MPG towing the boat

Fitz

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I'm curious what people are getting for mpgs with their pickup. I recently upgrade my boat and didn't expect to get this "poor" of fuel economy. Boat and trailer are under 2500lbs. Windshield on the boat doesn't help either.

I have 2015 Silverado with the 5.3L and I'm getting 10 to 12 mpgs going the speed limit or even 2 to 3 mph below.
 


WLYHNTR

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I get about the same in my 2012 Ram w/ 5.7 HEMI pulling a 2012 Ranger Reata 1850
 

LBrandt

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Ford f250 5.4 8' box with slide in popup camper, 16.5 alumacraft tarped, 6sp manul in 250 and run in 5th gear at 60mph. Depends on wind 10 to 13 mpg.
 


NJL

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got a 2019 silverado with the 5.3L, and was getting around 10 mpg yesterday on my trip from minot to van hook.
 

Captain Ahab

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All pickups suck fuel when you hook them up. Most are 10-13 without much for wind.
 

Auggie

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2012 Tundra pulling a 209 TFX at 75mph bucking a big wind did 10mpg from Devil's to Minot. My 04 Silverado would never pull that load at 75 mph into that wind let alone at 10 mpg.
 

cooter00

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952d1247105742-smart-boat-photo_070809_005.jpg
I get 20-40 mpg depending on wind and hills with my rig
 


Velva_zv21

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All pickups suck fuel when you hook them up. Most are 10-13 without much for wind.

Pretty true to that... now that I think about it my 2000 chev with 6.0, 01 Cummins 6 speed, 2012 chev 6.2 and 2014 chev with 6.2L all got 10-12 mpg no matter what I towed or where I tow. Goose neck, 4 place sled trailer, enclosed trailer, big boats. My buddy with a 2014 supercharged tundra was getting 12 mpg with a 16ft alumacraft
 

SDMF

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You can help your mileage minorly with a good travel cover for the boat and a topper for the pickup. Might net you 2MPG on a flat calm day.

The only real honest fuel saving measure though is to slow down. If you want to consistently see 14-16MPG, then the needle needs to be stuck on 60MPH.
 

3geese4me

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2014 Chevy Silverado 1500 with a 2019 Lund Adventure gets me 13.5 mpg. Pulled from Douglas Bay to Minot last night.
 


ndfinfan

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2014 F-150 5.0L 2019 Lund Impact 1875XS got 13.5 towing Minot to Garrison yesterday morning...wind non factor at 0630 in the morning. However I've gotten as little as 9.5 pulling into the wind and as much as 15 pulling with the wind.
 

Retired Educator

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2018 Chev that when I bought it loved the mileage. 20+ on the highway at 70mph if the wind wasn't to bad. Then I hooked a trailer and it wasn't close. 10-13 as above, dependent on the wind. For me it doesn't seem to make much difference whether it's 60mph or 70mpn. Have a friend who had the same pickup, had the 5.3, same as mine and when he bought a smaller travel trailer he knew he needed more power and went to the, is it 6.1 or 6.2 that Chev now uses? Surprisingly his mileage with no load is also better than with the smaller engine with or without a load behind him.

I'm of the belief that quite frequently, bigger engines do have their advantages.
 

5575

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V10 Ford 65 mph = 10 mpg 620 ranger.

Pulled a ranger 14 hours west with my buddies 06 3/4
cummins, it was chipped with an exhaust kit, damn thing averaged 18 mpg mountain passes and all never once down shifted it was impressive. Sold the boat out there, on the way home empty it got up to 24 mpg, pretty awesome.
 

MSA

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2015 F-150 with 5.0, towing a 1875 Skeeter with a 150hp I get 13-16mpg at 70mph, depending on wind speed or direction.
 

Obi-Wan

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You can help your mileage minorly with a good travel cover for the boat and a topper for the pickup. Might net you 2MPG on a flat calm day.

The only real honest fuel saving measure though is to slow down. If you want to consistently see 14-16MPG, then the needle needs to be stuck on 60MPH.

2.5 gallons or about $ 7.50 on a 150 mile round trip is not worth the additional driving time and aggravation of driving 60 mph
 


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