My towing mileage sucks!

[CP0861]

I have a 2023 ranger with tow package towing a 21 foot Escape travel trailer. I have over 20,000 miles towing at 65mph average getting 15-16 MPG.

I want one!!! That's my dream camper. I saw one for sale recently in TN and should have pulled the trigger but didn't.....

As to OP, yes, it's speed. That's the biggest suck on the Ranger's MPG imo....wind is also a MFer.

If you drop 75 to 60-65 you'll see a noticeable difference with (and without) the trailer.

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[SquamishPoacher]

I get 20 - 22mpg pulling a 1200 lb Teardrop @ 60-65 mph. My bet is if you drop your speed your mph would increase significantly.

 

[theclaw]

I think you all are right, it's the speed. I have another trip coming up at the end of the month. I will pin the cruise control at 65 and see how that goes.

My last trip was from Chicago to Birmingham Atlanta, 10hrs of road time. Dropping to 65mph would have extended that a bit.

 

[subquark]

It could be my speed I'm going to speed limit or a little over which down from where I was it's 70 mile an hour Highway and I'm going 70 to 75 most of the time. Since the drag is a function of the speed squared if I'm adding 5 to 10 miles an hour then the drag on the truck is increased a factor 25 to 100 times.

Next time I'll try going slow er

Good call. On my longer road trips, I try to keep it at 65 (no trailer) and I think that's why I can get 25, but if I go over 70, the instant MPG read thing takes a nose dive.

 

[Grandaccess]

on the interstate I set it at 72

 

[Cabose-1]

Your speed and hills.
I towed a lot with my 5g. Anything in box form ate my gas mileage.
4000lb cargo trailer 12, 10 mpg, 6500 pound car trailer, 14 mpg. I never go above 70. 65 most of the time. Just no need to tow fast you have nothing to prove. Let the trailer brakes help you stop drive safe and with the rubber side down.
I have a buddy who has a 2023 f250. He gets the same gas mileage. He just tows heavier. The same and proportional to all vehicles. Towing ability equals power power equals thirsty for fuel.
Tow 65mph, 70 to pass, tow safe,
Keep the rubber side side down

GEN-Y HITCH

2024 4x2 xlt, advance tow, elocker

 

[Dereku]

Its the speed. Empty I do 72 maybe 75. Towing its 65-70. Depending on load. Towing at max or dare I say more its 60 or less, or side roads only. Speed kills, you and your mileage.

 

[JohnnyO]

I haven't towed anything heavy for any distance with the Ranger but several years ago I borrowed my BIL's enclosed motorcycle trailer to move my kids 400 miles from my ex-wife's place to mine.
The Sport Trac's highway mpg went from the normal 20 to 13 with the empty trailer to 10 mpg with maybe 2500 lb of stuff in it coming home.

Heaviest thing I've towed with the Ranger was a beer fermenting tank from a brewery that my bud bought across the city to his brewpub. Tank and the U-Haul trailer combined for about 3500 lb. Didn't go far enough to judge the mpg. Yes it's true, my best friend owns a brewery. ?

 

[awd.nv]

I generally tow at 68-70mph with a ~4000lb loaded travel trailer and get anywhere from 7-13mpg depending on head wind/tail wind. In the CA, NV, UT, AZ states. If I had to give a tighter average, it would be about 8-9mpg most commonly.

I also have the Tremor package and 33" tires. My normal MPG day to day is about 14-16mpg. A lot of red lights.

 

[Frenchy]

It's not just the Speed and the Weight. It's also the shape of the Weight that is being pulled. A great example is 5500 lbs that I towed with my Ranger a while back. It did just fine, but then again I had a better shape compared to what you had most likely.

 

[dtech]

Air temps can be a factor as well as how many altitude changes, on my current trip I towed thru Utah and mountainous regions in northern AZ , so many ups and downs and temps were often in the 30s and 40s. Kept speeds below 65 mph and mpgs were 10.5. Sucky.

but I see those large 5th wheel TT that are as high as 14' and they can get as low as 5 mpg.

 

[Montana Ranger]

What kind of experience have y'all had?

2019 Lariat w/tow pkg, towing a 7,000 travel trailer. Yes, mileage sucks. We average around 10 mpg, down from the >20 mpg we normally get on the highway. Most of the problem is the drag from what is basically a big, square box with minimal regard for aerodynamics. My only suggestion is to slow down, as the mileage goes to hell over 55. We nominally cruise at 60.

 

[underwhelmed]

This is physics lesson of the day…if you tow you will lose a ? ton of gas mileage. It’s a law of nature and does not change. Moving more ? requires more energy.

 

[TulsaYetiRanger]

Keep in mind that the owners manual recommends locking out 9th and 10th gear (I actually lock out 8th too when pulling our 6000# travel trailer). It also recommends to tow at 62 mph best I remember (I cruise at 65 mph in 7th gear for 100's of miles on end... get around 10-11 mpg with the TT).

 

[ctechbob]

Keep in mind that the owners manual recommends locking out 9th and 10th gear (I actually lock out 8th too when pulling our 6000# travel trailer). It also recommends to tow at 62 mph best I remember (I cruise at 65 mph in 7th gear for 100's of miles on end... get around 10-11 mpg with the TT).

My 2020 Manual doesn't have that in it. Still, a decent idea depending on terrain and speed, although I usually let it use 8th being the fist OD gear in the box, if I'm on flat land.

In general, the TCM won't let it shift there anyways when its in T/H with a good load behind it. You're usually deep enough into the throttle for most of the time it just never gets a chance to make it up that far.

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