Ken O
I live half way between Grayling and Cadillac, MI
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Joined: 10/03/2009
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I picked up my new Kingsport 16' TT today. It weights 2700#.
I have an '05 Yukon with the 5.3 gas engine, and tow package.
One thing I was real disappointed was the gas mileage. When I made the trip last week to pick it out, I re-set the computer and I got 19.7 MPG. Its 138 miles each way, or 276 miles total.
Today the trip down there I got 19.4 MPG. The trip back with the TT I got 8.4 and I went 65 instead of 70MPH. Thats pretty terrible gas mileage. With my Chevy truck 350cc, I pulled my sled trailer with the sleds I got 15 MPG, and 18 without the trailer, so I was expecting to drop 6 or 7 MPG not 11.
Doesn't this seem poor mpg for such a small trailer? I get pretty good mileage otherwise I think. I checked the computer for the miles traveled and fuel used, also when I fill up I check the gallons put in on the pump with the computer, and it its always right.
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dalenoel
Howell, Michigan
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Did you drive down during the wind we had in MI last week? If so that might have some of the difference.
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2oldman
Indio CA
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It's not necessarily the weight, but the front end wind resistance.
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Travelaire Canuk
Ucluelet BC , Shanghai China and who knows?
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65 mph is still way too fast for economy. slow to 58 and you will see a big difference. Safer too. Bring back the 55 mph speed limit please.
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crab80
Virginia`s Eastern Shore
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On a 400+ mile trip I got 10.5 mpg towing a 30 footer, avg 60 mph. I get 19 to 20 empty with a Silverado 5.3l. I had minimal gear in the TT as I was bringing it home from dealer so I will do a little worse on mpg with it loaded.
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johnrbd
Hanford CA
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Remember, ST tires are rated only to 65 mph.
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kknowlton
Wisconsin Border Country, IL
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8.4 sounds pretty normal to me for a full-height trailer driving 65 mph. We get about 9-12 mpg (depending on terrain and headwind strength) driving 55-60 mph towing, about 19 solo on the highway (similar terrain). If you want better mileage, slow down, but don't expect what you got with your lower-profile sled trailer.
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tatest
Oklahoma
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How much power you need to push air around depends on frontal area of trailer and the cube of air speed. Your sled trailer probably doesn't increase the frontal area much, the TT likely doubles it or more.
For a first estimate, you should expect cruise mpg pulling a TT to be about half of what it is pulling nothing, on level ground and no wind. Full size drop-in campers have the same effect.
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shum02
Burlington ON CDA
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It's not the weight or even the length it's the sail your pulling into the wind. Welcome to the club.
I average about 19mpg on the highway doing 55- 60mph/90kph and about 9 - 12mpg depending on the terrain/wind towing 7000lbs. Outside of a diesel this is just about as good as it gets pulling a TT with a gasser.
Read through all the forums that all your going to see, there is no magic bullet to get anything better that won't cost a fortune for a marginal gain.
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tafische
Memphis
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Where you using cruise? I just starting towing a heavier TT. Mine has been better with cruise off. When it is on, going up a hill - it downshift and really rev the engine high to stay at speed. The little speed and time I loose going up hills is worth it for the gas I save.
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