best vehicle for towing, aka most mpg

[DisturbedK24]

please post your towing mpg and what kind of trailer your towing.

ive been thinking about a f150(2006 4x4 supercrew) the trucks main job will be towing long distances (100-2000+ mile round trips) so i was wondering what kind of mpg different trucks/suv's are getting since it could save alot of money over time


Modified by DisturbedK24 at 10:42 PM 6/23/2008

[Justin3]

Truck= 08 Dodge Ram 3500 w/6.7l CTD 4.10 rear end
Trailer=36' triple axle GN with an average towing weight of about 12-13k lbs.

MPG= Got between 12 and 13 bringing the trailer into work this morning

Keep in mind that wasn't fully loaded, just the car and most of the wheels/tires so i'm guessing it was only about 10k lbs.


Just my opinion but towing with any but a diesel is a waste of money, getting in the single digits for fuel mileage with a gasser is laughable.You'd be hard pressed to find a gasser out there that will get better than that these days.

[nickrps]

Truck: 2003 Toyota Tundra (79,xxx miles). 4.7L V8 AEM Intake, JBA exhaust, the rest stock.

Trailer: 2008 Texax Bragg open car hauler. 2250lbs. dry.

Once I throw in all my crap and put my CRX on the trailer, I'm carrying/towing close to 5,000lbs. Depending on where I'm towing, I average 13-15mpg which is GREAT. I've even reached as much as 16mpg towing up the 5 (which is mostly flat with some small hills).

If you're using an enclosed trailer, your gas mileage is obviously going to suck worse than an open trailer since you would basically be towing a large brick.

[DisturbedK24]

thanks guys anymore please post


i want a regular open car trailer, would be around 5k pounds loaded up so i wasnt sure if a v8 gasoline engine would be that bad as opposed to a diesel, b ut also diesel is about a buck a gallon more, so that as to be factored in

[DisturbedK24]

also suprised abot your tundra towing mpg, i believe when i was on edmunds that the tundra had a worse mpg than almost any other truck

[downeyballz]

get a 12v doge cummins truck best mpg

[nickrps]

Originally Posted by DisturbedK24

also suprised abot your tundra towing mpg, i believe when i was on edmunds that the tundra had a worse mpg than almost any other truck

Hmmm, I'd be interested in seeing that. I tow smart...I take my time, I let the truck go at it's own pace up hills and "draft" behind semis Your driving style will definitely affect your MPG's while towing.

I highly recommend the Tundra either way...too bad Americans just won't give up their brand loyalty to Ford/Chevy/Dodge. I have a feeling the Tundra won't last a few more years

[slammed_93_hatch]

Truck- 06 crew cab short bed 4x4 Chevy dura-max W/ MBPR exhaust.

Trailer- ~18' dual axle wood deck, H4 civic SI

I typically am hauling 6,500-7,000lbs worth of stuff to and from the track

When towing to and from the races i get 16-18mpg, depending on how fast i am going and which track i am going to.


When i am not towing i get between 16-20mpg. So towing really doesn't seem to bring my MPG down much at all. I typically tow at 60-70 mph

[ekim952522000]

2007 dodge ram 6.7L with 6 seed auto, towing a 44' inclsoed trailer with 2 cars about 13K typically tow 60 mph got 12MPG last trip to the track.

[migs]

Truck: 2006 Chevrolet 3500 Crew Cab 4x4 Diesel (3.73), Banks exhaust, still has factory catalytic converters

Trailer: 35' loadable **** bumper pull. 2700LBS empty. Triple Axles.

Loaded: 2 ITR's @ ~2200-2300LBS/piece

Location and Conditions: 75-80MPH in Tennessee and Virginia mountains.

Result: 11.6MPG

[nickrps]

Originally Posted by migs

Location and Conditions: 75-80MPH in Tennessee and Virginia mountains.

I'm going to play devil's advocate and ask why you would EVER tow at those speeds?!

[EleanoR]

Vehicle: 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Duramax Diesel (not a dually). Edge Evolution chip (run on stage 2 approx 75 hp and 150 tq increase).

Trailer: 2007 Pace Rallye 20ft enclosed car hauler. Loaded the trailer will be about 6,000 lbs. Truck is 7,000 lbs. Total combined weight is 13,000 give or take 500 lbs.

We typically tow between 70-75mph here in Florida on the open ground and will get 11mpg @ 70mph and 10mpg @ 75 mph.

An open car hauler will get significantly better fuel economy but then again you don't have the luxury of locking anything and not having to worry about it. I chose the enclosed for that very reason since I have a lot of money in my car.

[mlrmotorsports]

who doesnt tow at 70-80?

2008 GMC 2500 HD 6.0L GAS towing a 26ft Haulmark 3750 + ITR(2475) + 4 wheeler(400) = tools = 7600

@70 7.7mpg

[turboteener]

I use a 94 1500 GMC with a 4.3 and a 5 spd. I tow around 5000lbs and towing at 75-80 usually gets me 13mpg. The rear end has 3:08s in it, so towing is a bitch. Luckily I have a new 14bolt going in and I just picked up a 97 Vortec motor.

[Chris F]

Originally Posted by nickrps

I'm going to play devil's advocate and ask why you would EVER tow at those speeds?!

A question answered with a question: Why does the chicken cross the road?

Anyway, racers are indestructible, and superior drivers.

Speaking of out-towing your tow vehicle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...lated

[Chris F]

Originally Posted by nickrps

I'm going to play devil's advocate and ask why you would EVER tow at those speeds?!

Acceptable answer #2, "to keep up with traffic". On some 70 MPH highways, like TX or Indiana, etc., towing at 65 is pretty dangerous, getting run over by semis and ****.

Just sayin'. California and Texas are two different worlds.

[essex]

Originally Posted by nickrps

I'm going to play devil's advocate and ask why you would EVER tow at those speeds?!

I think migs knows what he is doing


to your

[nickrps]

Originally Posted by essex

I think migs knows what he is doing


to your

to your very "mature" response. To compare driving a racecar to towing is apples to oranges; both fruit, but still different. My statement is obviously a moot point with you guys.

Happy towing

[granracing]

Disturbed - since you don't already have a trailer, would a used aluminum open car trailer be in your budget? Not only does it reduce the overall weight, it also opens up other potential tow vehicles.

[essex]

Originally Posted by nickrps

to your very "mature" response. To compare driving a racecar to towing is apples to oranges; both fruit, but still different. My statement is obviously a moot point with you guys.

Happy towing

You are the one giving people thumbs down and you don't even know what you are talking about

http://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=2123894

[realspeed]

2008 gmc yukon, 3.43 rear end, 2wd, towing a 2100 lb FSP civic on an 18 foot aluminum trailer running 70 mph gets 15-18 mpg on average

[Bradstard]

2003 Ford F250 7.3l diesel. Completely stock (currently)
26' Haulmark enclosed trailer (3200 lbs empty)

With my Integra, small fridge, futon, a/c, spare B18C5 long block, tools, tires, and other misc crap in the trailer I got 10.5mpg towing to VIR. I was going 60-65mph the entire way.

[migs]

Originally Posted by nickrps

I'm going to play devil's advocate and ask why you would EVER tow at those speeds?!

Thumbdown? Are you serious? I figured you would get more MPG out of your 7/8ths Tundra since California laws prohibit you from trailering beyond 55mph (legally). Oh wait, but lets be real. I know you tow faster than 55mph because if you are drafting behind 18 wheelers in California, you are already considered "unsafe" by a CHP in my book. All of us speed and I am not one to try and front that I am the most perfect citizen. So if you are throwing me the due to legality reasons, you would be in the same boat as I.

New Mexico for a example allows 75MPH for trucks and 80MPH for cars. Now what does New Mexico see that California/Illinois doesnt?

Now, if the thumbdown is thrown for a safety reason. Its all subjective Nick. If you are comfortable towing a load of 7000lbs at 75-80mph then so be it. Following distance must be increased. Awareness has to be increased. Concentration has to be increased. You name it, the faster you travel, all of the above senses must be increased.

Although Chris F' statement was probably sarcastic. Being a HPDE'r, I can say your senses are overall more honed than a typical driver of a loaded trailer. Heck, I dont even turn the radio on in the truck so I am fully aware of any ackward noises possibly happening.

Anyways, enough of our debate and back to the OP's request. The key to better towing MPG is pedal consistency.

[b16a1eg6]

2004 Nissan Titam LE Crew Cab 15mpg

[Bradstard]

If we include tow dollies....
18.7mpg with 5 people in the van round trip.