Gas Mileage in your truck (towing)

[Bobby Light]

Yea, I've been able to draft off a big rig, at like 100' away, at 55 mph & average over 30 mpg for over 10 miles in my Avalanche. I read about people doing that really close & wanted to see just how close/far away you had to be. It worked great, even at that distance.

Question is, can you handle driving only 55 mph??

I can't drive 55!! I was actually only going 50 and not drafting, but that was the posted speed limit. That mileage also only included once I was up to speed, just to see what it could do once it was up and moving. Not bad for a truck weighing over 7,900 lbs.

[Bill B]

GMC 3500 CC Duramax with a 4500lb Lance in the bed and pulling a VLXat 65-70 I get 10 mpg average.

[Brian DZ]

04 chevy Duramax with the 5 stage edge juice. Empty highway 18 mpg Pulling the boat over the pass 14 mpg don't know what to expect now that I have a camper also. I am expecting to get about 10-11 mpg.

[Bobby Light]

04 chevy Duramax with the 5 stage edge juice. Empty highway 18 mpg Pulling the boat over the pass 14 mpg don't know what to expect now that I have a camper also. I am expecting to get about 10-11 mpg.

I hope you're hand calculating that mileage. The computer doesn't know the programmer is dumping all that extra fuel into the motor it's unrealiable.

10-11 pulling camper and boat, that's pretty ambitious. My guess is it will be closer to 8mpg.

[nemalibu]

04 Ford Sport Trac towing a 2003 Sunscape 21 LSV. Truck and boat loaded with stuff (myself, wife, 2 kids, stuff for ~1 week at a cabin, lots of watersports equipment).

Single axel trailer

Towing in MA and NH (somewhat hilly)

Cruise set at 63 MPH

12.1 MPG.

This number was hand calculated.

Edited July 20, 2008 by nemalibu

[Brodie]

2002 Tahoe pulling SSLXI on tandem trailer, 75 mph= 8-9 mpg

[atxfletch]

06 Tundra with the 4.7 V8....pulls my 0823LSV with a good amount of gear at 9 to 10 mpg....doesn't have the power it probably needs for long steep grades, but it does ok here in Austin Hill Country.

[dgaustin]

02 Ford Expedition 5.4L 4X4 pulling 08 23 LSV

So far this has been my experience at 65-70 mph

Without boat, about 15.0 on highway (hand calced)

Pulling boat, about 10.0 on highway (hand calced)

Taking it to Lake Ouachita in Arkansas this weekend. We shall see if the numbers hold up.

Edited July 17, 2008 by dgaustin

[Malibu Marshall]

07 Tahoe 5.3L 12-15mpg while pulling the boat. Without a load it gets between 19-22mpg on the freeway with the cruise set at 72.

[chrisallenhogs]

02 Ford Expedition 5.4L 4X4 pulling 08 23 LSV

So far this has been my experience at 65-70 mph

Without boat, about 15.0 on highway

Pulling boat, about 10.0 on highway

Taking it to Lake Ouachita in Arkansas this weekend. We shall see if the numbers hold up.

We were thinking about heading to Ouachita, where are you launching from?

[dgaustin]

02 Ford Expedition 5.4L 4X4 pulling 08 23 LSV

So far this has been my experience at 65-70 mph

Without boat, about 15.0 on highway

Pulling boat, about 10.0 on highway

Taking it to Lake Ouachita in Arkansas this weekend. We shall see if the numbers hold up.

We were thinking about heading to Ouachita, where are you launching from?

Spend Sat & Sun at Brady Mountain area, then on Mon head to Lena Landing to get on the houseboat. We've never been, looking forward to it.

[MalibuTime]

04 chevy Duramax with the 5 stage edge juice. Empty highway 18 mpg Pulling the boat over the pass 14 mpg don't know what to expect now that I have a camper also. I am expecting to get about 10-11 mpg.

I hope you're hand calculating that mileage. The computer doesn't know the programmer is dumping all that extra fuel into the motor it's unrealiable.

10-11 pulling camper and boat, that's pretty ambitious. My guess is it will be closer to 8mpg.

Can everyone please go back and edit your post and note if you did the amount of fuel/number of miles over several tanks or referenced your on-board computers . Some of those number seem suspiciously ambitious.

[hawaiianstyln]

actually if you get on gm-trucks.com you will find that everyone is fairly close with the gas mileage that they are getting (considering the type of truck/vehicle, engine, tranny, etc..) whether they reference the DIC (onboard computer) or several tanks monitored.

My gas milege while towing is pretty close to what everyone else gets (about 10mpg). However, my gas mileage without towing a boat is awesome in that truck. After dialing in my power programmer (long time fuel trims/ injector curve) and the other mods that were added to the truck, i've been averaging 21.3 mpg in the last two weeks on the highway. That's driving back and forth on the highway at an average of 67 mph every day to and from work.

[Killer]

some people told me I was crazy, but I absolutely love my Ranger sport 4x4 and the mileage is not bad at all. I get over 20mpg on the highway no problem and around 15 towing the boat. it pulls the boat no problem too and I dont have trailer brakes....

[Clutch-n-Throttle]

some people told me I was crazy, but I absolutely love my Ranger sport 4x4 and the mileage is not bad at all. I get over 20mpg on the highway no problem and around 15 towing the boat. it pulls the boat no problem too and I dont have trailer brakes....

People said I was crazy as well. I have a 2005 Dodge Magnum 5.7 Hemi. I get 16-17 MPG city driving. 22-26 MPG highway.

I just recently drove from Riverside CA to Lake Havasu this past week. I was towing in 111 deg heat.

I got 12 MPG. I had to add a heavy duty radiator, oil cooler, aux tranny cooler, self leveling shocks for the rear and air bags in the rear coils. The Magnum towed like a champ.

Edited July 20, 2008 by Clutch-n-Throttle

[ADHD]

WOW,,, ya id say your crazy^^^^^^^^^

[MO-BluBu]

This is fun.

2005 Jeep Libery CRD (Diesel) 2000 Sunsetter with tower, single axle trailer. Boat and trailer weights 4000 pounds. 18-20 MPG at 65 - 70 mph. It gets 25-29 unloaded. It is not going to rip you down the road like a 3/4 ton diesel, but it is the little engine that could. It will steadly pull to 80 mph plus on the flats if you aren't watching. I could get better mph if I didn't have the tower.

[Bobby Light]

actually if you get on gm-trucks.com you will find that everyone is fairly close with the gas mileage that they are getting (considering the type of truck/vehicle, engine, tranny, etc..) whether they reference the DIC (onboard computer) or several tanks monitored.

My gas milege while towing is pretty close to what everyone else gets (about 10mpg). However, my gas mileage without towing a boat is awesome in that truck. After dialing in my power programmer (long time fuel trims/ injector curve) and the other mods that were added to the truck, i've been averaging 21.3 mpg in the last two weeks on the highway. That's driving back and forth on the highway at an average of 67 mph every day to and from work.

The computer doesn't know the programmer is dumping more fuel so the onboard computer isn't accurate anymore, not that they ever really were anyways. This is especially true with the diesel trucks. I would never base your mileage on the overhead display, lets just say it's very optimistic.

[mrothwell]

The computer doesn't know the programmer is dumping more fuel so the onboard computer isn't accurate anymore, not that they ever really were anyways. This is especially true with the diesel trucks. I would never base your mileage on the overhead display, lets just say it's very optimistic.

I'd say that depends on the vehicle manufacturer. I've checked manually on the last 3 GM SUV's that I've owned and the computer is within .5 mpg on each of them, all of them actually read lower than computed over several tanks of gas. So, in my experience, the computers on the GM's are quite accurate, and just a little on the pessimistic side.

[Bobby Light]

The computer doesn't know the programmer is dumping more fuel so the onboard computer isn't accurate anymore, not that they ever really were anyways. This is especially true with the diesel trucks. I would never base your mileage on the overhead display, lets just say it's very optimistic.

I'd say that depends on the vehicle manufacturer. I've checked manually on the last 3 GM SUV's that I've owned and the computer is within .5 mpg on each of them, all of them actually read lower than computed over several tanks of gas. So, in my experience, the computers on the GM's are quite accurate, and just a little on the pessimistic side.

Are you running programmers on these trucks?

[Arctic Slalom]

lincoln navigator w/ 5.3 triton -11 mpg

chevy S10 w/ 4.3 crew cab -12 mpg

f-350 dually w/ power stroke diesel (manual) -14 mpg, truck weighs 9,150 lbs. alone!

most of our lakes are within 10 miles of weekend house...very short hauls

make one, 800 mile round trip, per year. got about 11 mpg back and forth.

what are the best things to do for better truck mileage?

-better truck exhaust?

-computer chip?

-synthetic oil?

-cover on the boat?

-drive slower mph?

-change tires on boat?

-cold air intake?

[LS-One]

Crappy with or without. Dodge V-10, 4.10 gears, oversize tires and wheels.

Upside, truck paid for a long time ago.

9.2 this weekend going to WOW.

[Mike00LXI]

I've been storing my boat at the lake in an enlclosed storage for years now. Cost me $75 a month and it's just outside the lake entrance. With a 2 hour commute each way 2-3 time a month (sometimes 4) from May to October it pays for itself with the additional gas I would burn towing it back and forth.

[Bobby Light]

lincoln navigator w/ 5.3 triton -11 mpg

chevy S10 w/ 4.3 crew cab -12 mpg

f-350 dually w/ power stroke diesel (manual) -14 mpg, truck weighs 9,150 lbs. alone!

most of our lakes are within 10 miles of weekend house...very short hauls

make one, 800 mile round trip, per year. got about 11 mpg back and forth.

what are the best things to do for better truck mileage?

-better truck exhaust?

-computer chip?

-synthetic oil?

-cover on the boat?

-drive slower mph?

-change tires on boat?

-cold air intake?

For the diesel a free flowing exhaust, air intake, and programmer will do wonders for increased power and give you a little better mileage if you keep your foot out of it. However it is a ford and there isn't much hope for them

[CumminsBu]

Slow down your tow speed is easy and free, but time comsuming.

A drop in air filter and 4" exhaust, along with a turbo upgrade may need a cold air intake with this one can't hurt.

I would not do a programer for the smiple reason of catching the Diesel HP and TQ desease that will tear up your clutch and rear tires, becsause it's so fun to make white smoke with the rear tires. No self control will decrease mileage, have been in rehab for the last 2 years.

If all else fails the easiest way to improve mileage is to lie about it, like all my friends do.