brulaz

16 mpg??? That's really good. Have usually heard the latest big diesels will get ~25% better, or about 12.5 mpg if you're getting 10mpg now with the EcoB or a big V8.

And unloaded they might get the same as an EcoB.

Have been looking at the Nissan Cummins Titan XD as a possible upgrade in a year or two. But even there they say only a 20% mileage improvement when towing.

humblerb

You'll also get better gas mileage if you put that thing in D instead of P.
I know you are driving in P because I can see it in your picture.

humblerb

Sway control is not the problem. When it activates, you will know it immediately. Not only the message, but you will feel the brakes being applied. I had my first experience, in three years of towing, the last time we went out.
It does not do small adjustments all the time.

xcntrk

yeah I was thinking it would be the same feeling as the hill decent - for those with that feature. It's just pulsing of the ABS to control speed... Would really wake you up I'm sure with a trailer in tow!

WestsydeGuy

It takes a lot of energy, in this case gasoline to pull a heavy load, especially when it is pushing a LOT of wind! I get anywhere between 8 and 11 mpg towing.... depending on the terrain and load. I am just happy it is not worse, it could be 5 mpg.

frieed

This was from last summer. 2500mi with trailer in my sig., 3500 total
While towing, 8.x mpg is pretty typical.

acadianbob

2012 Eco FX4, 3.73s, LT ATs, Max Tow. We just came back from a 4,800 mile towing trip with a 5,500 lb RV travel trailer. Average MPG towing was 11.8 mpg. Set cruise at 62 mph. Towed through the Smoky Mountains and the Ozark mountains. (OK, foot hills, but some significant grades).

I'd say, slow down.

Also, in hilly territory, take off the cruise and you will get much better fuel economy. Let it gain speed downhill and bleed off speed uphill. Cruise tries to hold it constant; sometimes downshifting to reduce speed; then it guns it up the hill trying to hold the speed.

Wind is a huge factor. We had a high tank of 13.5 mpg with the wind and 9.0 against a 30 mph wind. Where you tow is also a factor. In the South where trees closely flank the freeway, a crosswind has much less effect that in the midwest where there is nothing to stop the wind.

brulaz

Pulling his TT, which is similar to mine, he gets 9-10 mpg, compared to my 10.7 mpg. Maybe 10% worse.

I figure that's about right for the differences:

4x4 vs 4x2
Duratracs AT vs LTX MS/2 All Season LT's on 17"
1.75" Level vs none
65 mph vs 60-62 mph

Although I do have kayaks on top of my truck, I've never detected a difference when towing the trailer. I guess the effect of the 11.5', 64 sq.ft. trailer overwhelms their mpg effect.

My guess is that new enclosed car hauler has more than 64 sq ft frontal area typical of our TTs. If it's 12' tall and yet sits close to the ground like a lot of them, it could be 8.5'x11' ? or 93.5 sq ft ???

xcntrk

It was my new enclosed car hauler that produced these numbers. I actually do get better MPG's with the TT which although lighter, is much larger but also far more aerodynamic. The flat nose enclosed hauler has a drag coefficient akin to pulling a brick through molasses. All that wind velocity and density piles up on the frontal area and there's magnitudes of drag to overcome the faster you go. The little 3.5l EcoBoost has to sustain a constant boost pressure to produce enough power to maintain highway speed. The result, terrible gas mileage. Sure the EB "has tons of power for towing" but it comes at a cost when it takes the absolute worst gas mileage to produce that power. As for speed, I do 65mph when most the highways in my area are 70mph. It's almost dangerous to go any slower. Often times I'm passed by diesel trucks pulling 5'ers doing 70mph all day long

brulaz

The only way to fix that is with a turbo diesel.

The big gas V8s will not be any better than the EcoB when towing, and worse when not.