# MPG When Towing



## mikey

Ok, I know this is a sore subject the way things are right now, but would like to know. Curiosity more than anything.

How many miles per gallon do you get towing or driving your RV? Be honest. 6 or 8 or 10? 

Would love to hear your RV size and tow vehicle specs to go along with that.


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## ctfortner

Well, lets see.

I tow with a 2000 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 with the 360 engine. Towing my 19 foot travel trailer at around 60-62 MPH, I get between 7-8 MPG on the interstate. Ouch!

My theory is this. I have wanted a diesel for a while now. Everyone says, dont get a diesel, its $5 a gallon, roughly a $1 more per gallon than gas. However, I know people towing with a Chevy Duramax as well as a F250 Ford and they get 15-16MPG towing. 

So, while it may cost a $1 more per gallon, they also are getting twice the mileage that I am.


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## heruide

Now Mikey, Why would you knowingly with maliciousness and foresight want to remind us of the poor mileage we get at the this time when gas prices are going up and up and up and awaaaaaaaaaay?

OK since I pull a folding trailer I have the advantage in that it does not affect my gas consumption compared to pulling a fifth wheeler or travel trailer. However, I have an H2 Hummer and I get 11 miles per gallon with or without the trailer. 

Ruide


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## willie

i get 14-15 mpg with my '06 POWER STROKE with camper on back not bad considering it's a 10,000 lb. brick rolling down the road.but is it worth the $5,000 option? i think so because i wanted a diesel:shrug: DIY oil change is about $70.00.love my diesel.just got motorcycle for to and from work,not as safe but cheaper.


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## happiestcamper

10.0 going from the coast to the mountains, 10.1 going from the mountains to the coast.


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## fldawg

I drive a Hummer H3 and pull an Evolution E3. Get 17 mpg highway not towing and 12mpg towing. :shrug:


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## antigua

OK I went to this site to figure it out. My truck is reading that I'm burning 19 Liters of gas per 100km when towing which works out to be 12.38 mpg. Everyday driving I'm burning around 12.5 to 13 Liters per 100km which works out to be 18 mpg. I'm driving a 2006 Ford Explorer V6 XLT and pulling my Antigua which is around 4000lbs loaded. 
Liters Per 100k to Miles Per Gallon (U.S.) Conversion Calculator and Table - Convert Liters per 100km to MPG


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## chuckie

I'm driving a 2007 Dodge RAM2500, Cummins 5.9L, towing a 26FB-DSL Denali, and getting 13 MPG. Without the wall, I get 22 MPG on the highway. About 15 in town. I don't have the motorcycle, so I drive my truck to work. I really love my truck.

This is my first pick up truck, and I had always heard guys talk about loving their truck, never understood how one would love a vehicle, until now. It's electric blue pearl coat megacab, with the six foot bed.

I was thrilled when I found out what my mileage was. I'd expected half what I'm getting. If I drive 50 mph, the mileage climbs to close to 19 MPG. I guess pulling a wall really causes problems with making it through the air.


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## mikey

Thats good mileage chuckie. I have several friends with the cummins and they are about the same last I recall. I wonder how bad this drops with a 4x4 model.


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## roadhouse

My 30' camper weights 8000lbs fully loaded for camping. We towed it for one year with a 1/2 ton Suburban with Vortec 350ci and 3.73 gears. Got about 7.5mpg towing at 55mph.
Now we tow with a 3/4 ton Suburban with non Vortec 454ci and 4.10 gears. We still only get 7.5mpg towing at 55mph. Only difference is my 3/4ton handles the weight much better, and can hold 3rd gear at 55mph in the big hills. Little hills made my 350ci downshift to second gear all the time.

Yes I would love to pic up a Excursion w/7.3L Powerstroke to get 13-15mpg towing. But that would cost me $20k for a truck like that, and I paid $5k for my 3/4 ton Suburban.


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## hydrofoil82

i have got a 2002 duramax and with the efi live tuning i played around with it and i get 15mpg towing a 34 holiday rambler not to bad.


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## mailfire99

hydrofoil82 said:


> i have got a 2002 duramax and with the efi live tuning i played around with it and i get 15mpg towing a 34 holiday rambler not to bad.


What are you running for live tuning, a piggy chip or something like a dynasquirt setup? Dynasquirt system looks pretty neat.


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## bighabsfan11

I'm running a 2006 Duramax, with the 6 speed Allison Tranny, pulling a 28 foot trailer...and getting approximately 16MPG without the trailer...13 with.

Not bad! The engine is just at 64,000Kms...apparently, these really hit their stride at about 75,000...and mileage gets better. Plus, I'm hoping to put a power chip in there, to improve mileage.

More snow on the way in Edmonton. Camping seems Sooooooo far away.:whipyobut:


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## ctfortner

hang in there, it will soon pass....I hope :comfort_:


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## grcooperjr

Well……. I know this is a old thread, but here is my 2 cents worth….

We have a 07 Hummer H3 3.7liter. If we drive at 65 or less, we avg 18 to 20 not towing. 14 to 16 towing. The worst we ever got towing was 11 in the mountains of Wyoming south of Yellowstone.

If we drive 70 to 75, we drop to 15 to 17 not towing. 12 to 13 towing in the flat lands A bit less in the mountains. Allot of the reason for the drop is the Hummer is as aerodynamic as a brick. There be allot of drag at 70 to 75 mph......


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## pensnut

I have a 2005 Dodge 1500. It has the Magnum engine. I have a 27ft Zinger trailer. When i go from the Parkersburg, WV area to Elkins, WV area (quite a bit of up and down hills in the mountains) i get about 8mpg. My truck does great pulling the camper but eats up the gas. It is a Dodge though. Without the camper or any sort of load i get about 16mpg on the highway.

Pensnut


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## happiestcamper

Haven't tried the highway or towing since I replaced the Suburban with the Dodge 2500 Diesel. I am getting 16 around town.


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## michael8788

*how to improve?*

Hi, this is my first post, and I'm brand new to RVing. I just bought a 2009 Keystone Sprinter Select 29BH. The dry weight is 6520 pounds, and I'd say I've stored about 150 LBS in it when towing. So far I've only taken it camping one time, and I think I got only about 7 miles to the gallon, and I drove about 62 or 63 MPH (is that the speed others tend to drive?).

I have a 2001 Yukon XL 1/2 ton with 3.73 gears, and the 5.3 (323 CID), and no modifications at all. I also have a trailer hitch with sway bars, which helps a lot.

My question is, what kind of mileage improvements have each of you been able to accomplish? What types improvements have proven wasteful? Which ones have given you the most gains?

By improvements, I'm suggesting, camshaft swaps, computer chips, headers, cat-back exhaust, air delivery to intake, etc.

I ask because I don't want to rush out and buy a newtruck with a higher towing capacity when I can just keep my Yukon and do some work to it.

Thank you in advance.


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## grcooperjr

michael8788 said:


> My question is, what kind of mileage improvements have each of you been able to accomplish? What types improvements have proven wasteful? Which ones have given you the most gains?


 Hi Michael

Of all the things I have tried.... The bigest improvment I made was to raise the tire pressure to the max cold pressure. On mine the placard on the veh called for 36 psi but the tire was a 50 psi tire. I raised it to the max (50 psi)and gained 2 mpg, but the ride did get harsher. I can live with that to get a bit more milage.


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## advntrs

We have a 08 F-350 Super cab w/6.4 Diesel.............We tow a 30' VR-1. If I keep the speed at about 60mph, we average 12.5 in flat terrain. However, once we hit the hills, that mileage drops drastically to about 9.7 to 10.1 mpg.

The newer diesels like mine get really bad mileage due to all of the new emission controls on them. However, I like the power when I need it.


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## harleybass47

we have a 2007 gmc 2500HD which is a 3/4 ton 6.6 duramax with 6 speed allison tranny.we pull a 2008 weekend warrior FS2300. it is about 25 feet long and weighs more than stated which is about 8000 lbs. we get anywhere from 10 to 13 mpg depending on how flat or steep the terrian.without the trailer we get 15 city and 22 highway. we love this truck becouse it gets about the same mileage as our 1/2 ton. it just rides a little rougher.


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## meredog

*milage averages*

We have used these vehicles in our business with over 90% of the miles being towing a closed cargo trailers / Gooseneck cargos / with 8 1/2 foot roof lines so we buck wind always.

2001 Dodge Cummins w/automatic 4wd 13.3 268,000

2003 Dodge Cummins w/6 speed 4wd 11.9 187,000

2006 Dodge Cummins Auto /4wd/Dually/ 
Self contained Camper in box /towing 32 ft 10.3 180,000 bumper pull trailer

2006 Dodge Cummins Auto/4wd 3/4 ton 12.4 49,000


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