Gas Mileage with payload (Help I'm dumb)

I usually do keep it under 2k when I can, merging and stuff I obviously have to ring it out a little bit.

 

It is a 4wd pickup not an economy car. If you want fuel economy get a small car. I would not expect to get more than 17 mpg out of these trucks unless you want to drive it below the speed limit and get rid of any extra weight in the truck. I have BFG Rugged terrain P265-70-17 and a 4 inch lift on my 09 TRD Sport V-6 6 speed. I can't get anymore than 16 MPG. It is what it is I know I am not going to get anymore than that and accept it. I cleaned the MAP sensor, changed the plugs and my FN TRD Pro wheels are lighter than my stock sport rims. My mileage hasn't changed with any modification or tune up. I don't drive like a little old lady but I don't beat the truck . After I hit 75 MPH I can watch the gas gauge drop but again that is something I have accepted. I get better fuel mileage with my F-350 Powerstroke even when it is loaded doing 80 mph on the highway. So basically what it comes to is you have to accept these trucks suck in the fuel mileage department and no matter what you do to them your gas mileage is going to suck unless you get a 2WD Prerunner and drive the thing like a little old lady.

 

To be fair even the new diesel trucks except maybe the cummins suffer from huge fuel economy drops hauling. My old 7.3 super duty would only loose a couple MPGs where these days they go from like 22 unloaded to 12-14 loaded. Now that would be loads that would be about the same scale as our trucks can haul.

 

All though it takes energy to move weight it basically has no wind resistance that is a killer in fuel mileage it is also why a Tacoma does not do real well on fuel it sits high with a lot of frontal area. If you put even a 1100# empty box trailer behind it it going to take a big hit. If I pull my camper 11 to 13 by itself pretty steady 18.

 

check the air filter

 

That's pretty terrible mileage. Glad I have a 4-cyl.
You're also dealing with garbage winter gas right now.

There are precisely two conditions in which payload can impact your fuel consumption;
1) If the payload sticks out and creates aerodynamic drag.
2) Under frequent accelerations.

If you're just cruising on the highway with a load that does NOT impact aerodynamics, then there will be no impact on fuel consumption.

Nope. More motor = more fuel consumption. Less motor = less fuel consumption.
And FYI: I get about 24 mpg while pulling cars on a flatbed trailer at 80 kph (50 mph). The trailer *alone* is about 2000 pounds.

 

That's weird because the GMC Sierra 5.3 I used for work got way better gas mileage than my Tacoma. SCLB 2wd though.