MPG

[badge2283]

I have a Keystone Laredo 29RL that weighs in at around 9500 lbs on trips. I pull it with a 04.5 Chevy Duramax 6,6. On trips I average around 11 mpg. I am thinking of going to a new 5er that will weigh about 12000. Does any have an idea how much my mpg's will change.

[wingnut60]

Based on laws of physics, your mileage should go down.
I would think the question would be: how important is 11mpg vs 10mpg, or something like that compared to the pleasure to be had from a newer, larger trailer. 11 vs 10 = $0.04/mile more at $4.00 fuel. Or, same figures, 500 mile trip will cost you $16 more at $4.00 fuel. You are already accepting the cost of what you have--so, only the increase is important?
I would love to get 9mpg on my combo, but won't reduce traveling til fuel gets into the $5+ range.
Hope the above is correct math--it's late...
Joe

[RustyJC]

More important than weight is frontal area as far as fuel economy is concerned. How much wider and taller is the 5th wheel you're considering? On the flats, once you have the weight moving at a steady speed, it's pretty much out of the equation, but wind resistance is always there.

We moved from a 13,500 lb GVWR Jayco Designer XL 3610RLTS to our current 16,000 lb GVWR 5th wheel when we owned a 2002 Dodge Ram 3500 dually with the Cummins HO and 6-speed with 4.10 axle ratio. We dropped probably 1 MPG going to our current 5th wheel (i.e., from 12 MPG to 11 MPG) pulling it with the same truck, but it actually towed better than the Jayco did. You'll probably experience around the same mileage reduction - about 1 MPG, as an estimate.

As an aside, before the 2002 Dodge, we pulled the Jayco with a 1996 Dodge Ram 3500 dually with the 488 cubic inch (8.0L) V-10 gas engine. It got a whopping 6.5 MPG! So to us, 11 or 12 MPG was great!!

Rusty

[mhs4771]

You may not notice much, I went from a mid-weight 6-7000 lb TT to a 12000+ fiver with much more frontal area (fiver is designed much more aero dynamic tho) and notice next to no difference, typically 10 to 11, even a little better if speed is kept near 60 or less. This was on a 2005 3500 DRW Duramax/Allison \

[RVluvin]

My 5er has a GVRW of 14,100 so I imagine I'm somewhere in the ball parke of 12,000lb or maybe a little more. I pull it with an 07 Silverado 3500, 6.6 Duramax and average 10mpg. That rolling at 65mph.

[Loren B.]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mhs4771 You may not notice much, I went from a mid-weight 6-7000 lb TT to a 12000+ fiver with much more frontal area (fiver is designed much more aero dynamic tho) and notice next to no difference, typically 10 to 11, even a little better if speed is kept near 60 or less. This was on a 2005 3500 DRW Duramax/Allison \

I agree with mhs4771. My truck's mileage drops dramatically if I am pulling a trailer, but it doesn't seem to matter which trailer I am pulling.

I have a flatbed trailer that weighs about 4000 pounds empty and the mileage isn't that different from when I am pulling our 10,000 pound Airstream.

-- Loren

[tbraeunig]

I have an '09 GMC with the 6.6 Duramax pulling a Carriage Cameo at about 13,500#. I regularly get between 11 & 12 mpg. The biggest factor seems to be speed. I try to keep it between 55-60mph. If I speed up to 65-70mph the mileage drops dramatically.