Gas mileage ?

All about towing and tow vehicles

Gas mileage ?

Postby Constrictor » Mon Jul 18, 2011 10:58 pm

how much does hauling your tear hurt your gas mileage in reality?
User avatar
Constrictor
Teardrop Builder
 
Posts: 30
Images: 16
Joined: Fri Jul 04, 2008 12:44 am
Location: 65802

Postby jhanlon » Mon Jul 18, 2011 11:11 pm

This a seriously TV related question. My Chevy 454 Suburbans got 4.8 mpg loaded, empty, towing my 17 ft boat. Colorado mountains or New Braska flats?

9000 feet at my cabin in Colorado or on the beach at Daytona?

Diesel or gas?

TD wider than TV or drafting?

Ton's of variables.
I'd like to know too.

TD weight/dimensions - TV - engine size - altitude - etc.

john H.
John the Vanner - now with 41 X 48 HF trailer
User avatar
jhanlon
Teardrop Advisor
 
Posts: 66
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2011 12:08 pm
Location: Sioux City, IA

Postby jerry101jlh » Tue Jul 19, 2011 3:35 am

We can all agree to disagree to some extent on gas mileage and of course the weight and over all design of a tear does have a direct affect. We tow a Little Guy Silver Shadow with a dry weight of approximately 1000 Lbs. We tow with a 2002 Ford Explorer. No trailer we get a consistent 23-24 mpg. With trailer empty 20-21 and loaded about the same. I'll take that mpg all day long over what some towing other types of trailers get. When we tow with our 95 Nissan Pathfinder slightly under 19 with no trailer, about 14-15 with. I can feel the trailer with the Pathfinder, like its not even there with the Explorer.
jerry101jlh
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 167
Joined: Fri May 27, 2011 2:15 pm
Top

Postby Shadow Catcher » Tue Jul 19, 2011 5:32 am

It depends on the TV and the trailer. My Subaru gets 24 MPG on the highway with the tear which is 6' wide (wider than the car) I get 3MPG less towing at 65 to 70 MPH. Ours is however a grasshopper design which is less aerodynamic to begin with.
User avatar
Shadow Catcher
Donating Member
 
Posts: 5993
Images: 234
Joined: Sat Apr 11, 2009 8:26 pm
Location: Metamora, OH
Top

Postby canned o minimum » Tue Jul 19, 2011 7:37 am

I have a 2005 Little Guy 4 wide.. dry , it weighs 785...never weighed it LOADED, but figure I carry at least a couple hundred lbs in the trailer AND car..

I tow it with a 1965 VW Beetle that gits 23-24 mpg and about 20-21 when towing..

The FUN factor... PRICELESS !!

I go to the local mtns. a LOT and the beach as well. Climbing the mtns.I can "feel" the weight behind me, but that little VW will HAUL it and has NO problem .

I've been 85 mph while passing a motorhome or a 5th wheel trailer and it goes straight as an arrow !!
canned o minimum
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1266
Joined: Sun Mar 21, 2010 11:54 pm
Location: Riverside,Ca.
Top

Postby aggie79 » Tue Jul 19, 2011 7:48 am

I haven't weighed my teardrop but am guessing it is around 1200 pounds. Towing it with my F-150 at 70 mph, I get around 16-17 mpg, which is 1-2 mpg less than not towing the trailer.
Tom (& Linda)
For build info on our former Silver Beatle teardrop:
Build Thread

93503
User avatar
aggie79
Super Duper Lifetime Member
 
Posts: 5405
Images: 686
Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 5:42 pm
Location: Watauga, Texas
Top

Postby Gary and Cheri » Tue Jul 19, 2011 7:50 am

Tow; 2009 VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI 6 speed manual
TD; Pleasant Valley 5X8 1,000lb dry

The TDI is rated at 41 mpg highway. I usually get 43-44 mpg when doing a steady 65 mph. With the tear behind I will get 29-30 mpg at the same speeds.

Gary
" I started out with nothing and I have most of it left." Groucho Marx

Image

With each grey hair I'm another step closer to becoming a wizard!
User avatar
Gary and Cheri
500 Club
 
Posts: 818
Images: 13
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 9:08 pm
Location: Wisconsin, Burlington
Top

Postby canned o minimum » Tue Jul 19, 2011 7:57 am

WOW ! nearly 10 mpg LESS when towing ???

I'm glad "I" drive "vintage" then...
canned o minimum
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1266
Joined: Sun Mar 21, 2010 11:54 pm
Location: Riverside,Ca.
Top

Postby Mojave Bob » Tue Jul 19, 2011 10:23 am

canned o minimum wrote:WOW ! nearly 10 mpg LESS when towing ???

I'm glad "I" drive "vintage" then...


I think I know what you mean, but he IS still getting 30 mpg towing, while you are getting 21.

I have a Little Guy 4-wide, 750 lbs loaded, and tow with a 2001 Chevy Prizm. We get 37 mpg highway not towing, and 28 mpg towing.
Mojave Bob
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 165
Images: 46
Joined: Wed Jul 13, 2011 8:19 am
Location: Northern Indiana
Top

Postby 07rascal » Tue Jul 19, 2011 11:17 am

We tow our LG Rascal (dry weight of 460 lbs - LOADED, I would estimate it weights about 550 lbs) with a 2006 Ford Focus 2.0L 4 cyl Automatic. Without the trailer at 63-65 mph we get 36-38 mpg consistently. Towing at 63-65 we get 28-30 mpg. The Rascal is no wider than the body of the car.

The Focus tows and handles it just fine on the flat land of the Midwest and also in the Mountains of SD and WY.

Black Hills of SD last fall:

Image
Terry & Lisa
--------------------------------
From our LG Rascal to the Cabin-A.....The LG found a good home!

"When employed, live like your unemployed....so that when your unemployed you can live like your employed!!"

Image
User avatar
07rascal
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 268
Images: 45
Joined: Sun Dec 09, 2007 12:25 pm
Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana
Top

Postby glenpinpat » Tue Jul 19, 2011 12:06 pm

your home built td is 6ft wide and 8ft long weighs about 1000lbs wet. towing with a suzuki grand vitara we average about 23 mpg. It makes no difference if I am towing or empty but I keep my rpms below 3000.
User avatar
glenpinpat
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 259
Images: 2
Joined: Fri Mar 12, 2010 6:00 pm
Location: glencoe, ontario
Top

Postby parnold » Tue Jul 19, 2011 12:13 pm

Trailer approx weight is 850lbs loaded. My Hyundai Accent gets 30mpg regular, 24mpg towing
User avatar
parnold
Donating Member
 
Posts: 2344
Images: 302
Joined: Mon Feb 08, 2010 4:49 pm
Location: Northwest New Jersey
Top

Postby asianflava » Tue Jul 19, 2011 12:19 pm

In general, the larger the vehicle/engine the less it is affected by the trailer. We've towed our extensively with both our vehicles. With my wife's 4-cyl Highlander it drops from 24-25mpg to around 19. My V8 Tundra gets around 17-18mpg drops down to 16.
User avatar
asianflava
8000 Club
8000 Club
 
Posts: 8412
Images: 45
Joined: Mon Aug 02, 2004 5:11 am
Location: CO, Longmont
Top

Postby Cliffmeister2000 » Tue Jul 19, 2011 12:48 pm

I have a 5 x 10 x 5 Weekender, 1,340 lbs.

My Frontier, 2007 SE, 4.0 liter V6, automatic, gets 19-20 mpg on its own, 15 mpg with the Weekender.

My Dodge Ram 1500, 4.7 liter V8 gets 14mpg, regardless if I'm towing the Weekender or not. :roll:
God Bless

Cliff

♥God. ♥People.
1 John 4:9-11

My Teardrop build pictures
User avatar
Cliffmeister2000
Titanium Donating Member
 
Posts: 3622
Images: 157
Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2007 10:18 pm
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Top

Postby canned o minimum » Tue Jul 19, 2011 12:59 pm

Did "I" mention that I drive rather fast while towing my TD.. round 70mph on average...

Yeah.. I am CRAZY, but then... anyone who knows me.. knows THAT !

How many people do YOU know who drive around with their vehicle all dressed up in sum sorta theme.. with two mannequins in the back seat..

Who loves to pass up motorhomes and fifth wheel trailers at 85mph with a VW honk and a wave..

If ya ain't livin on the edge.. yer takin up TOO much space !
canned o minimum
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1266
Joined: Sun Mar 21, 2010 11:54 pm
Location: Riverside,Ca.
Top

Next

Return to Towing and Tow Vehicles

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest