Fuel mileage pulling TT

Upfront, I'm completely aware that driving habits, truck differences, weight, and setup is completely different between everyone, but I'm curious about fuel mileage pulling either a TT or 5th wheel with a diesel 3/4 ton truck.

My 1st pull was local, only 15 miles from home and I traveled through the city for most of it.  Didn't get a chance to check fuel mileage on such a short pull.  In a few weeks from now, I'm going to pull from Lafayette, La to Dallas, Tx.  Mapquest is showing 390 miles and the majority of it will be interstate travel.

I plan on keeping the speed between 65-68mph.  What do you guys usually see in fuel mileage pulling?  I'm curious about all diesel pickups, but really interested in guys pulling with a Chevrolet 3/4 ton Duramax diesel.

I'm able to get 18.5 mpg @ 75 mph.  Hand calculated and not going by the onboard computer.

Thanks for any input,

We normally get about 13-14 mpg pulling our 29 foot trailer. (8100 pounds)

We pull with a 2005 Dodge 3500 Dually. 

13 mpg would be good. Maybe as low as 11.

I averaged 10.3 mpg @ 70 mph over 2,200 miles from Colorado to California and back.  My gross weight was 15,900 lbs.  Lots of hills to climb each direction. 

My entire rig, with full fuel and fresh water, ready for the road, weighs about 16,000 lbs.  I generally drive about 65 mph.  The  mpg seems to be very dependent on winds, and varies from 9.0 to 11.5.  A high headwind is a killer.  The engine is an LBY and has mucho power, but it does like the fuel.  On the hwy with the truck only, it gets 18.5 to 20.0 once again depending on the winds.  The truck has 98,000 miles on it and the fuel economy seems to be getting a little better all along.

With my 5er and F250 pickup loaded with gear and diesel, I'm weighing in at 22,000. My mpg is usually between 7.5 and 9 depending on terrain.



Bob

Gary RV Roamer said:

13 mpg would be good. Maybe as low as 11.

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I do exactly that with a 30' Jayco Eagle (loaded!) GCW 15,020# but I travel much slower pace at 55-60 MPH with the rolling hills or the twisting roads of Idaho just don't allow for high speed travel.

Well it definitely looks pretty good for me at the moment.  I know the Cummins guys get better fuel mileage than the Duramax guys.  One thing in my favor is that I'm a 3/4 ton instead of a 1 ton like some of you guys that posted here.

My trip will be mostly flat land as there isn't much in the way of hills or mountains here in Louisiana or East Texas.  You guys are pulling some pretty heavy loads there, unless you're including truck weight and trailer weight.  I can only assume that it's trailer weight.  My trailer empty is only 6615#.  I haven't used it much, so I haven't accumulated much for it, so I guess the tow weight should only be around 7500# at the very most.  The wind wall is my concern.  Of course everyone has to deal with that except for the HI-LO guys.  Wind generally is not too bad here in the South.  Towards the evening you'll get a South wind, which will help me on my way to Dallas, but may slow me down a little on the way back.  The only other wind is when we get a Front from the North/North-Northwest.

I'm thinking 65-68 should be a good travel speed.  Half of the route is 75mph(Lafayette to Shreveport via I-49) and the other half is 70mph(Shreveport to Dallas I-20).

Should I expect something around the 11-13mpg range at my pull speed and weight that I'm carrying?  I'm trying to figure up my fuel bill before the trip.  Not that it matters, because I'll spend what it takes to get there, but I'd just like to know as I plan on taking some much longer trips in the upcoming future.

Thanks,

My 2011 Dodge Diesel pulling 11,000 lb 5th wheel at 1600 RPM / 60 MPH with no wind or rain will get 13.4 MPG. That is going from PA to VA with no hills.
Friday we had to pull our 5th wheel out of Va and I was in bumper to bumper traffic most of the way. The trip is 250 miles/ 4 hrs. most of the time but Friday it took me almost 7 hrs. I got 5.6 MPG and I was lucky to get that!

Here is the info that I have for you.

A friend that goes camping with us alot has a 2002 2500HD, crew cab, short box, running 285/75/16's, Duramax (with Edge Juice w/attitude, air intake system, and 4" turbo back exhaust) he pulls a Jayco 27' that he says weighs around 8000lbs loaded.  He says he averages right around 12-13 towing the camper and 17-18 empty.

My parents have a 02 F350 ext cab, long box, dually 4X4, 4.10 gears, 7.3L (running custom tunes).  They tow a 34' Jayco weighing in the 14000 lb range and have been across the scales a couple times weighing 23000-25000lbs.  Towing they have gotten as low as 9ish (while running blended fuel) and as high as low-mid 13's, but they average 12.  Running empty he has seen 17-18, but averages low-mid 16's.

But there is also a difference in driving style between a 38 yo and a 67 yo.

I wonder what mileage the guy with the 5th wheel was getting when he passed me yesterday on the highway doing about 77 mph.  I was doing 75 mph in a four wheeler.

I see absolutely no reason to be hauling trailer at any speeds above 65 MPH being most all trailer tires are only rated to 65 MPH. Just taking a bigger risk to tire blow outs...

I was on a expressway this weekend that was 65MPH posted. I was going 60 mph in the right lane when a trailer passed me. He had to be pulling over 70 mph and the trailer was bouncing and swaying. This is the thing that I do not under stand the Max you can pull a trailer is 65mph. If one thing happens it is all over!
Last year I went on vacation with my best friend he was pulling at 72mph. I got to the campground about 1/2 - 3/4 hr later. I did not have to stop for fuel as much as he did. Is that worth it?

Between 8 - 11 pulling my 11,000 5er.

my 2011 f-250 gets 11-13.5 i have the 6.7l diesel and 3.55 gears the 5th wheel is about 8000lbs but i think it's more the wind resistance than the weight except for in the mountians.

glen54737 said:

but i think it's more the wind resistance than the weight except for in the mountians.

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Very true!  My father said he gets the same mileage if he is towing the 5er or if he has their 11.5' 4200lb slide-in camper on the truck.  But if he is towing his flatbed gooseneck loaded to 14000lbs he usually gets low 14's, sometimes better.  Its amazing what wind resistance does!

I get 11-12 mpg towing my Brookstone GVWR 14,500, 2007 Classic GMC 2500HD 4X4 Duramax, speed 62-63 MPH.

Well, this is all good info!  Is there anything to break wind resistance?  Sometimes I'll see guys with those wind deflectors mounted on their cab, but always wondered if that helped alot.  Also, reading a little more and from the posts here, I realize how dumb I used to be.  Several years back, I had a 23' Powerboat and would pull that thing at speeds of 80+ to get to the lake and back.  How dumb was I!!!!  I guess I just didn't realize how vulnerable I really was.  I guess I've gotten a little wiser and that's why my intentions are to pull this travel trailer around 65mph. 

I'm hoping that wind resistance statement is not fully true, but I know it does have some validity to it.  My travel trailer doesn't stick up as high as a 5th wheel, which means less wind resistance.  I'm hoping for 12-13mpg, but 11-12 would be great also.  I still have another week before my trip.

Yeah, wind resistance is the true killer.  During the week, I can usually be found pulling a skid steer on my gooseneck.  Total weight, including the truck, is around 24,000.  I can average 12-14 mpg all day long.  My TT is less than half the weight but you definitely know it's back there.

I've done a lot of research on the wind deflectors and found that the best you can hope for is about a 1 mpg increase.  I tow my TT about 3,000 miles per year.  At 10 mpg, that equals 300 gallons of diesel.  300 x $3.75 = $1,125 per year.  At 11 mpg, that equals 272 gallons of diesel.  272 x $3.75 = $1,020.  In my situation, I would either have to put on a lot more towing miles or plan to keep my trailer for a very long time in order to see any kind of return.

Lead_Sled said:

Well, this is all good info!  Is there anything to break wind resistance?  Sometimes I'll see guys with those wind deflectors mounted on their cab, but always wondered if that helped alot.

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I've read two different statements over the years that the wind deflectors have to be within 30" or 36" of the trailer to be effective.  One of which was by a reputable trucking organization.