Gas Mileage - 8mpg.

[wmjstu]

What kind of gas mileage do you get? I'm a newbie, but was quite surprise as to the fuel mileage I'm getting. I have a 2010 F150, 5.4, 3.55, and pull a outback 268RL travel trailer. I'm averaging a little over 8
mpg? Just wondering if this is average of below average.

[sniggles]

Originally Posted by wmjstu

What kind of gas mileage do you get? I'm a newbie, but was quite surprise as to the fuel mileage I'm getting. I have a 2010 F150, 5.4, 3.55, and pull a outback 268RL travel trailer. I'm averaging a little over 8
mpg? Just wondering if this is average of below average.

Until this last year we ran a 2000 F350 dually 4x4 with a 7.5 diesel towed 2007 38 foot big horn fifth wheel. Loaded weight just under 16,000. We averaged little over 10.
When not towing it was over 15.

Before that we ran with a 1997 F250 with 460 V8 4x4 first we towed a 33ft Jayco Eagle trailer we got 8 going out west. Later we traded our trailer for a 2005 Jayco Eagle 35 fifth wheel and got the same. The fifth was a little heavier but because it sat in thebed of the truck we average about the same 8.

It just depend what you are towing not only what you tow with.
the weight of your trailer even thought it is a 26 footer may be closer to the limit your the truck. Also you get better gas mileage when you have the truck and trailer level. We used a weight distrubtion hitch. Both pieces moved up and down like one unit.

But these are our mileage so it also is how you drive. where you travel,(mts, hwys, backroad or in towns) quick stars and stops also change your mileage.

Happy travels

[Wanabee FTer]

Originally Posted by wmjstu

What kind of gas mileage do you get? I'm a newbie, but was quite surprise as to the fuel mileage I'm getting. I have a 2010 F150, 5.4, 3.55, and pull a outback 268RL travel trailer. I'm averaging a little over 8
mpg? Just wondering if this is average of below average.

I know it seems odd that your gas mileage is not much better then my big block Class A Ford towing a 3200 Lb toad (7.1 mpg), but you have to consider your 5.4 small block is running nearly wide open all the time. My big block has enough power to back off the gas pedal quite a bit. I would guess your F150 gets around 14 -17 mpg unloaded?

[Gary RVRoamer]

It's the relatively small engine (5.4L). A big block V8 would actually do a bit better towing, though poorer the rest of the time. You could probably improve it a little with a change of driving habits - don't try to accelerate with the pack, let speed fall off a bit on hills instead of trying to maintain cruise, and things like that. And slower too.

[Cat320]

That's a bit low for a small gasser hauling about 7k...BTDT...not much fun. Plus that 3.55 rear end is not conducive to towing.

[Hipshot]

I had a 2008 silverado crew cab short bed 1500 5.3 4X4 with 3.73 rear. Truck weighed 6100 lbs loaded for camping, towed a Rockwood 2604 trailer that weighed 6200 loaded for camping. Average over 8000 miles was 9.25. I ran in third gear with tow/haul on and cruise control off unless the road was flat for a long stretch.

[wa8yxm]

I agree with the "A big block V8" The 8MPG towing is not out of line, Though if you traded up to an F-250 you might be happier all around.

Oh, a good wash and wax.. WILL NOT HURT.

[Perry White]

1999 f 350 7.3 crew cab dually 2 wheel drive, Banks turbo 4:10 rear and 18,000 trailer and get 14. Why do you guys pull with a 4 x 4? It's a waste. You might get out of some mud but if your pulling a trailer , you shouldn't be in snow or mud. Just my observation.

[RedneckExpress]

I get between 7.8-8.0 mpg hauling roughly 4000lbs of camper in the bed of the truck with 4.10 gears and a 5.9L 360 V8 (TBI not MPI).

Lost a couple mpg with a tire swap a while back. Probably won't gain it back when the dually conversion is done.

[H. Miller]

Our 5.4 pulling 7000 lbs did 8 mpg on the nose with no wind. Headwind was 6 mpg......

[94-Newmar]

Originally Posted by Perry White

1999 f 350 7.3 crew cab dually 2 wheel drive, Banks turbo 4:10 rear and 18,000 trailer and get 14. Why do you guys pull with a 4 x 4? It's a waste. You might get out of some mud but if your pulling a trailer , you shouldn't be in snow or mud. Just my observation.

Silly logic. Why have 2 different trucks?

There is nothing wasteful with 4x4. it's not driving the front axle if your hubs are unlocked and your transfer case is in 2H. Thus there is no extra fuel mileage loss OTHER than the weight differential of 2WD vs 4WD which is negligible.

I've pulled dozens of 2WD trucks out of mud and snow with my F350 4x4 7.3 Diesel.. and many with trailers on the back. Some campgrounds don't have paved lots, thus snow and mud become a problem quickly like unexpected heavy rain while setup camping somewhere causing the truck and trailer wheels to sink or turning around sometimes on unpaved surfaces or accidentally going too far backwards while they were unloading their boat on the dock, etc etc.

For instance, 2 weekends ago at an event in Harrisburg, PA, there weren't any 2wd 5th wheel setups that left here without being pulled/towed out. Several Class A's were water damaged badly. This was all a result of a creek that came up 9' over it's banks unexpectedly in less than 2hrs. I don't have the pictures, but less than 2 hrs after this the water was over top of the dumpster you see pictured and had the loading dock completely covered. Nah, I'll keep my 4wd!

P.S. - My 2000 F350 4x4 diesel gets about 15 unloaded and about 12mpg towing a 28' Pace American loaded.

[dsbike]

We were & still are parked in a campground on the Chesapeake Bay/Bush River when that storm came thru. I was out of town & my wife was at work. But when she came home in the morning the water was fairly close to the RV & the nieghbors had the water up to the tires. From the water marks on the ground it appears the water came up to the tires but not on to them. When we came to this campground in Feb I looked for the highest spot that was unoccupied, not knowing that with all the right factors involved the CG would flood. High Tide, full mooon & a strong rain storm. Found out later this happens in the early spring.
Sorry to get off topic. Also sorry for all those peoples vehicle being caught in the flood.

[diandtom]

We had a Arctic Fox 33-5V and traded it for a Cameo 35 SB3 and I went from 9 mpg to 11 mpg with the same truck. If I get in to a head wind it does go back down to 9 mpg.

[CD]

wmjstu
IMHO you have a boy trying to do a man's job. My chiped Cummins gets 12/13 towing and 16/18 empty. Like Gary said, to get better milage you need to back off the pedal. I stay under 60 and use as little pedal as I can get by with. With lots of power and a 4:10 rear end I don't need to push it to get the job done. With a bigger TV you will find you are a lot less tired and stressed at the end of the day. I have towed with a car, 1/2T, 3/4T, and now the 1T dually. I wont go back.