Flapper
Minnesota
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Joined: 02/18/2012
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For my truck, with a 32' fifth, I got 10.5mpg average over 14,000 miles.
Now same truck, 34' tow behind trailer (same weight), I get 8mpg after 10,000 miles.
I blame it on much poorer aerodynamics with the tow behind.
2012 F150 Eco, 4x4, SCrew, Max Tow, HD Payload
2017 Grand Design Imagine 2670MK
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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shelbyfv wrote:Probably we can skip the irrelevant posturing. OP apparently got what he wanted and hasn't been back in over a month.
You must be new to BotP’s posts. They’re generally a comprehensive ramble, which to be fair, have some good points, but undoubtedly, if he practices what he preaches, is the guy who is _____ing off everyone around him on the highway while he’s practicing hyper-miling! Lol
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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Edd505 wrote:Ford Ranger 2019 = not enough truck unless it's a small pop-up.
Ford Ranger 2019 = not enough HP or torque.
Ford Ranger 2019 = 270 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
Ford Ranger 2019 = Torque 310 lb.-ft. @ 3,000 rpm
Towing 75 = poor mileage.
Another funny post….
I like mo’ power as much as the next guy, but always find it funny when people forget what they used to have/drive/past technology.
We all say what a pooch the new 300hp ish little trucks are (which is true compared to all the “big” offerings.) Yet, most of y’all are older than me and I remember doing a lot of work with 200 ish hp or less than 200hp “full size” trucks. That also only had 3 or 4 speed transmissions and high first gears comparatively.
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4x4van
California
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Joined: 02/19/2010
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I have to laugh at the tow capacity wars that the manufacturers are currently waging with small/midsize trucks. Towing a 6400lb trailer with a small 4000lb truck at 75mph? While it may be able to TOW it, and it may be able to STOP it (with trailer brakes), in an emergency maneuver, the trailer will drive the truck. Hope I'm nowhere near the OP when that happens.
We don't stop playing because we grow old...We grow old because we stop playing!
2004 Itasca Sunrise M-30W
Carson enclosed ATV Trailer
-'85 ATC250R, '12 Husky TE310, '20 CanAm X3 X rs Turbo RR
Zieman Jetski Trailer
-'96 GTi, '96 Waveblaster II
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bgum
South Louisiana
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Joined: 02/22/2006
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You are driving too fast to get any better gas mileage. Slow to 55-60 then report what your mileage is.
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Gdetrailer
PA
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Joined: 01/05/2007
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4x4van wrote:I have to laugh at the tow capacity wars that the manufacturers are currently waging with small/midsize trucks. Towing a 6400lb trailer with a small 4000lb truck at 75mph? While it may be able to TOW it, and it may be able to STOP it (with trailer brakes), in an emergency maneuver, the trailer will drive the truck. Hope I'm nowhere near the OP when that happens.
Trailer brakes generally are required items once you go above 2,001 lbs in some states and 3,001 lbs in most all other States. So in reality, yes, a "4,000 lb" truck CAN safely not only tow but STOP.
The trucks brakes handles the weight on the truck up to the rated GVWR and the trailers brakes handles the trailers weight up to the rated GVWR.
So in reality, it CAN be safely done, might not be pretty or fun but still very possible to safely stop during emergency maneuvers.
A lot of folks out there towing even greater of a mismatch, while that doesn't make me feel safe it is the reality we must deal with. Eventually with a big and heavy enough trailer even a F450-F550 truck will be much lighter than the trailer..
My personal feeling is I would much rather have a bit beefier tow vehicle to start with which provides a firmer platform (IE stiffer springs, firmer shocks and some added weight to match closer to the trailer's weight). But obviously not many people are willing to step off the 1/2 ton platform because they prefer the softer ride and a perceived lower cost to buy and a couple of MPG better mileage when empty.
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4x4van
California
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Gdetrailer wrote:4x4van wrote:I have to laugh at the tow capacity wars that the manufacturers are currently waging with small/midsize trucks. Towing a 6400lb trailer with a small 4000lb truck at 75mph? While it may be able to TOW it, and it may be able to STOP it (with trailer brakes), in an emergency maneuver, the trailer will drive the truck. Hope I'm nowhere near the OP when that happens.
Trailer brakes generally are required items once you go above 2,001 lbs in some states and 3,001 lbs in most all other States. So in reality, yes, a "4,000 lb" truck CAN safely not only tow but STOP.
The trucks brakes handles the weight on the truck up to the rated GVWR and the trailers brakes handles the trailers weight up to the rated GVWR.
So in reality, it CAN be safely done, might not be pretty or fun but still very possible to safely stop during emergency maneuvers.
A lot of folks out there towing even greater of a mismatch, while that doesn't make me feel safe it is the reality we must deal with. Eventually with a big and heavy enough trailer even a F450-F550 truck will be much lighter than the trailer..
My personal feeling is I would much rather have a bit beefier tow vehicle to start with which provides a firmer platform (IE stiffer springs, firmer shocks and some added weight to match closer to the trailer's weight). But obviously not many people are willing to step off the 1/2 ton platform because they prefer the softer ride and a perceived lower cost to buy and a couple of MPG better mileage when empty. Agreed that with the correct trailer brakes, the tow vehice can stop the trailer, even in an emergency stop situation. I'm more interested in an emergency "maneuver", such as swerving to avoid another vehicle or something. In that scenario, the trailer brakes are of little value, and the mismatch in weight between the trailer and the truck becomes a major factor in control (or lack thereof)..
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goducks10
There
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Joined: 02/22/2010
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An 8,000lb 3500 SRW truck towing 16,000 lbs is safer than a 4,000lb truck towing 6400 lbs?
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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goducks10 wrote:An 8,000lb 3500 SRW truck towing 16,000 lbs is safer than a 4,000lb truck towing 6400 lbs?
Here on rv.net it is....
In the real world, not so much.
But it's pretty easy to pick out the mouths who gained 50% of their knowledge from what they think they learned online and the other half from that one trailer they've towed to go camping for the last 20 years.
Yet they couldn't tell you the difference between a 12 valve and a V-12!
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Urriellu
Full time through AZ, NV, UT, CO, ID, WY, MT
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Joined: 11/20/2021
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Thank you all very, very much for all the replies.
I just finished a second trip and I made a few changes as suggested:
- I went from 65-75 mph avg to 55mph.
- When going uphill I slowed down to 45 mph.
- I started using premium gas instead of regular.
- I speed up after stopping veeeeeeery slowly.
My consumption has gone up from 7.5-8.5 mpg to around 12 mpg. Way better!
Just using premium instead of regular also helped a lot, when not towing I went from ~18 mpg (using regular) to 21-22 mpg (using premium).
Thanks again!
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