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Towing mileage with gas rigs?

Thumper

Thumper

1/2 ton status
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Just curious what kind of mileage you guys are getting with gas powered tow rigs? While towing a vehicle on a trailer that is. Does a guy need a deisel to get from point a to point b with a bank account left?

Mike
 
Mileage? wassat? /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif

seriously, it depends on what you want it to do.

if your towing with a SBC, and towing yet another truck on a trailer, you could get some decent mileage, if you never go above 45mph. (10-12?)

Same scinario with a BBC, anywhere from 7-11. Some people are lucky just to squeeeze 7-8mpg out without towing!

Lead foot towing will be sure to net you some not so good numbers.

My buddies going down to bike week with his 2wd carbed burb (1500) with a 350- they like to "get down there as fast as possible"- towing a 6x12 enclosed trailer. they got 6.8mpg.

I towed my racecar and trailer, with my k5 with TBI and 33's on it, and still got about 13 mpg. But then again, the k5 was like the wind blocker, the trailer in the back had almost no wind resistance.
 
8 to 9 or so with the Blaer on the back. Thats with a 454 on a 1 ton Dually and a manual tranny. I do need new o2 sensors though.
 
My '03 Chevy 2500HD (6.0L gas, crewcab, auto, 4.10) gets a pretty consistent 9 mpg while towing my Blazer on a trailer (estimated 8,500 lbs.). Coming home from the last wheeling trip was about 150 miles straight on I-70 running 75 mph, and about half of that trip was rolling hills that made the truck kickdown out of OD, and it was right at 9 mpg.

For comparison, the trucks gets 15 mpg empty during combined city/highway driving.
 
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My '03 Chevy 2500HD (6.0L gas, crewcab, auto, 4.10) gets a pretty consistent 9 mpg while towing my Blazer on a trailer (estimated 8,500 lbs.). Coming home from the last wheeling trip was about 150 miles straight on I-70 running 75 mph, and about half of that trip was rolling hills that made the truck kickdown out of OD, and it was right at 9 mpg

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Dude? Are you serious? I have almost the same setup, although I have a 6" lift and 35s and get about 7-8MPG although my spedo is uncorrected. I thought it was just me.
For the record towing fullsizes I now realize Diesel is the only way......
 
I get normally get about 11-13 MPG hauling vehicles on a trailer with my '79 K10 (4.10 ratio 3/4 ton axles though) and 285/75R16 tires (close to 33"). That is on fairly flat ground with a fair to moderate wind (gets alot better with a tailwind than headwind though). But I have dropped to 8-9 mpg when towing thru the mountains or against strong headwinds going across Nebraska and Wyoming (35-50 mph headwinds).
 
My 88 Ext. cab dually with a F.I. 454 I get 9-10 empty and 4-6 at 75MPH towing my rig. Even after rebuilding and boring the 454 .030 over it didn't make a difference.





David
 
4-5MPG! ouch!!! /forums/images/graemlins/1zhelp.gif
I guess with great power... comes a great responsibility...

and a fat waller!

Mileage down to NC (for me): approximately 1200 mi rd trip.
240 gallons round trip, if I got 5mphg, it would cost me approximately $450 bucks! wowsers.....

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My 88 Ext. cab dually with a F.I. 454 I get 9-10 empty and 4-6 at 75MPH towing my rig. Even after rebuilding and boring the 454 .030 over it didn't make a difference.





David

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Just for a comparison purpose my 99 Dodge with a 24 valve Cummins, Bullydog Power box, and banks exhaust gets around 11 MPG pulling my 35 foot fifth wheel camper (around 12,000 lbs) plus my 20 ft boat (another 3,500 lbs) behind that.

Empty the truck gets around 13.

If I pull my 40 ft deck gooseneck (9,000 lbs empty) with my 72 Blazer (5 or 6 thousand lbs) and my 4 wheelers ( another 1200 lbs) I drop down to about 12 mpg

Like I said, I know you wanted to know about gas engines but I thought i would throw a comparison out there.

John
 
I just got about 8-9 mpg with my 454 FI...
I averaged 60-70 mph pulling about 7500 lbs..
I also have a cap on my 91 2500.. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
I have 04 2500 Avalanche 4X4, 8.1L (496 cid), 4L80E, 3.73 gears. I was towing about 7500 lbs. My Blazer loaded on a trailer. I was getting right around 10 mpg at about 70 on the highway. Any faster or any harder driving would seriously suck down some gas. I sometimes wish I had the diesel, but I am happy with what I got.

-James
 
11-13 with a PSD while towing my blazer. It goes way down if I wind up the turbo alot. We towed it with a 1 ton chevy (mid 90's) w/ 454, and got around 7 mpg before I got the PSD.

BIGJ
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
My '03 Chevy 2500HD (6.0L gas, crewcab, auto, 4.10) gets a pretty consistent 9 mpg while towing my Blazer on a trailer (estimated 8,500 lbs.). Coming home from the last wheeling trip was about 150 miles straight on I-70 running 75 mph, and about half of that trip was rolling hills that made the truck kickdown out of OD, and it was right at 9 mpg

[/ QUOTE ]

Dude? Are you serious? I have almost the same setup, although I have a 6" lift and 35s and get about 7-8MPG although my spedo is uncorrected. I thought it was just me.
For the record towing fullsizes I now realize Diesel is the only way......

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't really consider that mileage too bad. The trailer and Blazer combo is more than doubling the total weight and the wind resistance at 75 mph on a lifted Blazer on 38's sitting on a trailer deck is pretty significant. That trip also had two 200+ lb. people in the cab, camping supplies, food, beverages, and firewood for a weekend trip. It also definitely would have been better staying at the 65 mph speed limit and maybe even dealing with losing a little speed on the long grades, but I was in a hurry to get home /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

A diesel truck probably wouldn't give you a huge increase in mpg, I'm guessing no more than 2-3 mpg. You would have to tow a bunch to recover the $5,000 option in fuel savings!
 
Mmmmm grease.. mmmm. ... grease.....

Im gonna try to drive my truck exclusively all summer!...well, once im done with the conversion.
 
Pulled a 5500lb '78 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham from San Diego to Phoenix, topped off the 40 gal tank out there, pulled into Phoenix with just under half tank.

I would say about 13 gal left, 385 mile trip total,, was gettin about 14mpg, BUT!! thats when i had 3.73 and 31" tires. with no lift.

Hell i have notice the mileage has gone down just since the lift was installed. and now that i have 4.10's,,,sheesh /forums/images/graemlins/doah.gif

**EDIT** i think the reason for the mileage, was probably because that damn car was pushin me most of the way, i pulled it up the hill, but it pushed me down. /forums/images/graemlins/whistling.gif
 
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A diesel truck probably wouldn't give you a huge increase in mpg, I'm guessing no more than 2-3 mpg. You would have to tow a bunch to recover the $5,000 option in fuel savings!

[/ QUOTE ]

If you look at it that way, you'll probably never pay for the Diesel.

If you look at it in the sense that the Diesel will last MUCH longer, and has a lot more torque than any gasser, and isn't working anywhere near as hard to carry the same load, the Diesel looks like a bargin at twice the price.

Anyone who's ever towed in the mountains is probably begging for a turbo to save their ass. Even on hilly terrain I can't stand towing with a gas engine.

I agree with the above posters that say Diesel is the only way to go for a tow rig. I agree 100%.
 
My 04 Dodge is getting 17 pretty consistantly with the Cummins. Once I have finished breaking in the motor, it should get a little better.

I have yet found some decent weight to put behind it. So I don't know what kind of numbers that will put up. M

y buddy though has an 04 with th six speed. H hauled his dad's 29 ft Bayliner (12,000, I think) up Parley's Canyon doing 70 in 6th gear and was getting 16 mpg. Said the engine never broke a sweat.

So I think bottom line for me is desiel. My old gas trucks did not do so well what I had them loaded or was towing.
 
Got 8.5 when I towed a K5 but that was right after I got it and I found some issues. I topewd a 84 4Runner 112 miles today but I was empty on the way dow. Thats going to be about 5400lb. I was running 60-65 max I expect about 9.5 mixed. Maybe more. It's happier at 2500rpm then 3000. Not even a wipmer. Pulled some good grades and only lost 1mph. It's amazing how much happeri it is a 60mph.

No trailer steady 70 mph cruis no A/C it gets 11.5. steady 70mph cruise with A/C it gets 11.
454 TH 400 3.73 tires work out to 31.5.
 
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