These towing MPG’s don’t seem right....
07-20-2018, 01:47 PM
#21
Agreed on the big speed differences. Some areas we go camping are along a highway that's 110 kmh (~70mph) but I purposely take a different route off to the side on a slower highway with a 60mph speed limit because for one, my trailer tires are only rated for 60mph, and secondly, there IS a HUGE difference doing that extra bit of speed, especially if you're going against the wind.
The following users liked this post:
jbone36 (07-20-2018)
07-20-2018, 04:44 PM
#22
Senior Member
Your tires aren't enough larger than stock to make any difference. If they were it'd show up unloaded too.
That doesn't seem right to me. I have a 14, 4X4, Supercab, 5.0 and 3.55 gears very similar to yours. Mine gives me 16ish for my normal every day driving and 19-20 hwy. With a very similar, but larger trailer loaded with 2 ATV's I normally get 15 mpg hwy. Total weight is about 2500 lbs and I have the ramp too. I often spend some time at, or near my destination on winding back roads, dirt roads, and even off road as well as a fair amount of time idling. That will often reduce the overall trip down to about 12 mpg, but getting 15 on the hwy isn't hard.
I've never driven the 10 speed. But both 6th and 5th gears are OD in my truck. I very often lock out 6th even 5th even when driving around town. My truck seems to get better fuel mileage at around 2000-2200 rpm's when pulling a load. When in mountains both 5th and 6th are locked out even unloaded. Even on level ground if speeds will never be above 45mph then I never use 5th or 6th. I get better performance and better fuel mileage without them. In addition to using the tow/haul mode I'd try locking out the 2 or 3 highest gears and see what happens. I bet fuel mileage isn't any worse and I know performance will improve.
I didn't catch the speed you were pulling the trailer. That may be the problem. I'll drive 70-75 with no trailer, but 65 is as fast as I'll pull a trailer. For one thing most trailer tires are only rated for 65 mph.
That doesn't seem right to me. I have a 14, 4X4, Supercab, 5.0 and 3.55 gears very similar to yours. Mine gives me 16ish for my normal every day driving and 19-20 hwy. With a very similar, but larger trailer loaded with 2 ATV's I normally get 15 mpg hwy. Total weight is about 2500 lbs and I have the ramp too. I often spend some time at, or near my destination on winding back roads, dirt roads, and even off road as well as a fair amount of time idling. That will often reduce the overall trip down to about 12 mpg, but getting 15 on the hwy isn't hard.
I've never driven the 10 speed. But both 6th and 5th gears are OD in my truck. I very often lock out 6th even 5th even when driving around town. My truck seems to get better fuel mileage at around 2000-2200 rpm's when pulling a load. When in mountains both 5th and 6th are locked out even unloaded. Even on level ground if speeds will never be above 45mph then I never use 5th or 6th. I get better performance and better fuel mileage without them. In addition to using the tow/haul mode I'd try locking out the 2 or 3 highest gears and see what happens. I bet fuel mileage isn't any worse and I know performance will improve.
I didn't catch the speed you were pulling the trailer. That may be the problem. I'll drive 70-75 with no trailer, but 65 is as fast as I'll pull a trailer. For one thing most trailer tires are only rated for 65 mph.
07-20-2018, 07:17 PM
#23
Hold my beer
Thread Starter
It certainly doesn’t help that a lot of the highway speed limits are 75 MPH around here.
07-20-2018, 09:03 PM
#25
Hold my beer
Thread Starter
Last edited by jbone36; 07-20-2018 at 11:39 PM.
07-20-2018, 11:43 PM
#27
Hold my beer
Thread Starter
Your tires aren't enough larger than stock to make any difference. If they were it'd show up unloaded too.
That doesn't seem right to me. I have a 14, 4X4, Supercab, 5.0 and 3.55 gears very similar to yours. Mine gives me 16ish for my normal every day driving and 19-20 hwy. With a very similar, but larger trailer loaded with 2 ATV's I normally get 15 mpg hwy. Total weight is about 2500 lbs and I have the ramp too. I often spend some time at, or near my destination on winding back roads, dirt roads, and even off road as well as a fair amount of time idling. That will often reduce the overall trip down to about 12 mpg, but getting 15 on the hwy isn't hard.
I've never driven the 10 speed. But both 6th and 5th gears are OD in my truck. I very often lock out 6th even 5th even when driving around town. My truck seems to get better fuel mileage at around 2000-2200 rpm's when pulling a load. When in mountains both 5th and 6th are locked out even unloaded. Even on level ground if speeds will never be above 45mph then I never use 5th or 6th. I get better performance and better fuel mileage without them. In addition to using the tow/haul mode I'd try locking out the 2 or 3 highest gears and see what happens. I bet fuel mileage isn't any worse and I know performance will improve.
I didn't catch the speed you were pulling the trailer. That may be the problem. I'll drive 70-75 with no trailer, but 65 is as fast as I'll pull a trailer. For one thing most trailer tires are only rated for 65 mph.
That doesn't seem right to me. I have a 14, 4X4, Supercab, 5.0 and 3.55 gears very similar to yours. Mine gives me 16ish for my normal every day driving and 19-20 hwy. With a very similar, but larger trailer loaded with 2 ATV's I normally get 15 mpg hwy. Total weight is about 2500 lbs and I have the ramp too. I often spend some time at, or near my destination on winding back roads, dirt roads, and even off road as well as a fair amount of time idling. That will often reduce the overall trip down to about 12 mpg, but getting 15 on the hwy isn't hard.
I've never driven the 10 speed. But both 6th and 5th gears are OD in my truck. I very often lock out 6th even 5th even when driving around town. My truck seems to get better fuel mileage at around 2000-2200 rpm's when pulling a load. When in mountains both 5th and 6th are locked out even unloaded. Even on level ground if speeds will never be above 45mph then I never use 5th or 6th. I get better performance and better fuel mileage without them. In addition to using the tow/haul mode I'd try locking out the 2 or 3 highest gears and see what happens. I bet fuel mileage isn't any worse and I know performance will improve.
I didn't catch the speed you were pulling the trailer. That may be the problem. I'll drive 70-75 with no trailer, but 65 is as fast as I'll pull a trailer. For one thing most trailer tires are only rated for 65 mph.
07-21-2018, 05:30 AM
#28
Senior Member
07-21-2018, 07:58 AM
#29
Senior Member
Aero drag
That's exactly right, people don't realize how speed impacts there mpg. Aero drag is based roughly on the square of your speed. So the difference between 30 mph and 60 mph isn't twice the drag but closer to 4 times as great. Bump it up to 90 mph and the aero drag is nine times greater than at 30 mph. About the time I got my drivers license (1978) they dropped the speed limit to 55 mph to save fuel. It saves an amazing amount of gas to drive 55 mph, but it sure does suck if you are going a long ways on the interstate.
07-21-2018, 12:02 PM
#30
Hold my beer
Thread Starter