Finally!!

[Kagoguen]

I finally got my first truck, no more towing with the Explorer and it's 8 miles per gallon when towing. I bought a 2004 Chevy Silverado k1500 extended cab, 5.3l v8, specs say it can haul 8800lbs. My question is, how many miles to the gallon do you guys think i'll get? Oppinions appreciated

 

[Born 2 Fish]

I got no idea, but I'll tak'a guess.
Tow'n 8800 I'll guess if all conditions are excellent, 14 to the gal.,,

 

[Kagoguen]

Well I'll actually only be hauling about 6500lbs plus 2 adults and 3 kids, all I know is stopping every 45min to hr for gas was getting old, so hoping I'll be able to go atleast 1 1/2hr or better before fill ups..lol

 

[beagles7278]

Sounds like you got yourself a nice truck. Now this is only a guess, but I am thinking you are going to be lucky to get 10 towing. I have a 2500HD Crew Cab with the 6.0L and I have never towed a trailer, only a boat, but I don't think I ever did better than 10. It will also depend on how you drive, I noticed a difference between 70mph vs. 62mph.

You will go longer between fill ups, but that is because you will have a bigger tank.

Now I have not always been a fan of tow ratings and what the owners manual will tell you a truck will pull. You not only have to pull the trailer, you have to control it and stop it. Either way it goes you are going to be better off towing with the Silverado vs. the Explorer.

 

[Born 2 Fish]

When they tell you it can pull 8800, they mean at the very best conditions possible and they are pushing the weight as much as possible too.

 

[Kagoguen]

I did a test with the Explorer, 1st time going down to the Fort in 2009 tried keeping up with traffic doing 75 or so, got about 6 to 8 mpg, then went to visit friends in TN last summer and tried keeping the speed around 60-65 and averaged about 10mpg a lot better!
I'm not sure I really want to haul 8800, atleast not yet, maybe when I get my 3/4 ton....

 

[2goofycampers]

I'll say 20 mpg, I am a wishful thinker.

 

[Teamubr]

My question is, how many miles to the gallon do you guys think i'll get? Oppinions appreciated

Congrats. Trucks just tow better. As for mpg, it really depends on what you are towing. Strangely, no matter what I pull or what I pull with, I seem to get around 10 mpg. I towed my first 2 trailers with a V8 Explorer. Then moved up to a F250 diesel and bought a 5th wheel. I have a new F350 dually now. It seems wierd but I tow my 5th wheel camper (about 8500 lbs), a 24 ft bumper pull race trailer (about 11,000 lbs with 1 car) and a 48 ft gooseneck race trailer (about 18,000 lbs with both cars in). Unless I'm in the mountains where the weight really makes a bigger impact, I get 9-11 mpg no matter what I'm pulling.

The better thing is the new truck will tow much more comfortably than the Explorer. Won't feel like it is working as hard and you won't either.

j

 

[Kagoguen]

Well I wish I could get 20mpg, wow would that be Awesome! I'm hoping I will get about 12mpg, that would be an inprovement, the tank is a little bigger that the Explorer's, so hopefully I will be able to go a little further between fill-ups..lol

I am looking forward to towing and not feel like the vehicle is straining when we're drving on hilly terraine.

 

[dean_and_monica]

I had the same set up but only in the 2002 version. I towed a 7000lb trailer and i was lucky to get 5mpg. Hope that helps.

 

[ob1quixote]

I get 12.5 mpg with my '99 F150 with a 5.4L motor. It stays parked a lot.

I get about 10mpg with Ye Olde Breade Trucke RV, although on my last trip I dropped the speed from 60mph to 55 and saw a much longer drive per tank, but didnt do the division for the actual mpg.

YOBTRV loves no ethanol fuel!

 

[Kagoguen]

5mpg I'm hoping then that I can atleast get what the Explorer was getting about 10mpg when going the speed limit.

 

[martymarty]

If you Get 10 while towing ...................BE HAPPY!!!