My first road trip with a trailer and MPG

[fORdEGON]

Just did my first little road trip with the new Ranger towing my snowmobile trailer. The trailer is an 18ft enclosed all aluminum two-place snowmobile trailer with a V nose running on tandem torsion axles. Fully loaded with two sleds, fuel, and gear I estimate the trailer to weigh in at just over 3k pounds. I just installed new drum brakes and hubs on all four wheels with all new oversize wiring and a Tuson DirecLink brake controller. Even with the V nose this trailer catches a lot of wind.

Trip was mostly freeway miles at 65MPH with a big pull up over the Siskiyou Summit to 4,310ft with 6% grades. The truck did great. No issues maintaining speed on the pass and the motor felt like it was very much in its comfort zone. Butter smooth on the shifts, I locked out gears 9-10 on the way down the pass and had to do very little braking. Once I got to the Shasta zone I was running on un plowed roads in 4-6in of snow, 4WD with the terrain management in "snow Mode". I really like the Falken Wildpeaks in the snow!

Was a little surprised to see such low MPG. I averaged only 10.8 MPG over 240miles (On the lie-ometer, haven't topped it back off to confirm with hand calcs yet). I wasn't expecting anything too great with the pulls up and over the pass and wind resistance on the trailer but this still seems pretty low. Perhaps once the motor breaks in it will improve a little. Seriously considering a 25 gal slip tank in the bed as the under 200 mile range is sketchy going into some remote areas.

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[wanted33]

I would expect the snow didn't help your mileage either Ryan. And you're right, it will do better when she gets broke in good. This is the first ecoboost I've owned, so I'm not sure at what miles that would be though. With all my Ford V8's it was usually around 3-5K miles. That excludes the wife's '18 5.0L Mustang. The MPGs jumped quite nicely at around 8K miles on that one.

 

[Leftcoast]

I started a towing mpg thread a few months ago. If I recall correctly, you're right in the ball park. It's the frontal area of the trailer that taxes the mileage. I don't see anybody getting much better unless they're pulling a trailer shorter than the cab. It's also the speed when pulling that barn door.

 

[HenryMac]

Just did my first little road trip with the new Ranger towing my snowmobile trailer. The trailer is an 18ft enclosed all aluminum two-place snowmobile trailer with a V nose running on tandem torsion axles. Fully loaded with two sleds, fuel, and gear I estimate the trailer to weigh in at just over 3k pounds. I just installed new drum brakes and hubs on all four wheels with all new oversize wiring and a Tuson DirecLink brake controller. Even with the V nose this trailer catches a lot of wind.

Trip was mostly freeway miles at 65MPH with a big pull up over the Siskiyou Summit to 4,310ft with 6% grades. The truck did great. No issues maintaining speed on the pass and the motor felt like it was very much in its comfort zone. Butter smooth on the shifts, I locked out gears 9-10 on the way down the pass and had to do very little braking. Once I got to the Shasta zone I was running on un plowed roads in 4-6in of snow, 4WD with the terrain management in "snow Mode". I really like the Falken Wildpeaks in the snow!

Was a little surprised to see such low MPG. I averaged only 10.8 MPG over 240miles (On the lie-ometer, haven't topped it back off to confirm with hand calcs yet). I wasn't expecting anything too great with the pulls up and over the pass and wind resistance on the trailer but this still seems pretty low. Perhaps once the motor breaks in it will improve a little. Seriously considering a 25 gal slip tank in the bed as the under 200 mile range is sketchy going into some remote areas.

Interesting information, thanks for posting. How many miles do you have on your Ranger?

 

[Big Blue]

Just did my first little road trip with the new Ranger towing my snowmobile trailer. The trailer is an 18ft enclosed all aluminum two-place snowmobile trailer with a V nose running on tandem torsion axles. Fully loaded with two sleds, fuel, and gear I estimate the trailer to weigh in at just over 3k pounds. I just installed new drum brakes and hubs on all four wheels with all new oversize wiring and a Tuson DirecLink brake controller. Even with the V nose this trailer catches a lot of wind.

Trip was mostly freeway miles at 65MPH with a big pull up over the Siskiyou Summit to 4,310ft with 6% grades. The truck did great. No issues maintaining speed on the pass and the motor felt like it was very much in its comfort zone. Butter smooth on the shifts, I locked out gears 9-10 on the way down the pass and had to do very little braking. Once I got to the Shasta zone I was running on un plowed roads in 4-6in of snow, 4WD with the terrain management in "snow Mode". I really like the Falken Wildpeaks in the snow!

Was a little surprised to see such low MPG. I averaged only 10.8 MPG over 240miles (On the lie-ometer, haven't topped it back off to confirm with hand calcs yet). I wasn't expecting anything too great with the pulls up and over the pass and wind resistance on the trailer but this still seems pretty low. Perhaps once the motor breaks in it will improve a little. Seriously considering a 25 gal slip tank in the bed as the under 200 mile range is sketchy going into some remote areas.

All things considered, the altitude, grade, pulling in 4x4, trailer weight, snow. It doesn't sound too bad. I pull my 4,000 pound TT in summer and only get mid 11s. Yes the little 2.3 pulls great but the expense of mileage.

 

[Lucky2013]

I have done so far 500 miles with the brand new Ranger. Around 250 miles solo and 250 miles towing the loaded two horse trailer, the trailer weighs about 4000 lbs with 2 horses and some tack. I drive very gentle with the loaded trailer. Total average MPG over the 500 miles is 17 mpg. Watching the mpg's going up and down with or without the trailer I estimate that I got with carful driving around 14 - 15 mpg with the trailer. I will go soon on a longer trip with the trailer and check then again how much the mpg's are with the trailer.

 

[fORdEGON]

960 miles so far. Planning a a bigger road trip to McCall ID so that will give me a better average towing the trailer.

I decided to get the Ranger as my "fun getter' truck and keep my Dodge with the 5.9L Cummins that I use for towing my heavy equipment trailers. So while I didn't get the RAnger to tow it really does great with this trailer other than the MPG. Im a little on the fence for using the Ranger on longer trips with this trailer though. I can get 20MPG running 75mph with the dodge and it cant even tell the trailer is there......but I really enjoy driving the ranger more especially when I get to my destination and dump the trailer. Im going to fabricate an aluminum sled deck for the bed so I can haul one snowmobile around without the trailer and I think the ranger will be an absolute beast in the snow pounding the logging roads for this application.

 

[5granger66]

I have pulled my 26 foot pontoon and stay around 19mpg but i had to tay under 65mph to do so. Changing tune in a couple weeks and repost.

 

[Big Blue]

Interesting there seems to be a really wide range of milage people are getting pulling or not with the Ranger. I wonder why? Is it region, driving style, what they pulling, octane, lift, tires. I know you can't really trust what the truck says unless you do a calculation over several tanks and recalibrate the truck. Truck tends to run high from factory. Just seems funny some are reporting close to 30 mpg not towing and others barely over 20 mpg. 30+ percent sounds huge.

 

[Lucky2013]

960 miles so far. Planning a a bigger road trip to McCall ID so that will give me a better average towing the trailer.

I decided to get the Ranger as my "fun getter' truck and keep my Dodge with the 5.9L Cummins that I use for towing my heavy equipment trailers. So while I didn't get the RAnger to tow it really does great with this trailer other than the MPG. Im a little on the fence for using the Ranger on longer trips with this trailer though. I can get 20MPG running 75mph with the dodge and it cant even tell the trailer is there......but I really enjoy driving the ranger more especially when I get to my destination and dump the trailer. Im going to fabricate an aluminum sled deck for the bed so I can haul one snowmobile around without the trailer and I think the ranger will be an absolute beast in the snow pounding the logging roads for this application.

That must be one of the first old old Dodges to get this mpg. We have several Dodges and Ford Diesel at work, all newer from 2017 up. Empty they get about 15 mpg, Ford or Dodge are almost the same. Loaded it can go down to 8 mpg and less depending on the load and routing. There is no more advantage in new diesel trucks to new gas trucks. If you add the high costs for maintenance and DPF and the higher diesel price ( at least here in CA 10 - 20 % higher ) then you are better of with a gasser. I sold my private diesel pick ups a couple of years ago. Hauling trailers for around 10k a year ( privat ) is way cheaper with a gasser.

 

[5granger66]

Interesting there seems to be a really wide range of milage people are getting pulling or not with the Ranger. I wonder why? Is it region, driving style, what they pulling, octane, lift, tires. I know you can't really trust what the truck says unless you do a calculation over several tanks and recalibrate the truck. Truck tends to run high from factory. Just seems funny some are reporting close to 30 mpg not towing and others barely over 20 mpg. 30+ percent sounds huge.

When mine was new saying first 5000 miles i showed the best mileage, i was driving illinois to ohio not pulling anything no bed load i would get 28 mpg , i never ran over 70 mph, now with 20K on it i dont ever show over 23mpg

 

[Trigganometry]

Interesting there seems to be a really wide range of milage people are getting pulling or not with the Ranger. I wonder why? Is it region, driving style, what they pulling, octane, lift, tires. I know you can't really trust what the truck says unless you do a calculation over several tanks and recalibrate the truck. Truck tends to run high from factory. Just seems funny some are reporting close to 30 mpg not towing and others barely over 20 mpg. 30+ percent sounds huge.

This time of year with temp swings, winter gas and newer trucks it all adds up to your mileage may vary greatly! During the summer months breaking in most of our rigs will be over and realistic numbers will show. I’m thinking mid teens for towing normal loads

 

[fORdEGON]

That must be one of the first old old Dodges to get this mpg. We have several Dodges and Ford Diesel at work, all newer from 2017 up. Empty they get about 15 mpg, Ford or Dodge are almost the same. Loaded it can go down to 8 mpg and less depending on the load and routing. There is no more advantage in new diesel trucks to new gas trucks. If you add the high costs for maintenance and DPF and the higher diesel price ( at least here in CA 10 - 20 % higher ) then you are better of with a gasser. I sold my private diesel pick ups a couple of years ago. Hauling trailers for around 10k a year ( privat ) is way cheaper with a gasser.

My Dodge is an 05' and what I consider to be the best year of the 5.9L. The older trucks with the VP44 mechanical injection pumps got slightly better mileage and live a little longer but the 05' with the common rail and CP3 nailed the balance between efficiency and higher output. I also have the G56 manual trans and absolutely no emissions BS. I tow 14k loads everyday and average 15-18MPG on rural roads at 55mph. 12-14mpg on the freeway. Unloaded or with my small trailers I can hit 18-20.

I fully agree that the newer diesels do not pencil out for most people. Not only is the mileage way down on the new HO motors but the emissions requirements just killed the diesels. The new version of my truck also costs $80k its just gotten out of control!

 

[fORdEGON]

I was running 92 clear in the truck since that was i have to run in the sleds I just treated the Ranger to some premium non ethanol while I was at it.

 

[fORdEGON]

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