.2 mpg holding 65 into a tough headwind in southern Idaho. Spent 4 hours in 4th @ 2700 rpm to get that number. Glad I have the 36 gal tank.
I usually never exceed 60mph and use tow haul mode only in the mountains and then only going down hill. I get anywhere from 10.5-12.5 when towing. This is with an Airstream. I don't think there is anything out there that get much better then this. That's how it is when towing.
Well, IMO, you shouldn't be towing over 65 mph....
That would be nice, but when the interstate is 2 or 3 lanes wide, all loaded with traffic going the speed limit, I'd rather go with the flow than create a roadblock and get passed by every car and semi on the highway.
At least that's the way it is going up/down the east coast on I-95, or up through Atlanta on I-75.
I feel much better settling in with the rest of the traffic than creating a traffic jam in the lane behind me.
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11-24-2014, 05:33 PM
