Gas Mileage

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   I overheard a conversation between a 'podder and the Forest River Engineer at the Eastern Round Up (it may have been Ed... I'm not sure).  As Ed said above, the Engineer confirmed that the 173T's spoiler was indeed a spoiler and was an attempt to reduce drag.
As a side note, I was very impressed with the Engineer in both his depth of knowledge and commitment to the r-pod line.  All of the Forest River staff were a welcome addition to the event.

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Outbound Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 19 Nov 2009 Location: Oshawa, Ontario Online Status: Offline Posts: 767	Topic: Gas Mileage Posted: 03 Sep 2010 at 11:27pm
	I overheard a conversation between a 'podder and the Forest River Engineer at the Eastern Round Up (it may have been Ed... I'm not sure). As Ed said above, the Engineer confirmed that the 173T's spoiler was indeed a spoiler and was an attempt to reduce drag. As a side note, I was very impressed with the Engineer in both his depth of knowledge and commitment to the r-pod line. All of the Forest River staff were a welcome addition to the event.
	Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150

rpodcamper.com Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group - pHp Joined: 26 Nov 2009 Location: Reading, Pa Online Status: Offline Posts: 3990	Posted: 03 Sep 2010 at 11:47pm
	Well i can cross off the 2 trucks I was thinking and will now be pulling with a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 Club Cab. Came across and almost new unit with only 33,000 miles on it! Pick it up on Tuesday or Wednesday as soon as they run it through service. I fit better in this truck than the Dakota so it was almost a no brainier.

popgoesweasel Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 22 Jan 2010 Location: Costa Rica Online Status: Offline Posts: 49	Posted: 04 Sep 2010 at 10:17am
	I again will note that we are very happy with the Nissan Frontier standard cab 2x4 as a TV. The unit gets great mileage as our regular vehicle (20+mpg) and decent mileage (12-13mpg) while towing at below 55 mph. The engine in the Frontier is better than some that I had in 'vettes back in the 60's.
	R171 2010 Frontier 2009 Site 40 Eastern Rally 2010

TIDALWAVE Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 21 Nov 2009 Location: MINNESOTA Online Status: Offline Posts: 315	Posted: 04 Sep 2010 at 4:54pm
	I am not sure that placing kayaks on top of the tow vehicle will make much difference. I just got back from a trip with two kayaks mounted on the roof of my Chevy pickup. I didn't 'toe' the kayaks in...they were mounted parallel to each other. I didn't measure any difference in mpg's for the Chevy+Pod when carrying the kayaks, versus just pulling the Pod.
	TIDALWAVE

vandallc Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 02 May 2010 Location: Charleston, SC Online Status: Offline Posts: 41	Posted: 04 Sep 2010 at 6:48pm
	I have found that I get pretty substantial improvement in MPG by driving behind a large truck. I stay back a safe distance so I am not drafting per se so I have to assume the turbulence behind the truck is disrupting the vacuum effect on the pod at higher speeds. As an example, on a flat highway and no other traffic I am getting 8-9 mpg driving at 55 if I push over 55 I am sure to cause the vehicle to down shift. whereas on a flat road behind a big rig I get 11 mpg going between 60 and 65. I also found that I cannot use cruise control because it is constantly down shifting. If I am manually regulating the speed I can greatly reduce the down shifting and keep my rpms much lower. All that said, I am thrilled to get 10-11 mpg but then again my Lincoln Navigator is a hog and I only get 18-19 when I am not towing. I agree that it appears that we need spoilers on the back of the pod. If anyone knows of a effort to design one, I would gladly be a beta tester.
	vandallc 2011 177 2003 Lincoln Navigator

TIDALWAVE Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 21 Nov 2009 Location: MINNESOTA Online Status: Offline Posts: 315	Posted: 05 Sep 2010 at 11:37am
	I am glad that I traded in my Jeep Liberty for a full-sized pickup with a much larger engine. I always had to tow the Pod with the overdrive shut off when towing with the Jeep, even on flat roads. With the new pickup and a much larger engine, the transmission can use the overdrive with a measurable increase in mpg. I only have to go to non-over-drive when towing into a very stiff head wind or pulling up steeper hills. I actually get better mileage when non-towing with the pickup than when I drove the Jeep (20-22 mpg vs 17-19 mpg). I, too, have found a distinct decrease in mileage when going over 55 mph. I feel uncomfortable towing at 15 mph less than the speed limit on the Interstate, with traffic always passing around me. However, if I take state highways at the 55 speed limit, I find that everyone still tries to speed around me, and there is no passing lane for them to get around.
	TIDALWAVE

vandallc Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 02 May 2010 Location: Charleston, SC Online Status: Offline Posts: 41	Posted: 05 Sep 2010 at 3:37pm
	Next time you are on the interstate try getting behind a large semi going between 60 and 65 mph and see if you don't get the same or better mileage that you are getting at 55 on the open road. It kills three birds with one stone. You are driving closer to the speed limit so you don't have the added danger people running up behind you with a differential speed of 20 mph, you get better mileage and save money on fuel and, you save time. You need to be 100 ft or less behing which sounds close but it is not nearly as close as you have to drive when stacked up passing in the left lane.
	vandallc 2011 177 2003 Lincoln Navigator

TheDogHouse Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 23 Aug 2010 Location: Ohio Online Status: Offline Posts: 33	Posted: 06 Sep 2010 at 8:30pm
	Sticking with my promise to report back my MPG findings on a longer trip with a loaded vehicle, I'm not all that excited about the results but here's what we experienced: My 2007 F150 does have a solid hard cover (Foldacover) which minimizes box turbulence. My calculations are completely manual (calculator, pump receipt and odometer) and truck/ camper loaded with water, firewood and all the goodies. I assume close to 600 pounds was added to the first towing scenario. Managing 62-65 MPH for 60% of the trip and the remainder at 55 MPH we were able to achieve 13.6 MPG on our trip. I switched in and out of overdrive on hills where it seemed to make sense but the TV seems to make pretty reasonable shifting choices on it's own. I did notice that "dragging a barn door" effect headed west probably due to the winds and I really doubt that the spoiler is doing much to help, but I'll leave that for the experts. On the good side, we loved the camper and all the good ideas built into it. 3 people is about the limit for comfortable camping and remember to take an electric heater this time of year. 42 degrees Saturday morning was very cold on the hybrid end and the gas furnace ran allot. Pod on! Steve
	Steve and Rosa 11' 173T 09' Silverado Extended Cab

techntrek Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9059	Posted: 07 Sep 2010 at 12:17pm
	I think you have the new best record for mpg.
	Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

brownd Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 25 Jul 2010 Online Status: Offline Posts: 36	Posted: 07 Sep 2010 at 11:22pm
	Thanks for the report on your latest trip with your 173. I think that is a record for Miles/Gallon. Your 1st trip you reported about 15 I think. It is appears to be either your truck, the spoiler on the 173 or the wind was at your back the both trips. Please keep on reporting on your mileage. Also, what is the rear end ratio on the truck. That could be it too. I once had an older chevy pickup with a 350 that got 13 mpg not pulling or 13 mpg pulling a freight train. Slight exageration. I hope at some point we can also get a report from someone pulling a 173 with a medium size six cylinder to see if it is the 173 and spoiler or the F150 with the V8. As we have seen before though other V8s don't do 13.8-15 mpg. I also hope that Forest River is monitoring these posts because they are the only ones who could do a truely scientific test.
	Dave