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ToddsPod View Drop Down
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Joined: 20 May 2010
Location: Conroe, Texas
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Posts: 77 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Let's talk MPGs
    Posted: 24 Jun 2010 at 11:14pm
We just got our pod in May Tongue and are pulling with a '06 Dodge Grand Caravan. We bought it without the towing package, but had the dealer install the reciever hitch. I've heard various schools of thought and have asked more than one dealer about the differences in the vehicles that come with tow package installed vs. no tow package. The dealers don't know and some people say there is an additional transmission oil cooler that needs to be added, along with beefed up suspension. Others say the transmission cooler is standard on all models. This makes a difference in the towing capacity 3400 lbs vs. 1800 lbs w/out towing package. This vehicle is not made to tow, that's for sure. We picked it up from RV Max near Dallas, TX and pulled it home (270 miles). We were disappointed that our normally good gas mileage (22-24 highway) was drastically reduced to 9-10 mpg!Shocked We are even considering upgrading to something with a few more horses. It is a little under-powered, and takes a little coaxing up inclines, luckily there aren't many of them in our region.
 
So my question is what do you drive and what are your mpgs (towing / not)?
   
'07 Dodge RAM 1500 ST Longbed QuadCab 4.7L V8 --- '10 Forest River R-Pod 172
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Posts: 92 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Jun 2010 at 6:28am
Well that MPG is not bad. My 05 TC gets from 10-12 and we have towing package. Out of overdrive 2500 rpm at 58 MPH. I have not heard of anyone really bragging about great millage with any tow vehicle.
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Joined: 29 Jul 2009
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Posts: 9059 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Jun 2010 at 7:22am

Most people have found similar mpg drops with the 'pod.  I get around 22 normally, and drop to 12 when towing the pod.  I got about 16 towing our popup.  The 'pod is several hundred pounds lighter than our popup and I notice it below 50 when wind resistance is less of an issue.  But around 55 most 'podders find that they "hit a wall" and their reserve power disappears.  Its all going into keeping you at speed which is why you get a 50% drop in your mpg.  The 'pod may be rounded but you are still towing a big wall around behind you.

Check your owner's manual.  Some vehicles have variable timing and can adjust to higher octane gas to get a few more horsepower out of the engine.  Our Sienna does this.  I don't know the exact gain in power from 87 to 93 octane but its very noticable on the throttle.  I chuckle when I think about when we picked up our 'pod and took it on its maiden camping trip.  Our Sienna is primarily a tow vehicle - camper and utility trailers - and so we always keep 93 octane gas in it.  Well, my wife's car was in the shop so she was driving the van around for a week before we picked up the 'pod.  She forgot and filled it up with 87 octane.  We get to the dealership, hook up, and get down the road to the campground.  Once we got above 50 I found I was nearly flooring it to get up small hills.  Like ToddsPod I was thinking "oh great, we are going to need a new TV (tow vehicle)".  Then it hit me, so I asked... "hey, did you put 93 octane gas in the tank?"  "Whoops, sorry, no I didn't."  "Ah-ha!  That's why I don't have any power!"  Since the tank was half empty I pulled into the next gas station and topped it off with 93 (so I probably had 90 in the tank).  Still not full power but it was noticeably better when I got back on the road.  On the next trip when I was able to use a full tank of 93 I had even more power.  Moral of the story, you may have a stronger engine than you think so check your manual.
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Joined: 10 Jun 2009
Location: Owosso MI
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Posts: 704 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Jun 2010 at 9:14am
Our 2008 5.3L Silverado extended cab, with towing package, normally gets 16.5 MPG. We do mostly short drives, not a lot of expressway driving. I don't think it would get much better mileage than that on the x-way anyway.
 
On our trip from MI to FL last February, we took I-75 down and got exactly 12 MPG. On the way back, coming up I-77, which was much more mountainous than the trip down, and very windy too, we got 10.5 MPG.
 
We use the "towing mode" button. Although according to the figures in the owner's manual, it's really not needed due to the pod's light weight, it does seem to shift less in tow mode.
.: Mark & Beth :: Silverado 5.3L :: 2018 rPod 180 :.
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Posts: 49 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Jun 2010 at 4:21pm
We have a Nissan Frontier as our tow vehicle and are quite satisfied with it.  It has plenty of horsepower and torque using the cheapest grade of gasoline and provides an MPG of 11-13 when running at 55-60 mph.

The Frontier model that we have (2WD V6 king cab standard bed) comes with a 5100 lb towing capacity.  While towing, we run in drive with Over Drive turned off.

We recently completed a trip from Florida to Illinois and then to the Eastern Rally in Kentucky.  We only had a ball for towing with electric brakes and will add an anti-sway bar for future trips.  Weight distribution was not a problem, just the wall of wind resistance that the pod creates when driving above 50. 

Spot #40 at First Eastern Rally
R171 2010
Frontier 2009
Site 40 Eastern Rally 2010
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Joined: 20 May 2010
Location: Conroe, Texas
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Posts: 77 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Jun 2010 at 10:23pm
Originally posted by cane2

Well that MPG is not bad. My 05 TC gets from 10-12 and we have towing package. Out of overdrive 2500 rpm at 58 MPH. I have not heard of anyone really bragging about great millage with any tow vehicle.
 
You have the factory installed towing package? Do you know what is included in this? I have heard the following:
 
1 - Transmission cooler.
2 - Load leveling/height control suspension
3 - Heavy duty radiator
 
I have added suspension helpers to beef up the rear suspension and I looked into adding an additional radiator cooler. I'm up in the air as to whether or not I should do this. It pulled fine coming home from the dealership in Dallas and on our first camping trip. We may take it on a 5000 mile round trip to Oregon via Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks and I don't want to kill my transmission. I haven't gotten a straight answer from anyone, including dealerships, on what's included in the tow package.
   
'07 Dodge RAM 1500 ST Longbed QuadCab 4.7L V8 --- '10 Forest River R-Pod 172
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Posts: 92 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Jun 2010 at 10:16am
Yes and also engine oil cooler,bigger radiator with 2 fans. The load leveling is NOT air controlled but works very good as i carry a mobility scooter in the back and a lift for it and the van handles it great. your best millage will be at 55-58 i have found. Just don't try and be the leader of the parade. I also do not use a WDH or sway bar.
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Joined: 20 May 2010
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Posts: 77 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Jul 2010 at 3:19pm
Good news for us. We were concerned that our 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan didn't come with the towing package. We had the dealer install one when we purchased it, but they didn't do any other modifications. I spoke yesterday with the dealer and the parts and service guys at Spring Dodge in Spring, Texas about our towing doubts. They went through the parts catalog with me and showed me where the transmission cooler was located (included in all 2006 Grand Caravans, regardless of whether it has the towing package or not). It is the top portion of the A/C coil and there are two lines that run from the coil to the transmission. Other than the hitch, the only difference between a model with the towing package and one without is the auto leveling suspension. We don't have this on ours, but have reenforced it with suspension helpers (bolt on to the leaf springs to add support). So we are good to tow! No need to buy a new TV.
   
'07 Dodge RAM 1500 ST Longbed QuadCab 4.7L V8 --- '10 Forest River R-Pod 172
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Joined: 16 Nov 2009
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Posts: 1950 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Jul 2010 at 4:21pm
When towing it would be a good idea not to use overdrive.  That will cause your tranny to do a lot of extra shifting.  Not a good thing.

Terry
RP-175 W/Lift Kit 2011 Ford F-150 4X4
Saint Augustine, FL: The first permanent European settlement in the USA: 1565
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Joined: 21 Nov 2009
Location: MINNESOTA
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Posts: 315 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jul 2010 at 11:36am
I highly recommend that whatever TV (with auto trans) you use towing your Pod, that you have
an auxillary transmission radiator on your vehicle.
I also have an RV.  The transmission crashed after just 7,000 miles of simply driving the RV at normal speeds and terrain and not towing anything. I always assumed that an auxillary radiator was there for the times when extra towing was occurring or very high outside temps.  But it appears that Ford radiators are not large enough to handle the auto trans heat output. It turned out that the fluid lines to the cooler were pinched at the factory and no fluid had ever gone through the cooler. The trans fluid still was sent to the main radiator for cooling but apparently that was insufficient.  The fluid temp never got hot enough to 'burn' the fluid or send a signal that the transmission was overheating.  But the elevated temps eventually damaged the transmission enough to cause it to finally break down completely.  The transmission had to be replaced along with a new auxillary radiator.  $5,000 dollar replacement...luckily the RV was still under warranty.  But it took three weeks to get it replaced.
So don't assume that your standard radiator will handle the extra heat output from your auto transmission while towing your Pod.
TIDALWAVE
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