Gas milage towwing

[Eric]

I own a 1996 GMC Sierra 4 WD extended cab with a 5.7 vortec,3.73 gears,285/16/75 tires , with 71k. Here's my question. I checked my gas milage after towing my boat and it was 10.2 mpg . I tow a lund 1890 pro v , 175 hp ,with all the goodies , single axle trailer. Does this sound like low milage to you ? What kind of mpg are the rest of you getting ? Is there anything I can do to improve it ?

[Captain Dan Kelly]

well you could try a k and n air filter dual exhaust or just go out and buy a new chevy duramax diesel and it will solve all your problems hope this helps

[sharon]

captain dan kelly, i was wondering what type of boat you tow and what kind of mileage you make with your duramax? also what kind of mileage do you make without the trailer. do you have the crew cab or extra cab? and the allison transmission ? tx.

[PJM]

Eric

I have an 1989 F250 Ford 4X4 with 3.55 gears and 88k towing an 1890 LE with about the same engine you have I get about the same mileage. I live in the St.Paul Minnesota area and the only thing I can tell you is your mileage sounds right. The funny thing is I always get better mileage comming home from a trip and that would be heading south bound. Mileage is like peoples income it seems to be exaggerated. Eric make sure your tires are inflated to the proper pressure, that helps also. My trailer came with bias ply tires and I switched them to Goodyear radials and the trailer rolled easier. I could tell when I moved it around the garage by hand and it seemed to pull easier.

[curt quesnell]

hey, i have the same boat..(well, one just like yours)
tow with a 95 suburban, 350 engine. get between 13 and 15 mpg
towing.

curt quesnell

[curt quesnell]

oops...i have a tandem trailer, if that makes a difference

curt

[Hawgeye]

I have a 95' Tahoe w/350 and get around 12. On a windy day, as poor as 10. Of course without towing I get 13 so it does not significantly affect the gas mileage. By the way, I am slightly lighter with my Pro-V 1775 SE.

[Hans]

I have a 2001 Chev SilveradoLT 5.3L 2WD ext cab 3.42 locker. Pulling about a 1,700# rig (single axle) I get around 17MPG.

Hans

[Dave G]

Here is some MPG information of 2 cars and a smaller 16' boat - just in case your are considering options to cut down on gas cost:

Toyota Avalon Car (it is like a longer Camry) 3.0 V6 200hp,
or Ford Taurus Car 3.0 V6 140 hp

1300 - 1400 lb rig (boat, motor, & trailer)

Towing in 3rd gear (not in overdrive) 17-18 mpg - on highway.
Not towing and in 4 gear (overdrive) 24-29 mpg - on highway.

Of course the 200 HP engine has much better passing power but otherwise both cars handle towing similar and achieve about the same mileage.

Dave Gulczinski

[Huck]

Eric,
I have 3/4 ton single cab same engine,343 gear,pulling a 25ft. Sportcraft. I get around 15 without boat and 10 with so your in the ballpark. Huck

[Phil T.]

It takes energy to move matter, so the total weight being moved down the highway certainly affects the mileage. I own an old 17 1/2' Alumacraft, and every car or truck I've towed it with has gotten about 10mpg. That includes vehicles from a Dodge Aspen station wagon with a slant six to a Chevy camper special pickup with a 454 V8.

[szopster]

I tow a 17 foot Sylvan, 90 hp engine, fully loaded boat. My tug is a F250 extended cab, diesel, automatic, 3.54 Dana, 16" 235/85R All Terrain TA's, K&N air filter and custom dual exhausts. Truck has a bed liner & fiberglass cap. Goin fishing I get around 16 MPG. Goin to Canada with all my junk in the back I get 13 or 14 MPG.

Try a K&N filter, and, if you can swing the bill or convince your wife that the entire exhaust system needs replacement, a Flowmaster exhaust system or some other low resriction system you should get a couple of extra miles per gallon. At the $3.00 per gallon that gas is headed to the payback equation is pretty simple depaending on how many miles a year you drive.

[Driftr]

Howdy,
I have an 88 F-150 4X4 with 45k on it. It has a 4.9 inline 6cyl & 5 sp trans. I tow a Crestliner 2100 Phantom & tandem, wt is 3900#. I get 15 towing & 18 without.
What does it matter on mpg. Soon , if you want to fish you had better live next to the water. REW posted his guess on gas prices to be between 3-5 dollars a gal. Unless" we the people" think of something to stop the gouging, we aren't going to be using the boats let alone towing them!!
Driftr

[Scott D]

Since everybody else is saying what mileage they get, I guess I will report too. I have a Triton 205 and I tow it with a '93 Chevy Silverado and 6.5 Turbo diesel. I have 4.10 gears and when I tow with my 9' Camper on the truck and the boat behind I usually get about 11 mpg. (I wish I had the new Duramax)

[Magic]

I have had a 1800 Pro V Lund and trailer it all over MT and WY up and down the hills/mountains. I have a Dodge with the Cummins and get 16-17 mi per gal, traveling at 75 mph most of the time. Great truck, plenty of power!

[bob]

i tow a crestliner 2050 sportfish,150hp, on a tandem axle trailer, total towed weight is 3700lbs. I tow with a 99 grandcherokee, v-8, and get 12.5 on the highway at 63mph. I have a full canvas cover on the boat, which really does help to streamline the rig.

[bob]

To "majic", who tows at 75mph, did you know that trailer tires are only rated for 65MPH, MAX!!! ?

[The Great Guide]

I have a 95 Chev Z-71 with a 350. I tow a ProV 1800 with a Vmax 150. I get 10 to 11 MPG towing. TGG