$oldman54

Towing 8200lb travel trailer w/ 2016 3.5. MPG dropped to 7, is this real or should I be getting better. The trailer is equipped with a weight distribution equalizer hitch.

Ricktwuhk

Your question is not really answerable with so little information. If you're driving 80mph and towing a big square 8,200 pound trailer, then sure, it's likely. If you're going up hills and hitting boost all the time, sure. Or battling headwinds.

Many people get 8 - 10mpg.

Your 8,200 lb travel trailer may in fact be beyond your payload capacity. Multiple threads discussing how to determine that which starts with your Payload sticker on the door jamb.

Apples

Trailer frontal area is also a consideration. Trailer frontal area will greatly influence throttle position due to aerodynamic drag, which, when already up on the highway and cruising is far more of a factor of your mpg than is trailer weight.

smokeywren

Assuming a 3.5L EcoBoost engine, towing at more than 62 MPH, and crossing the Hill Country or climbing mountain passes, then averaging 7 MPG is about right. Towing at 62 MPH across the Plains with almost flat terrain should get you up to 9 MPG or so. It's not the weight of the TT, it's the wind drag of the TT. Mine usually grosses less than 5,000 pounds when wet and loaded on the road, and it tries to get 10 MPG most of the time, but the average usually falls below 10 MPG on long trips across the Plains - for example Midland to Nashville.


The 3.5L EcoBoost engine is a wonderful towing engine, but when those twin turbos open up to overcome wing drag or steep grades the MPG goes into the gutter.


An 8,200 pound TT means your F-150 is probably overloaded over the GVWR (and payload capacity) of the F-150.


And if your 3.5L V6 is the standard 2016 non-turbo version of the Ford engine, than your 8200 lb. TT overloads not only the GVWR (and payload capacity) but also the GCWR (and tow rating) of your F-150. When towing overloaded, your engine has to work harder and thus gulps the gas, which reduces MPG.

acdii

Yes, quite normal, especially this time of year. 7-9 is what mine gets with a lighter trailer. It's not the weight, its the drag.

Pugga

iTrader: (1)

I haven't come across that in my owner's manual yet. That's laughable, basically saying don't tow a full profile camper with an F150.

chimmike

it's not laughable...the truck is fighting both weight AND aerodynamic drag. The two forces aren't mutually exclusive when towing.

Pugga

iTrader: (1)

It's laughable to me because they're just making the blanket statement that this truck can't tow a trailer with a frontal area greater than X and make absolutely no reference to what the trailer weighs, towing speeds, etc. There's no basis or reason for them to make that blanket statement. It's just a 'cover your ***' statement.

Apples

Getting 10,000 lbs up to speed is one thing, then there's keeping it there. Keeping it there fights aerodynamic drag. Fly a bigger air brake and you're going to need more horsepower. Flying a bigger brake consumes more fuel and creates more heat in the transmission and drive axle(s) differentials. This is the reason any square footage is mentioned. Have a look again in the Towing section of your F150 Owners Manual.

Ever notice in any F150 commercial where when boasting of the truck's tow capacity it's shown towing a load on a flatbed trailer?

acdii

Go attach a large parachute to your truck. It weighs what, 20 pounds? Guarantee that amount of drag a large parachute has on the truck will greatly affect how the truck moves. Essentially that is what you are doing, AND adding a lot of weight.