Tow Vehicle & Trailer combos - POST INFO

[Mike Magee]

Originally Posted by Debbie in Florida

This is so useful. I went to the google spredsheet link but for some reason only the 1st sheet shows or prints out. I did not see any place to go to the next sheet as you can in excel. Any tips? Thanks.

If you viewed the A to Z list of vehicles, you saw it all. I do not know of a second sheet.

[NASA42]

Casita 17 Liberty Deluxe (2016)
Towed weight=3150 lbs.
GVWR=3750

Hyundai Santa Fe (2016)
3.3 liter V-6 Engine
Tow Rating=5000 lbs
GCVW=5622 lbs

Currently @ 49, 964 miles (approx. 24,500 towing w/ sway control +WDH)
Average MPG 14.5 @ 63 MPH (towing)

Frank

[dyno]

1. 2000 Ford Super Duty F-250
2. 7.3 Power Stroke diesel
3. Big Foot 25B25RQ
4. average towing 12-14 mpg (60-65 mph), non towing 19 mpg (75 mph), 16-17 mpg in town

- 2005 year model trailer weighs gross 6360 lbs. with a tongue weight of 1000 lbs even

- 400 lbs is transferred off the truck rear axle by the wt. distribution hitch
(260 lbs to the truck front axle and 140 lbs to the trailer axles)

- 2 WD 2000 F-250 PS 7.3, full fuel, no passengers, gross weight 7060 lbs

Trailer was carrying 40 gallons of water, full propane bottles, & 4 day trip provisions.

[Mike Magee]

The spreadsheet has been updated with these recent additions.

[Spongelander]

1. 2017 Toyota 4Runner (curb weight 4450#)
2. 4.0 L normally aspirated gasoline engine - 278HP, 287 ft.lb. torque
3. Casita 17' Liberty Deluxe
4. 15.1 MPG long-term average (range 13-17). Non-towing 17-21.
Standard hitch with friction anti-sway. Trailer axle weight ~3000

Vehicle is adequate for towing; I slow to 40MPH climbing grades on hot days. Hottest trans temp recorded = 251 at torque converter, 221 in pan, 93 degrees, grade from 1100' to 4000' over 10 miles.

[Civilguy]

Data columns as per the version I downloaded:

Tow Vehicle: Jeep Grand Cherokee 2017
Engine: 5.7L V8 8spd auto 3.09
Manf. Tow Rating: 7,200
Trailer: Escape 21 2017
Trailer Weight lbs: 3,735 dry + guesstimated ~600 lbs.
Tire Size: ST205 75R15 50psi
Tire Brand: Carlisle
Towing Mpg: 12.8
Non-tow Mpg: 16.1 average, 19.0 highway
Typ Tow Speed: about 60 to 65
Misc: Indicated mileages are calculated based on fuel fills; dashboard computer indicates about 14 to 14.5 mpg when towing. Tongue weight is about 500 lbs per Sherline scale. Two passengers and folding bicycles in the tow, nothing on the roof rack, but the Escape has a solar panel which I darkly suspect of reducing the mileage.
Owner: Civilguy

[Civilguy]

Data columns as per the version I downloaded:

Tow Vehicle: Audi Q5 2010
Engine: 3.2L V6
Manf. Tow Rating: 4,400
Trailer: Casita FD 17 2012
Trailer Weight lbs: guesstimated ~3,250 lbs.
Tire Size: ST205 75R15 50psi
Tire Brand: Goodyear
Towing Mpg: 12.6 to 16.0, about 14.8 average
Non-tow Mpg: 20.8 average non-towing, up to 26.9 highway
Typ Tow Speed: up to about 65
Misc: Indicated mileages are calculated based on fuel fills. Tongue weight is about 420 lbs per Sherline scale. Two passengers and folding bicycles in the tow plus some gear, nothing on the roof rack.
Owner: Civilguy

[DiBo]

2004 Ford F150 STX 2wd

1973 and 1975 Trillium 1300's

[redbarron55]

2016 Chrysler Town and Country
1985 Scamp 16' Much modified and heavy (2900 lbs)
Reese Mini 350 hitch.
Hwy 28 MPG
City 24 MPG
Towing 16+ MPG

[John in Santa Cruz]

2014 Escape 21 with almost every option
2002 F250 XLT extended cab long bed 7.3L diesel 4x4

total overkill. tows like a dream.

This labor day weekend to the strawberry music festival and back, with a ton of gear in the truck, and trailer fully loaded with food and beverages and clothing, 13.1 MPG round trip, going 355 miles using a bit over 1/2 tank of fuel... we hit hours of stop-n-crawl on the way home, I'm sure that knocked the average way down. I also idled for 45 minutes the morning we were leaving to pre-charge our camp neighbors truck that had a dead battery.



p.s. I haven't weighed this rig. the truck has a 2000 lb payload, and 12500 lb tow capacity. a max loaded Escape 21 is 4800 lbs. even if its putting 600 lbs on the hitch (I doubt that, it only sinks an inch or so when I drop the trailer on it, there's still another inch+ before the factory helper leafs touch down), I'm so nowhere near close to any limits its not funny. as my kid likes to say, "go big, or go home".

[Alf S.]

Hi: All... Here's a pic of the new combo. Had to lift the pinbox to get it level. 2014 Escape 5.0TA & 2016 Ram EcoDiesel V6 4X4 with all the toys.
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[DiBo]

Towing with my quad

[dmbwest]

Jetta 2012 TDI
17 ' Casita Deluxe
3000 lbs ?
Towing 23-26 mpg
Not towing 35-39
Ut, AZ, NV, CO.

[scotty61]

2017 Jetta TSI

1976 Trillium 1300

1500lbs GTWR

55 litre tank

At least 500km towing

Between 900 to 1000km not towing

[Alex Adams]

Subaru Crosstrek 2017
2.0L, 4cyl, 5spd Man
1500
Boler B1300
1043/
P225/55R17
Michelin
Towing 20-24
Not Towing 28-32
Typical towing speed 50-60

[Jon Vermilye]

For the spreadsheet. By the way, I'm still keeping up an Excel spreadsheet of actual trailer weights at my website: http://lakeshoreimages.com/spreadsheets/Weight.xls


Tow Vehicle 2018 Ford F 150 SuperCab Off Road, 6.5' Bed
Engine 3.5 EcoBoost
Tow Rating 11,000
Trailer Escape 21
Trailer Weight 4600/500
Tire Size ST 205/75R/15
Tire Brand Rainier
Towing MPG 13.5
Non Towing MPG 18 - 21
Typical Tow Speed 63MPH
Owner Jon Vermilye

[Defenestrator]

1. 2015 Toyota Highlander XLE
2. 3.5L V6
3. Escape 19
4. 14mpg towing. Something like 22-24 non-towing (full-timing, so not many non-towing miles lately..)

As a tow vehicle for the 19, I'd call it... adequate. It gets nudged gently by semi wakes and wind gusts, but not shoved. No sway issues. Power's adequate for merging and hills at sea level, but at very high altitude it's borderline. Going up to the Eisenhower Tunnel above about 9,000 feet, I was in the right lane with the semis going <50MPH. Typical speed about 65-70 - I think I saw closer to 15MPG at 55MPH.

[damueller]

Nothing earthshaking, but another for the spread:

Tow Vehicle; 2015 F150, Supercab, 6.5' bed, Lariat, FX4, Off Road
Engine: 3.5 Ecoboost, 3.55 axle ratio
Tow Rating: 10,800 towing, 1820 payload
Trailer Brand and Size: 2016 Bigfoot 25RQ
Trailer Weight: 7,500 loaded for long trips
Trailer Tongue Weight: 800 estimate
mpg towing: 9-13 Can get it up to 14-16 when drafting semis on interstate.
mpg not towing: 18-22
towing speed: 55-70, 60-65 most common, all depends on road conditions
Special Hardware: Husky Round Bar Weight Distribution Hitch, TV is 100% stock, no mods on truck.
Tire Size: ST225/75R-15/8


Mileage is a hard one to put a number on. However, the truck has 48000 miles on it, and the computer says the average mileage since I drove it off the lot is 14.5, includes 20000 miles towing. Road trip mileages, not towing, will average 19 on high speed interstate driving, 75+, but nice two lane driving at 65 will bring it up to 21-22.

Trips, did a 6000 mile loop to the southwest last fall, starting in Sacramento, down to Joshua Tree, then across southern Arizona and New Mexico, down to Big Bend on the Rio Grande, then back up to Great Sand Dunes in Colorado, across the top to the North Rim Grand Canyon, over to Death Valley and back up through Mammoth and over Carson Pass and down the hill. Trip average was 13.5 including sightseeing miles. Computer said towing miles was 4600. Lots of variation, flat fast interstate and up and down high mountain climbing. Coming out of Death Valley is tough, but everyone makes it. Just can't push it too hard climbing, power is there, but so is heat generation.

For us, this has been a good combination of TV and TT. Comfortable ride and trailer.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Defenestrator

1. 2015 Toyota Highlander XLE
2. 3.5L V6
3. Escape 19
4. 14mpg towing. Something like 22-24 non-towing (full-timing, so not many non-towing miles lately..)

As a tow vehicle for the 19, I'd call it... adequate. It gets nudged gently by semi wakes and wind gusts, but not shoved. No sway issues. Power's adequate for merging and hills at sea level, but at very high altitude it's borderline. Going up to the Eisenhower Tunnel above about 9,000 feet, I was in the right lane with the semis going <50MPH. Typical speed about 65-70 - I think I saw closer to 15MPG at 55MPH.

I’ve owned several tow vehicles that were adequate ( barely ) on flat grades and at low elevation . Climbing over the Rockies at the Eisenhower Tunnel was a different story. A marginal vehicle now became sub par .
I admire your post , most people would never admit that their vehicle was not up to the task .

[Defenestrator]

I wouldn't say it isn't up to the task per se. Just "adequate" rather than "overkill". It's fine in terms of stability and braking, and below about 6K feet of altitude it can merge safely without any trouble and accelerate nicely uphill at highway speeds. It just requires a bit of patience if you cross the continental divide in Colorado vs NM or Wyoming.