Towing MPG

Wobbly · **Posted:** Sat Apr 14, 2007 6:52 pm

Desert Dog wrote:

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.

Overdrive? I guess I'm another person who needs to RTFM. Dealer gave me instructions on 4WD, but didn't mention the overdrive lockout. Today I was getting 15 MPG without using the OD lockout. Tomorrow I'll set it correctly and see how the MPG goes. Stupid mistake when diesel is around $3/ gallon!

BVCRD · **Posted:** Sat Apr 14, 2007 7:00 pm

Wobbly wrote:

Desert Dog wrote:

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.

Overdrive? I guess I'm another person who needs to RTFM. Dealer gave me instructions on 4WD, but didn't mention the overdrive lockout. Today I was getting 15 MPG without using the OD lockout. Tomorrow I'll set it correctly and see how the MPG goes. Stupid mistake when diesel is around $3/ gallon!

It really depends on what you are towing, the amount of front surface area and the terrain you are in. A good rule is when the tranny startes downshifting and hunting the correct gear that makes it all warm and fuzzy, you need to lock it out.

Wobbly · **Posted:** Tue Apr 17, 2007 10:39 am

Used the overdrive lockout various times in the last few days travelling in Nebraska and Wyoming. I did find it helpful on steep grades. It didn't seem to effect fuel economy much, though. The top mpg was around 17.5. The worst was around 14.4 Speeds varied between 60 to 70, mostly around 65. Wind and trailer drag, along with engine beak-in, seem likely factors in the poor economy. I don't know what rpm spot has the best economy, but I imagine it is around 1900-2000 rpm.

RTStabler51 · **Posted:** Tue Apr 17, 2007 10:51 am

BVCRD wrote:

It really depends on what you are towing, the amount of front surface area and the terrain you are in. A good rule is when the tranny startes downshifting and hunting the correct gear that makes it all warm and fuzzy, you need to lock it out.

Exactly.

I've towed over 4000k over 3k miles and average a tick over 20mpg (per EVIC). If the headwinds were that bad, I'd get worried if next time without the head winds if its that bad.

FWIW, towing the same car I got 9.5MPG in my 00 Lightning.

And since we are whoring...here's my terrible addition...

Wobbly · **Posted:** Tue Apr 17, 2007 11:19 am

We had terrible winds, but the Hensley Arrow hitch stops all trailer sway. Passing semis are hardly noticed. My worry about the towing a travel trailer with the short wheelbase Liberty was needless. Luckily I found a very cheap Hensley. The new ones run $3200! Hensley knows how to milk a patent.

Kniggit · **Posted:** Tue Apr 17, 2007 2:50 pm

The VM graph showed peak Efficiency & HP at 1800 RPM.... IIRC

K

danoid · **Posted:** Tue Apr 17, 2007 9:29 pm

I get 13 with the CRD. I had a 2004 Hemi Durango that pulled the same trailer for 10 mpg, and a 2002 3.7L KJ that only got 9.

It's 3900# dry, I've never weighed it loaded. Chugs along just fine 65 mph / 4th gear / 13 mpg. Couldn't be happier.

People at campgrounds always ask me, "Did that Jeep really pull that camper?" I just smile and reply, "It's a diesel."

onthehunt · **Posted:** Tue Apr 17, 2007 10:06 pm

BVCRD · **Posted:** Tue Apr 17, 2007 10:23 pm

onthehunt wrote:

:shock:

Those things are super lite. I had a 25 footer than barely weighed over 2300# dry.

jinstall · **Posted:** Wed Apr 18, 2007 3:42 am

jcphoto20 wrote:

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.

It will not fit when you try to balance the load. The rear is too light so it has to be backed on. I tried it both ways.

jinstall · **Posted:** Wed Apr 18, 2007 3:45 am

AndySRT wrote:

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.

No it is a US spec ZX3. I ALMOST bought a Focus RS a few month ago. They are ok cars. I was disappointed in the one I drove. The boost fall off during WOT shifting was unreal. You just can't take your foot off while shifting to keep the boost up.

Zonie · **Posted:** Wed Apr 25, 2007 9:54 pm

I just returned from a 2500 mile trip (Mt. Vernon, WA to Phoenix, AZ) towing a 2000K camper measuring 8x7x15. Rain, hail, high winds, mountain passes, 2 lane winding sea coast roads. Libby didn't break a sweat! I was really amazed that it took the mountain passes in cruise control @ 60 mph with driving rain and a stiff head wind and never shifted down. Furthermore, it came down the mountain passes and held @ 60mph.

Overall towing (2500 mi.) = 16.6 MPG
Highway and not towing (1000 mi.)= 27 MPG
An amazing little car!!!

Could someone tell me how to post pictures on messages?

rpapkey · **Joined:** Sun Jan 14, 2007 4:48 pm **Posts:** 39

Just drove 500 miles with my 1500lb popup. Pulled 65mph, w/overdrive never temp'd out, so i left it on. Hills, temperature variations of 25+ degrees, and according to the evic got 25mpg the whole way. I looked at the numbers and without calculating it out formally it was close to right on. My wrangler pulled the same camper getting 10mpg or so. My hemi durango never thought anything about it back there and gave me 14mpg so you can see where the advantage is for me. Not to mention, can you say overkill.

Honestly this thing is a dream come true for me.

Wobbly · **Posted:** Fri Apr 27, 2007 12:48 pm

Had our first trip without a trailer on. The MPG readout was 27.6 MPG for freeway at around 72 MPH average. Changed the oil to Mobil 1 Turbo-Diesel (Delvac) 5W-40. Don't know if that helped. Don't know what oil was in it before the change.

Sure nice to see diesel fuel cheaper than gasoline. Its still hurts to "shell" out $50+ to fill up, though. Paid $2.80 per gallon at Safeway. Saw Chevron Premium gasoline for $3.59 at one place.

Wobbly

danoid · **Posted:** Sun May 20, 2007 9:46 pm

14.7 mpg from north of Detroit to Gatlinburg, TN. 1172 miles, only one hill couldn't be done in third gear cause everybody decided to stop at the bottom. I want a rematch...

Cruise control set at 65, 2100 rpm in fourth, if a hill is too big, speed lags to 62 then downshifts to third.

P.S. I did nearly the same trip a year ago with the same camper in a Hemi Durango and it turned only 10 mpg.

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Sun May 20, 2007 11:43 pm

danoid wrote:

14.7 mpg from north of Detroit to Gatlinburg, TN. 1172 miles, only one hill couldn't be done in third gear cause everybody decided to stop at the bottom. I want a rematch...

Cruise control set at 65, 2100 rpm in fourth, if a hill is too big, speed lags to 62 then downshifts to third.

P.S. I did nearly the same trip a year ago with the same camper in a Hemi Durango and it turned only 10 mpg.

Looks impressive, how much do you figure that camper wieghs?

Kniggit · **Posted:** Mon May 21, 2007 7:20 pm

Don't forget that Diesel probably cost lest then gas at the same time, so not only did you improve mileage by 47% but you saved about 5-7% per gallon.... can you say Ca-ching?

K

chrispitude · **Posted:** Mon May 21, 2007 8:29 pm

Danoid, please PM me with your email address or phone number! I just picked up a 27' Holiday Rambler and I need some advice.

- Chris

chrispitude · **Posted:** Thu May 24, 2007 10:31 am

In this article I noticed the following:

Quote:

Our tow vehicle for this test was a 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee that easily handled the trailer. Our ‘Limited’ model had a tow rating of 7,200 pounds, well within the maximum GVWR of the Spree. Equipped with the 5.7 L Hemi V8 engine, it has multi-displacement, allowing the Jeep to run on four cylinders when cruising (for better fuel economy), or on eight when acceleration is required for climbing hills. The five-speed 545RFE transmission also has a feature called ‘Tow-Haul’, which holds the transmission longer in lower gears, and prevents it from hunting back and forth from overdrive to fourth gear, and back again.

That might have been handy on the CRD.

- Chris

Wobbly · **Posted:** Sun May 27, 2007 9:38 pm

Wind is a definite fuel economy killer when towing a travel trailer with the CRD. Wednesday we went up the Columbia Gorge towing our travel trailer. No wind to speak of. We got around 15.5 MPG at 60-65 MPH. Returning the same route today at 50- 55 MPH, with 35-38 MPH headwinds, we got 9.5- 12 MPG. The first trip was "up river", the return trip was "down river".

BTW, cleaning the MAF sensor helped. We saw 30+MPG at 65-70 MPH when not towing, after cleaning the sensor.

Towing MPG

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