keith and sharon
Van Nuys, CA.
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Joined: 01/25/2007
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Towing with the same truck I towed a 32 tt at 12500 lbs I got abut 9 mpg, with my new 5er 39 ft 14500 i am getting abt 12 mpg, the trailers are of the same manufacturer and I alwys tow at between 55 to 60. so I acctually get better milage with the 5er, The 5er is taller by abut 2 feet but since it is closer to the tv abt half the trailer is below the truck which cuts some of the resistance.
2008 Tiffin Allegro 32BA
2008 F-150 King Ranch
2008 Escape Hybrid (toad)
FMCA #F402618
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Strawfoot
Flagstaff, AZ, USA
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Joined: 03/02/2003
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I deliver travel trailers and fifth wheel campers to dealers for a transport company. We have many hundreds of drivers. One of them experimented with various speeds to determine his best fuel savings. It doesn't speak to TT vs. fivers but it gives you an idea how much you can save by slowing down. I've been getting better fuel economy pulling TT's but it is mostly because they have been half the weight of the fiver's I've been pulling. I should mention that I view a map of the U.S. during delivery to know the locations of high wind warnings. A travel trailer can be a handful, even when pulling with a dually, when you are traveling across New Mexico with 40mph crosswinds. The fiver's will have more drag during high winds but they will track much better.
The chart copied poorly and is difficult to read. Sorry. Basically, this driver traveled about 10,000 each month at one particular speed to check his fuel economy. His loads were similar each month. He found by slowing from 70mph to 55mph, a driver could save over $1300 a month in fuel costs. That was when diesel was selling for $3.75 a gallon.
I've been pulling loads at 55-57mph for the last month or so and found I'm getting close to 12mpg. I ran into a couple gassing up in Tucumcari a few weeks back. They were traveling east pulling a 36 foot Alumascape with a Ford F-350 dually. I was traveling west with the same size Alumascape, pulling with my 2003 GMC 3500 dually. They had a 35mph tail wind and were getting 11.9mpg. I was running at 55mph into that strong wind and was getting 11mpg! Even when it's windy you can save money by slowing to 55mph.
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BCinWI
Wisconsin
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Joined: 10/28/2003
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I find our 32' Wildcat 5ver does 1-2 mpg better than our 29' Wilderness Yukon tt did. I think the sloped front and aerodynamic front might actually help as the salesman said it would. If I watch my speed, I've done as well as 14 mpg.
2004 F250 PSD 6.0
2006 Wildcat 5ver 31QBH
Me, the wife and 2 great kids
Ready to Camp!
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ChainReaction
Maine
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Joined: 04/04/2007
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I deliver and set up alot of campers into campgrounds, so I get to tow a wide variety of new and used TT's and 5er's. In short, some mfg's units pull like a sea anchor others you hardly feel behind you. For example, the Northwood products with oversized axles and tires just roll along behind you. The entry level and most older units with marginal axles and poorly rated tires tend to really drag despite their lighter weight. (higher air pressure in the bigger tires?) I have also found that Airstreams seem to pull much harder than their weight would dictate? I have seen too many units that have the axles welded in out of square from the factory. They tow really hard and eventually scuff the tires odd. A bent axle or collapsed spring will do the same thing. All will adversly effect you mileage and towing comfort.
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1_old_ram
Great Falls, MT
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Joined: 04/11/2007
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raptor1968 wrote:Dang i get 7.5 with our 5000LB TT behind my 2500 hemi at 65-70mph. I'm also looking at trading up to a 5ver. I wonder if mine would suck more fuel.
Put a cummins in that bad boy...  Depending on the terrain, I get 10 to 12MPG pulling the 5er in my signature.
'08 Laredo 320 TRL, pulled by '06 Cummins nicely wrapped in an Inferno Red, Dodge QuadCab, 4X4.
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sirdrakejr
Las Vegas, Nevada
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Joined: 11/18/2001
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I also get about 12 MPG towing at 19,440# with my Alfa. The best speed for me to tow at is when the tach reads about 1900 RPM, the "sweet spot" for Cummins. That translates to about 68 MPH for me.
Frank
RV.net blog
For those of you looking for expert advice, here ya go!
Frank
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JIMNLIN
Big Cabin, OK
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Joined: 09/14/2003
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I see transporters at the truck stops when refueling, like ol' Strawfoot. Most prefer the TT for fuel savings and the 5er for handling especially as I-44/US-69, near me, is a north/south run and at this time of year they fight 40 mph head winds from the south much of the time.
I wouldn't trade a 5er or a TT and expect great mpg gains for just RVing on occasion. Now if a transporter could pick up just one mpg on average thats a good gain.
Jim
Jim
'03 2500 Dodge/Cummins HO 3.73 6 speed manual Jacobs
'97 Park Avanue 28' with two slides
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wa8shc
Parma, Ohio
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Joined: 12/11/2003
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The DEPENDS seems to be best answer.
I pulled a 25' TT (abt 5000#/angled front) with my Cummins & got abt 11.5-12 for entire trip according to my records
This past Apr, I did same trip with 26' FW (abt 7000#/2-3' higher) and got same sort of mileage
So the DEPENDS means if your pulling w/ a DIESEL you get abt same mileage with either, since diesel mileage doesnt vary much when Loaded
A gasser on the other hand might vary considerably
JMHO
Denny WA8SHC and Rita WB8TIR
Siberian Husky Ta'kya (Princess RIP 10/04 Taz RIP 5/12/08)
2007 Dodge Ram 2500 Quad Cab 5.9L CTD 3.73/LSD,Quadzilla RECON monitor
2008 Rockwood 8243S 5th wheel
Pullrite 14K Superglide & MorRyde pinbox
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raptor1968
Kansas
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Joined: 11/18/2001
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I would love to have a cummins 1 old ram. I had the truck before the trailer. My Dodge is an 04 with 26000 miles on it, and i got it new. I might pull 1000 miles a year, the rest of the time it sits in the garage or i drive it around town. I turn 40 this year and still have a lot of camping to do, I would love to have a 5ver and better mpg, but a new 5ver looks better than a new truck. You all are the best with some great info and pics.
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