Tow vehicles - Event Date: 03 Feb 2015

Tow vehicle?

True, I'm pulling w/ a 1/2 ton Ford Ranged V6 4.0 and I get 12.

Pulling our pod with our Suburban I would get 10-11 on local trips, but on two 4 week trips I averaged 9.5-9.7.  That was with A/C in 100+ temps and many hard hauls up mountainsides.

We towed our R-171 with a 2012 Chrysler T&C, V6, 6 speed. Horrible. Went to 2 Chrysler service managers and they said no problem. Went to 2 r-pod dealers....no worries. Hooked it up and headed for the maritimes. Way underpowered. Constant downshifting with the slightest grade. MPG was 11.5 and with a small gas tank, we had to stop every 2 hours if we could find a fuel stop. Canada doesn't have one every couple of miles. So, we traded it for a Dodge Durango V8 HEMI MDS VVT. Huge difference. 

Tow with 2004 f150 supercab with 6.5 bed & 5.4 liter v8 & 3.73 rear end tow package. Pulled 27ft. Travel trailer (Award aerodynamic & low profile at 5000 lbs.) And got 10 to 13 mpg driving listed speed limit. Now towing the 171 pod with same TV and get same mpg. Rpod has higher profile than previous trailer. Plus- TV only gets 18 mpg by its self. The big difference between TV is when you get to the destination and unhook. The time spent sightseeing with TV. I personally like towing with a larger TV ,but my current TV is overkill. If and when l purchase the next TV it will be a p-up with a smaller v8 or v6. It would have tow package because you get heavy duty radiator, alternator & transmission cooler as well as other features. The one thing l would look to down grade is the rear end (differential). I would get a 2.73 or 3.55 . lighter weight truck,smaller more efficient engine & higher rear end would increase mpg at least during nontowing times.