[SoJourner22]

I am not one to worry about gas mileage, otherwise I wouldn't own a truck (albeit, this one does real well). However, I have purchased an 08 Double Cab Tacoma 4x2, 5 speed Auto with Tow pacakge and was quite pleased at the around town mileage of 18-19 MPG. I was not so pleased :sosad: when I hooked up my 5x10 open utility trailer with a 900LB motorcycle (1200LB total bike and trailer) on it and my mileage dropped to 10.5 or 11 MPG. I ran one way with the cruise on and the return trip without and saw little or no difference. That really hurts because I can only go about 200 miles before the reserve light comes on.

Are others experiencing the same numbers or is there something I need to do differently?

Thanks,
Mark

 

[demoncleaner]

Open trailer, 1200 lbs, I can't see how you lost 7-8 mpg. Unless the gas used was swill, I'd check your math again.

My open single place snowmobile trailer packed up is about 1000 lbs total. I lose 2 mpg towing it.

 

[SoJourner22]

democleaner,

I agree, it doesn't make sense either. As for the math, check for yourself 212 miles traveled, fillup was 19 gallons.

Mark

 

[2 tacomas]

I am not one to worry about gas mileage, otherwise I wouldn't own a truck (albeit, this one does real well). However, I have purchased an 08 Double Cab Tacoma 4x2, 5 speed Auto with Tow pacakge and was quite pleased at the around town mileage of 18-19 MPG. I was not so pleased :sosad: when I hooked up my 5x10 open utility trailer with a 900LB motorcycle (1200LB total bike and trailer) on it and my mileage dropped to 10.5 or 11 MPG. I ran one way with the cruise on and the return trip without and saw little or no difference. That really hurts because I can only go about 200 miles before the reserve light comes on.

Are others experiencing the same numbers or is there something I need to do differently?

Thanks,
Mark

DO NOT use cruise control or overdrive (D) while towing. The CC and OD computer system is calibrated to work most efficiently with the truck in it's stock capacities....it cannot accurately compensate for the extra weight you have while towing and that can most definitely effect your fuel mileage. A drop in mileage while towing is to be expected, but yours does seem to be a bit drastic especially considering the weight of the trailer you are towing.

 

[eyedoc]

yup... agreed. Use "4" gear. keep it around 65-70 on the highway. keep your foot out of it when speeding up for a slow steady acceleration and your mileage should be around 15-16mpg.

 

[msibille]

I disagree with some of the above.
I have a 2005 PreRunner DC (all are autos, and 1GRFE engine).
When I tow my cabin sailboat (gross wt of about 1500 lb), at interstate speeds of 65-70mph, I get virtually identical mileage to my in-town driving of 17mpg. I have no aversions to using cruise and full auto gear in our fairly flat terrain when doing so, and have tried it both with and without cruise, and in 4th vs D with no difference other than engine noise. (That's a good bit of hp under the hood guys, and before the Taco, I towed that same pkg at 65-70 with a 1.6 litre 4cylinder Suzuki Sidekick.)

However, when I moved my daughter and all her earthly possessions in a tandem axle 5 x 10 UHaul to KS, I definitely knew something was back there. Mileage dropped to 14mpg (25mpg on the return trip w/ no trailer), and unless the grade was extremely flat or downhill, I was in 4. I was probably closer to 3000 lb of trailer gross, and had a 5 x 5 flat panel "sail" I was dragging thru the wind.

But for 1200 lb, I'd be a bit surprised to get only 11 mpg, unless I was doing 80-85mpg. Wind drag is proportional to the square of the speed, so when you go from 65 to 80 mph, your aero drag is increased approx. 51%. If you got 11 mpg towing at 80+, I'd say that's not shocking.

 

[tacomaoffroad]

i got about 12-13mpg while towing my boat 500 miles to the keys. i wasnt too impressed.

 

[PiercedTiger]

I got around 14mpg towing up and down a couple mountains then mostly flat for around 100 miles hauling both of these:




Both the same route. Used 89 octane with the yellow one, 87 with the purple one. Had it in 6th on flats and kept both around 55-60mph. Oh, and both were probably at or above the 6500lb mark with truck and auto transport. The Uhaul auto transport weighs in at 2000lbs by itself.

 

[mxer]

I got around 14mpg towing up and down a couple mountains then mostly flat for around 100 miles hauling both of these:




Both the same route. Used 89 octane with the yellow one, 87 with the purple one. Had it in 6th on flats and kept both around 55-60mph. Oh, and both were probably at or above the 6500lb mark with truck and auto transport. The Uhaul auto transport weighs in at 2000lbs by itself.

Yeah, I would say those big old pickups weigh more than 4500!

I'm looking at a tacoma just for the fact I can get decent mileage in town and occasionally haul stuff like my Jeep CJ7. Hope it can handle it.

 

[sechsgang]

I get 15-16 mpg towing a 3,000 lbs pop up camper with the bed fully loaded also & 2 adults / 2 kids in the cab. I use 6th gear a lot on flat terrain.

 

[splyn]

did the open trailer have a HUGE ramp? my friends trailer has one of those and basically acted like a sail. we took it off and mileage improved. Doubt it would account for a 7mpg loss though.

 

[SoJourner22]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I ran about 70-75 going one way with the cruise on. Ran about 70-75 the other direction and tried to plan for the hills by picking up speed going down and letting her slow to about 60-65 going up hill keeping the RPM at around 2500.

No ramp on the trailer, just a flat wood floor with a drop ramp that is made of that grated metal (very little resistance).

I guess the next trip I make I will try the 4ht gear option and see what happens.

Any possibility that it could be a tranny problem?

Thanks again,
Mark

 

[msibille]

There's always the possibility.
But if your ramp was several feet high (from floor) and the width of the trailer, having holes didn't stop it from creating much drag. (WWII dive bombers used "dive brakes" that were panels with golf-ball size holes in them. (Part of the whistling sound that made them so endearing to the folks on the surface.)

 

[mr.trd]

DO NOT use cruise control or overdrive (D) while towing. The CC and OD computer system is calibrated to work most efficiently with the truck in it's stock capacities....it cannot accurately compensate for the extra weight you have while towing and that can most definitely effect your fuel mileage. A drop in mileage while towing is to be expected, but yours does seem to be a bit drastic especially considering the weight of the trailer you are towing.

Not trying to jump on you here. But with the logic that CC and OD are not to be used with a "LOAD", then anyone that has put oversized tires on their truck should not use CC or OD either. It is the same thing. The computer just reads it as a LOAD wether it is larger tires, a full bed, or a trailer. It is all resistance.

 

[Jeddak]

Ran across an interesting article relating to this: http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/jk/080227.htm

 

[mr.trd]

Good read. interesting. And it all makes sense.....and it came from Dodge.....


No way it can be true....

 

[Dacapster]

07 DBL 2wd trailer1200lbs..... average 16.3 GPH low of 15.2. high 16.9