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Mpg while towing

57K views 56 replies 40 participants last post by  Justintiime 
#1 ·
So just got back from poconos trip. 2012 DC with tow package and 5.7 v8. I got 10.8 mpg on 260 mile trip. Camper weighs about 5k and I was maxed at payload.

What is your mpg while towing?
 
#2 ·
That doesn't seem bad at all.i towed my friends evo when i had my 08 from where i live in NY all the way to a shop in NJ on a full car trailer and got about 13-14 MPG the whole way.i love how these trucks tow,such a comfortable ride.


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#3 ·
What is your mpg while towing?
I did a 1,700 round trip tow to a car show from Eastern Pennsylvania to Southeast of Nashville, TN and back this past summer. My enclosed trailer was 5,400 lbs fully loaded. GCVW of my Tundra and trailer was almost 12K according to the CAT scale I weighed my rig on. I was very pleased with the average of 9.29 MPG I got given the many mountains I climbed and the speed I was traveling. I did a similar trip the year before with the same trailer and weight and got 1.5-2 MPG less using my 2004, V8, 4WD Toyota 4Runner. The bigger engine and more modern tranny in the Tundra definitely help the MPG.

If all goes well, I will be making much the same trip to another show in TN in 2014. Looking forward to another long tow trip with my Tundra.

When at the car show I turned more than a few heads of the Ford, Chevy, Dodge crowd with the Tundra. When I was dropping my trailer in the trailer parking area another car came in on an open trailer and parked next to me. The driver of that tow vehicle and I both smiled at the same time when we saw each other's tow vehicles. Turns out the other driver had a First Gen Tundra that he loved.

I saw a heck of a lot more Tundras in Tennessee that I expected to see.
 
#4 ·
So what's good/fun in the Poconos? Always curious as I drive by quite often going back & forth to NYC.
 
#14 ·
thanks for the link. It looks nice there. Its such a PITA to get on and off long island.
 
#6 · (Edited)
i get about 12-13 while towing my boat which is about 5k with trailer...never been to otter lake but my wife and i have been to dingman's a few times and enjoyed it. nice hiking and the falls are a cool feature..we're planning on going camping soon in the upcoming next couple of weekends once things slow down a bit..


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#7 ·
For the last two years I have been driviing from Maine to Newfoundland for a Moose hunting trip. We travel thru New brunswick and Nova Scotia then catch a ferry to NFLD.
The truck is loaded with gear and tows a trailer with 2 ATV's . We also had a Moose on board coming back both years.
2011 using 0w-20 weight Mobil 1 1433.5 miles 123.7 gallons = 11.588 MPG
2012 using 0w-30 weight Mobil 1 1442.9 miles 124.4 gallons = 11.599 MPG
I was pleased to see no loss of milage using the 0w-30 oil
 
#8 ·
Towing my 33 foot travel trailer loaded with all the crap that needs to come along 7000lbs estimate. between 9-10 mpg running 60-65 mph avg. I find speed obviously plays a roll. My last chevy 5.3 got about the same but at 55-60 mpg.

The tundra likes it better at a little higher speed. Must be the gear ratio and the 6 speed. As stated above my CM is very surefooted towing and the breaking is awesome!! I think without trailer brakes It would still get her stopped, not that I would like to try It:eek:
 
#9 ·
My average is 9 mpg at 60-65 mph. Worse if there is a head wind or cross wind. Best I've ever seen was in new Mexico with a 11.1 mpg so I assume I had a tail wind at some point. Worst was 7.8 mpg and yes I had a 20+ Mph head wind which equaled 80 mile to half a tank of gas! Anything really over 60 mph and I'm going pay. Trailer loaded is right at 7500#'s and with the high hitch weight I am at payload weight so nothing but me and the wife are in the truck.
 
#11 · (Edited)
I towed my 20' toyhauler this past weekend for the first time. I was really excited because towing back and forth from the storage lot, it seemed awesome. My overloaded 5.3 Trailblazer would get 9.5 MPG at 75 MPH and in 3rd. I was expecting perhaps 10 MPG from the Tundra. I eeked out 8.5 being gentle, no cruise and not holding speed on the hills, and allowing the truck to run from 80 to 55 down and up the minor hills in the Mississippi delta. About 6000 lbs. Needless to say, I was a little disappointed with the mileage, but very happy with the towing capability.

This was using the dash meter, not hand calculated.
 
#21 ·
Well, towed my load for a second time. About 6000#s including 3 dirtbikes in the TH and 2 in the back of the truck. Did some interstate (I-40 Memphis to the TN River (Loretta Lynns)) with and without the cruise keeping it at about 67. Included some rural highway stuff and even an excursion with a 1/4 mile reverse after coming to a dead end on a "short cut". Got about 10 to 10.5 mpg. Much happier on this second tow.
 
#12 ·
would get 9.5 MPG at 75 MPH and in 3rd. I was expecting perhaps 10 MPG from the Tundra. I eeked out 8.5 being gentle, no cruise and not holding speed on the hills, and allowing the truck to run from 80 to 55 down and up the minor hills in the Mississippi delta. About 6000 lbs. Needless to say, I was a little disappointed with the mileage, but very happy with the towing capability.
Seriously? 75-80mph with a trailer in tow? That's your first problem. Gas mileage is the least of your worries. You do realize that trailer tires are only certified for 65mph max right?
 
#13 ·
Yeah. I do now. When I was first towing, I did not know about the 65mph limitation. Many I think do not know this. Did you know you should replace your tires every three years? There is a date on the tire to go by. I did not know that until a few months ago. What I was trying to demonstrate, was that while even driving the Tundra "correctly" and then even allowing it to coast or hold throttle up and down hills, the mileage still sucked. Kind of made me miss the old TB.

It really makes no sense. The TB would run 13.5 in town and 16.5 at best on the road. So far, at about 7000 miles, the Tundra is running 15.5 in town and 17.5ish on the road, with dirtbikes in the back. Towing, the TB did 9.5 and the Tundra is running 8.5. It might have a lot to do with aerodynamics but I really thought, with the numbers I was running unloaded, it would do better loaded.

To back up, after I found out about the 65mph limitation, I slowed down. I didn't (don't) maintain 65 or under all the time, but most of the time. The other day, I tried holding steady 65ish and then let it run up and down the dial just to see how it would do on average.
 
#15 ·
I get anywhere between 11 & 14mpg depending on the day, if I get headwinds it's 9mpg easy I tow around 70mph avg with a 6x12 steel v-nose trailer loaded up with two bikes, pit bikes, tires etc. tundras do well if you keep it around 65-70mph hwy.
 
#16 ·
2000 Lb Tandem Axel V nose with 1 or 2 touring bikes @65 MPH I get from 10-12 MPG.
 
#18 ·
Just made a 1000 mile trip from VA to Kansas City pulling a uhaul and had the bed fully loaded. All in all about 3k pounds roughly. Averaged 12.9 mpg going 70 the whole way. Can't beat that.


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#22 ·
2011 CM 2WD 5.7L - This past weekend I hauled my 1700# roll-back trailer and my track car @ ~2600# 300 miles from West Texas to the track (2000' elevation drop) at 70+ mph and averaged about 11.2 mpg. The return trip at similar speeds averaged 10.3 mpg. One of these days I'll leave early enough to slow down to 65 mph and see how it changes.
 
#25 ·
Just returned from 520 mile round trip form San Diego to El Captain beach towing approximately 5000 lb travel trailer through Los Angelas got right on 13 mpg. First time towing with the tundra 5.7, only had 500 miles on it when started the trip, truck surprised me, I had to watch the speed, forgot the trailer was there several times. I used drive with the tow haul most of the time, no problems..
 
#26 ·
I gotta say those are some very respectable mpg's for towing! I tow a 5,000 lbs plus travel trailer and its like i bearly feel it back there compared to my 07 Ram, and I have towed an empty car trailer the other day like its wasnt back there and my snowmobile trailer tows like butter. I gotta say I LOVE my Tundra!!
 
#29 ·
Yeah my steel gooseneck horse trailer drops my mpg down to about 6-9 mpg which isn't bad cause its a heavy trailer.
 
#31 ·
Speed is a significant factor. I've been averaging 13.xx mpg towing an 18' agri equipment hauler up and down the left coast, doing the speed limit, running the E-rated truck tires and D-rated trailer tires at 55-60 psi. When not towing, my combined average (80+% highway) doing the speed limit (tires at 45 psi) is 16.xx mpg. This is with a camper shell, which probably improves the aerodynamics. I also keep the foot out of it at the stoplights, as my wife gets motion sick very easily so I go slow and steady.
 
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