Towing MPG

Wobbly · **Posted:** Thu Apr 12, 2007 9:06 pm

Last week we picked up our 2006 CRD with 12,500 miles on it. Driving from PA to MI we got around 23 MPG. After hooking up our 20' travel trailer weighing around 4000# , the mileage dropped to 18 MPG. Then the indicated MPG took a plunge to 12.8 and stayed there while driving at 60 MPH in strong winds. After replacing the air filter, the MPG climbed to 14.5. Temperatures ranged from low 30's to mid 40's. Almost all driving was freeway driving at 1800 RPM with occasional downshifts to around 2800 RPM. I'm disappointed in the towing economy. My old '88 Ford Powerstroke with 400K miles on it got 14 MPG with a cabover camper on it.

Ant suggestions to improve the MPG?

Thanks!

hokiecb · **Joined:** Tue Oct 31, 2006 9:23 pm **Posts:** 46

I've been pulling 3000lbs around lately gettin between 20-21 mpg on a mix of 60 mph highway and mountain driving... and I was using about a B12-15 mix fuel on about a 400 mile round trip. I know thats not contributing any helpful suggestions, but thats my towing results FYI

IndyCRD · **Posted:** Thu Apr 12, 2007 9:19 pm

My only experience with towing has been with my Teardrop camper (around 1000#s) and I get about 18-20 mpg doing 70-75 mph on the interstate. That is nowhere near the load you are towing and I'm sure your 20' trailer is much taller making much more drag.

I would suggest that if you were getting your mpg figures from the Jeep's computer display, you should figure it by hand instead. Doing it that way will be more accurate.

Also, we're still in winter-blend season. I have been getting the worst mileage of the season the last few weeks for some reason. Maybe more additives are being dumped in the fuel supply or something.

hokiecb · **Joined:** Tue Oct 31, 2006 9:23 pm **Posts:** 46

IndyCRD wrote:

That is nowhere near the load you are towing and I'm sure your 20' trailer is much taller making much more drag.

Yeah my 3000lbs is a boat which is lower than the top of my jeep so my profile is much lower than a travel trailer.

Wobbly · **Posted:** Thu Apr 12, 2007 9:43 pm

IndyCRD wrote:

My only experience with towing has been with my Teardrop camper (around 1000#s) and I get about 18-20 mpg doing 70-75 mph on the interstate. That is nowhere near the load you are towing and I'm sure your 20' trailer is much taller making much more drag.

I would suggest that if you were getting your mpg figures from the Jeep's computer display, you should figure it by hand instead. Doing it that way will be more accurate.

Also, we're still in winter-blend season. I have been getting the worst mileage of the season the last few weeks for some reason. Maybe more additives are being dumped in the fuel supply or something.

I did a hand calculation on one tank. The actual MPG was slightly worse than the display indicated!

Wobbly · **Posted:** Thu Apr 12, 2007 9:46 pm

hokiecb wrote:

IndyCRD wrote:

That is nowhere near the load you are towing and I'm sure your 20' trailer is much taller making much more drag.

Yeah my 3000lbs is a boat which is lower than the top of my jeep so my profile is much lower than a travel trailer.

Yes, the frontal profile for the 20 footer is the same as a 40 footer. Not as bad as a 5th wheel, but not aerodynamic. It has an a\c unit on the roof that doesn't help.

onthehunt · **Posted:** Thu Apr 12, 2007 10:03 pm

Your complaining about getting 14.5 mpg pulling a 4000 lb 20 ft trailer in high winds!? :shock:

I think you need to re-evaluate your expectations. I used to get that with my pick-up pulling nothing.

BlackLibertyCRD · **Posted:** Thu Apr 12, 2007 10:14 pm

onthehunt wrote:

Your complaining about getting 14.5 mpg pulling a 4000 lb 20 ft trailer in high winds!? :shock:

I think you need to re-evaluate your expectations. I used to get that with my pick-up pulling nothing.

Like onthehunt says :shock:

If it was a 20 MPH head wind it would be like going 80 MPH, If it was a tail wind then would help mpg. I could never catch a tail wind but only them darn head wind. They are a killer for MPG.

bbertram · **Joined:** Mon Dec 19, 2005 4:17 pm **Posts:** 144

I get really bad mileage towing heaving loads too. Two ATVs, jeep loaded up with gear and 2 people. The quads are about 1000 lbs each and the trailer is about 900 lbs. The quads make for some nasty wind resistance. Then you add hills, not nice. Thats rare though, I usually only tow one quad a short distance, an hour or two. It gets ok mileage then.

jinstall · **Posted:** Fri Apr 13, 2007 3:12 am

I tow my race car, trailor, gear and some extra parts and tools to the track. I am allowed only 100kph/62 mph. Very hilly terrain and back roads. 170 km/just over 100 miles and I use 1/8 of a tank in fuel getting there.

jcphoto20 · **Joined:** Sun Nov 19, 2006 1:36 am **Posts:** 507

thats so cool, were you the guy that posted pics of his car on the trailer before with the tongue down low?

i recommended to that guy to put it on the trailer the other way since FWD cars like that have about 60% weight on the front.

that would be awesome if this was the same car.

Desert Dog · **Posted:** Fri Apr 13, 2007 11:08 am

Just got back from pulling a 4500 lb. travel trailer to Moab & back. 1440 miles round trip. We averaged 16-18 mpg. People tell me if it had been a gasser, would have gotten a lot worse. Kept the overdrive off of course, which put the rpms at 2500-3000. Watched the tempurature, and on hills got warm but went right back down on the downhill side. Was very pleased with the towing capability.

valoflyby · **Posted:** Fri Apr 13, 2007 1:43 pm

Loaded up w/ three cycles, tools, spares, fuel, and associated track paraphernalia.... I'm between 4200-4500lbs. Fuel economy depends on terrain. Low of 18 if mountainous, high of 21.X if "mostly flat". Speed ~70... unless steep ascent (then speed as dictated). Trailer is 6x7x12, so frontal area is ~42sqft (then add fenders/tires).

AndySRT · **Posted:** Fri Apr 13, 2007 1:51 pm

jinstall wrote:

I tow my race car, trailor, gear and some extra parts and tools to the track. I am allowed only 100kph/62 mph. Very hilly terrain and back roads. 170 km/just over 100 miles and I use 1/8 of a tank in fuel getting there.

Is that a focus RS? I really wish we got amazing american cars like that here.

KJMedic · **Posted:** Fri Apr 13, 2007 5:16 pm

valoflyby wrote:

Loaded up w/ three cycles, tools, spares, fuel, and associated track paraphernalia.... I'm between 4200-4500lbs. Fuel economy depends on terrain. Low of 18 if mountainous, high of 21.X if "mostly flat". Speed ~70... unless steep ascent (then speed as dictated). Trailer is 6x7x12, so frontal area is ~42sqft (then add fenders/tires).

Is that VIR?

chadhargis · **Posted:** Fri Apr 13, 2007 5:52 pm

I've not been to VFR, but I just got back from doing a track day at Barber.

Yeah, I know...it's a Buell...it's not a sportbike, but I've got sort of an affinity for odd vehicles. The Liberty CRD included!

I bought the diesel to two my bike trailer.

valoflyby · **Posted:** Fri Apr 13, 2007 6:00 pm

KJMedic wrote:

Is that VIR?

VIR is one that I frequent, but *that* photo was actually taken @ Summit Point (Shenandoah Circuit).

Northern VA to Pocono or VIR yield the 21ish figures while heading to WV gives the 18ish.

chadhargis wrote:

I've not been to VFR, but I just got back from doing a track day at Barber.
Yeah, I know...it's a Buell...it's not a sportbike, but I've got sort of an affinity for odd vehicles. The Liberty CRD included! Smile

I bought the diesel to two my bike trailer.

#1 - Barber.... I haven't been there myself (yet)... but from what I hear from others, it will spoil me to the other tracks.

#2 - Hey man... it isn't ~what~ you ride, its ~how~ you ride it!! Is that the Uly? I see one of those in my future. I need to do some purgin' first.

chadhargis · **Posted:** Fri Apr 13, 2007 10:40 pm

Yes, it is a Ulysses. 2006 model. I've put the Buell Race Kit on as well as a Wilbers shock and fork springs. I also have an LSL steering damper, XB-R wheels, Lyndalls racing front pads, Braking USA wave rotors, and I ride the holy piss out of it. It handles like no 500lb, 85hp bike should.

Barber is an awesome track. I've done two track days there. It's a fantastic facility. I'll be doing a track day here in Nashville at the superspeedway (infield road course) on the 22nd. I've heard Nashville is a pitiful excuse for a track, especially since I just did Barber.

I'll be going back to Barber in September with NESBA. Doing two days then, Labor Day weekend.

I bought the Liberty so I can tow my trailer with two bikes (a friend does a lot of days with me), fuel, tools, gear, stands, etc. The diesel should give me decent fuel mileage, so making the trek to VIR, Road America, and if I find the money and time, Miller Motorsports Park shouldn't break the bank. My old Explorer V8 could only muster up about 12mpg towing...14mpg without the trailer around town. If I was really miserly with it, and was doing only interstate driving, my Explorer would return 20mpg...that was a miracle.

Zonie · **Posted:** Sat Apr 14, 2007 12:46 am

I got 16 MPG hauling a 2000lb. vintage camper from Washington. 1200 miles, rain, sleet, hail, wind, mountain passes. Pretty much held it out of overdrive @ 60mph and 2500 rpm.The Libby (15k miles) didn't even break a sweat! Got 27 mpg not towing on the way up. If I could figure out how to include a picture, I would.

msilbernagel · **Posted:** Sat Apr 14, 2007 2:32 am

Zonie,

If you're up to it, you might sign up for a free account on 'webshots', upload and store your picture there (they provide the tools), and use the facility they have (small area on the right) to pick the right size of the picture for what you need. I used the 100 size for my avatar, and a 400+ size for the more full sized picture in a posting. Use the links they give you there, and the Img button while composing the post to add the URL (click Img, paste the URL, click Img)... Experiment using "preview Post" and you'll know when you've got it right.

Mark
-

Zonie wrote:

I got 16 MPG hauling a 2000lb. vintage camper from Washington. 1200 miles, rain, sleet, hail, wind, mountain passes. Pretty much held it out of overdrive @ 60mph and 2500 rpm.The Libby (15k miles) didn't even break a sweat! Got 27 mpg not towing on the way up. If I could figure out how to include a picture, I would.

Towing MPG

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