New fuel mileage question ???

[mtheo]

Has this happen to anybody else?
Two weeks ago A few freinds went to the desert to ride motorcycles, since the wifes were staying home one freind and I decided to take his pull trailer, a 25' extra lite w/ single slide and put the bikes in the back of my truck, trying to save a dollar on fuel.
I have made this trip a dozen times with the Monty, so I know how much fuel I usually use. On one leg it got worst milage and on the rest of the trip it apeared not to be any better than towing the Monty.
What is up?? Could it be the aero dinamics of the pull trailer??

[TLightning]

The aero dynamics of the TT cannot be that much worse than the Montana. The only thing that really gets into my mileage is a big time head wind...how were the winds?

[JimF]

I think it is aero dynamics. We has a 27' 7300# Terry TT for 7 years. Towed it about 30,000 miles behind my Dodge Cummings. I averaged 9.8 to 10.4 mpg consistantly. Went to the Monty at near 14,000# and on our last 8,000 mile trip we averaged 12.4. What does that say..

[rames14]

Because of the difference between where the Monty connects vs a travel trailer, the air coming over the cab dips deeper into the bed. I would think you're getting more of an air drag with the travel trailer. Just my thoughts.

[EagleRunner]

What about the brakes on the trailer? Where they possibly hanging or dragging causing undue drag on the truck? Something to consider.

[FLSTS03]

Mark,
A few weeks ago we pulled to B'ham running 62/tow haul on/got 10.5, returning a couple days later ran the same setup and noticed i was only getting 9.0 and that the TV was droping to about 55 before shifting. I disengaged the TowHaul then engaged it again, I also increased my speed to 65. reset milage comp. and everything went back to normal shifting and milage went back to 10.5. Wish I had recorded the rmps. as mph dosen't tell the whole story-anyway my point is that it seems (to me I'm a newbe), the slightest change can effect your milage quite a bit,in my case 1.5 mpg.

Steve

[Tiffensdad]

One of the reasons I prefer the 5ers is because of this phenomenon. I have pulled an assortment of rigs over the last 30 years (my desperate search to find the 'right' one) and have noticed better milage with the 5er. My theory is the same as rames14. Maybe we can send this to MYTHBUSTERS and have them check it out.

[FLSTS03]

Mythbusters did do a show, tailgate down vs tailgate up, and as I recall tailgate up was the winner, goes to your point. Steve

[bw2]

I will put my vote with rames14 as well. I had a 30 ft travel trailer and I had a hard top over the bed of the truck. The average mpg was 10/11. Picked up the new 3400RL, 10/11 mpg. With the added weight and the added height of the Montana, I was expecting lower mpg. So, I believe it is the aero