Gas mileage when towing a Camper Trailer

I pull about the same weight this actually is where a manual shines I get to chose the gears I can do 14. Yes on the flats I can use 6th and being a manual it's all ways in lockup!

 

I averaged 11mpg towing our 5,500lb travel trailer and most of my towing is in the mountains. Truck has extra weight (bumper/winch, skids, sliders, HC rear bumper, shell) and was running 265/75/16 in a C load range.

 

You can't see my trailer that well, but last summer I towed it out to Colorado and got about 10mpg on the highway.

 

10 miles per gallon....with a tailwind. Its like pulling a parachute, weight be damned.

 

Man I average 14-15 in winter towing the air behind me. Don't want to find out what it would be towing

 

I got 15 mpg towing 5100 lbs for 400 miles.

 

I believe it's all conditional.. mountains, wind etc. On a good day without headwinds or mountains in the way and keeping the speed at 60ish then 15mpg is possible even towing 5100lbs.

 

..whether the trailer is double axle and if the bearings are well greased etc. I agree that it's very conditional and depends on many factors like driving style and road topography. I think the main cause for this wide difference is our low torque #s with low RPMs. My previous vehicle was an 04 Tahoe Z71 with low rear-end.. it averaged 13 to 15.5 regardless of rolling down the interstate empty in the flatlands or pulling a 3200 lb trailer thru western NC.

 

Im assuming y'all are locking out 5th gear when you tow?

 

Depends on the terrain. I'm frequently rolling in 5'th with small hills, 6'th if it's highway speeds and dead flat or downhill.

6MT1GRFEFTMFW

 

I tow a apex nano 185 bh it’s about 3200 empty and my be 4000 loaded . I keep it in 4th and speeds under 65 . It do about 10 to 11 mpg .

 

this is encouraging. I just bought a micro Minnie FLX at 4200 lbs dry and it felt fine when the dealer let me pull it around a couple miles but am concerned how it will do in the mountains. I’m thinking of getting rid of my steel skids since they are just for backup anyway.

do you have upgraded springs or anything in the rear to help? I’m thinking of adding air bags

 

I have a Dakar leaf pack and Fox shocks currently but towed it for the first year with the factory suspension. Airbags are good for payload but a weight distribution hitch is the proper solution for towing.

Not sure what you mean about skids being a backup but I personally wouldn't remove them...mine get used and I don't want to leave the underside of the truck exposed.

 

ok, sounds like a good setup. I upgraded to dobinsons mid level load because of the camper shell and constant weight in the back. I’m having a Reese weight distribution hitch installed.

The skids were installed as a backup/just in case. I don’t crawl much. When I do it’s usually milder to mid level stuff. Did get a ding below prior to being lifted so, installed them out of concern of doing it again. And yeah yours look very used! Mine just have chips from road dings. Think I’ll hold on to them..there’s always something that comes up that has me questioning whether the bottom will hit.

 

You know what stinks…we just bought a 2010 double cab in October, to someday replace our current family tow vehicle. If what your saying is true, i’m getting double that fuel economy, hitting almost 20mpg in my freakin minivan towing our 16 foot hybrid weighing in at 3500 lbs (and the van is filled with 2 kids, the wife, the dog, bikes, etc.!? That’s not cool to decrease my mileage by half, when fuel prices have increased by double!!

 

Wait?!?! Are those TRD pro wheels on the casita?? I have a casita and been debating beefing it up. Looks pretty legit with a Casita being hauled and a Super Pacific camper.

 

You may want to recheck your figures nothing gets 20mpg towing.

 

I pull a 17' camper it is an older one with duel axles. There are two pluses less weight on the truck and it's lower. They started a trend a few years back making the campers sit much higher putting a lot more camper in the wind. Mine is a 6 speed manual that helps a bit all of that being said I still only average 13-14 MPG. Empty close to 20.