Towing MPG terrible

[NewGuy]

So I drove my boat about 1,000 miles this weekend. Total boat + trailer + outboard + people probably ran 7K pounds ish. Got 5.6 MPG at an average speed of around 65. My Tremor is a 3.5. Seems terrible to me. My wife's terribly inefficient QX80 can reach 8 to 9. What have others seen?

 

[Fozzy]

My boat, trailer, water and gear is just under 7K and I am on 37's and I get 6-7 MPG total trip average with 8 MPG being the highest I will get. Most of our freeway speeds are 80, usually cruise at 65-75 MPH. Not to save gas, but the small boat bearings don't like anything over 70. The same setup with my Expedition with 35's was the same and my 16' with the 6 speed leveled on 35 was the same, Raptor on stock 35's the same. So my EcoBoosts have all been really constant with each other. My old 6.7 Powerstroke would get 12-13 MPG with the same setup. Sounds normal to me, but I don't complain because it tows like a freight train and I am done with diesels and all their problems.

 

[CAMDENN]

Truck weight, trailer and cargo weight of 7K pounds, 3.5 TT gasoline engine, and a cruise speed of 65-70 MPH?
Yep, 5-7 MPG sounds about right.
55-60 MPH would have and should put you in the double digit MPG.

 

[FaKtor34]

I just towed a horse trailer and horse about 350miles total weight was approximately 8k and averaging 60 mph I got around 11 mpg, now had I ran around 70 it would have been closer to 8 mpg, the Ecoboost does great if you run it around it 55-60 push it past 70 though while towing and it will burn some fuel. Can't really or I guess I should say shouldn't really push much above 60 though with a live animal on board though at least with a 1/2 ton truck because you do feel it move.

 

[CAMDENN]

Unloaded, loaded, towing, or a combination of both, 55-60 MPH is the sweet spot for the best MPG in the F150 regardless of the engine under the hood or on the bottom of it.

 

[NewGuy]

Thank you all for your responses. It is what it is I guess. I did expect something better or on par with my wife's Infinity, but the Ford did tow well and I can't drive 55.

 

[JJM]

Well I just got back from a 380 mile camping trip to Lake Okeechobee KOA. I filled up from almost empty with 93 before leaving. I very happily got 11.0 MPG on this trip. Florida in the area I drove is completely flat and 95% of it was 65 MPH. At 70 i usually get around 8MPG. I will stick to 65 from now on. FYI I hit the 10,000 mile mark while on this trip if you were wondering. Send you all another update after my Miami to Nashville trip at the end of March.

 

[Fozzy]

Well I just got back from a 380 mile camping trip to Lake Okeechobee KOA. I filled up from almost empty with 93 before leaving. I very happily got 11.0 MPG on this trip. Florida in the area I drove is completely flat and 95% of it was 65 MPH. At 70 i usually get around 8MPG. I will stick to 65 from now on. FYI I hit the 10,000 mile mark while on this trip if you were wondering. Send you all another update after my Miami to Nashville trip at the end of March.

Towing what and how much?

 

[JJM]

Towing what and how much?

Cruiser Aire CR27RBS Travel Trailer loaded out at about 7500lbs. I have other posts with my trailer in them. I was as surprised as it seems you are. This was the first trip with my buddy and his wife and he was following me with a 21,000lb fifth wheel so I kept my foot out of it and cruised Tow/Haul Mode at 65 with Cruise Control on most of the way.

 

[zimm]

Something is wrong. I pulled 8000 pounds @ 72mph for 200 miles and got 11.2mpg. Maybe you had a 30 mph headwind you weren't accounting for?

 

[CAMDENN]

Well I just got back from a 380 mile camping trip to Lake Okeechobee KOA. I filled up from almost empty with 93 before leaving. I very happily got 11.0 MPG on this trip. Florida in the area I drove is completely flat and 95% of it was 65 MPH. At 70 i usually get around 8MPG. I will stick to 65 from now on. FYI I hit the 10,000 mile mark while on this trip if you were wondering. Send you all another update after my Miami to Nashville trip at the end of March.

Decreasing that cruising speed makes all the difference in the world.

If you can, next time try 55-60 MPH and report because I’d be very interested in hearing about your results.

Have a good weekend.

 

[throughitalldude]

Pulling my family of 4 + two wiener dogs, gear and 5800lbs Toy Hauler my 23 402A 3.5 gets 11.5-12 MP

 

[CAMDENN]

Pulling my family of 4 + two wiener dogs, gear and 5800lbs Toy Hauler my 23 402A 3.5 gets 11.5-12 MP

Nice,

What was your cruising speed.

 

[throughitalldude]

Nice,

What was your cruising speed.

I would say 65 was my average. If I ditched the wieners I could’ve gotten at least .5 MPG more

 

[SacMtn]

So I drove my boat about 1,000 miles this weekend. Total boat + trailer + outboard + people probably ran 7K pounds ish. Got 5.6 MPG at an average speed of around 65. My Tremor is a 3.5. Seems terrible to me. My wife's terribly inefficient QX80 can reach 8 to 9. What have others seen?

5.6 mpg indicates about 202 hp production by the engine. Seems high for 65 mpg unless the trailer has a big draggy frontal area. If the truck gets 19 mpg at 65 mpg it indicates about 60 hp. So that boat is a huge drag. Were you dragging an anchor?