loss of mpg pulling empty trailer too much?

[armyman05f250]

Hey guys, I am wondering if my engine is just getting tired and time for a rebuild. My 2wd 05 cc swb gets 20 mpg at 65 empty no trailer. I have a small 7x14 single axle trailer I just bought and pulled it home and my MPG WENT DOWN TO 12 MPG!

I repacked the wheel bearings just to know they were in good shape. This trailer is a flat bed open trailer probabley weighs 1000 pds. This truck should not even know it is back there. Why the dramatic mpg loss? Any advise or experience would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again

[armyman05f250]

I forgot to mention that my truck is running great. Not burning oil or running badly or weak. It has plenty of power so I am at a loss of why it takes so much fuel to pull an empty trailer.

[HeavyAssault]

Any recent service on the truck??

[DENALI]

Does the trailer have one of those fold down rear gate/ramps?

[Woodsracer]

Originally Posted by armyman05f250

Hey guys, I am wondering if my engine is just getting tired and time for a rebuild. My 2wd 05 cc swb gets 20 mpg at 65 empty no trailer. I have a small 7x14 single axle trailer I just bought and pulled it home and my MPG WENT DOWN TO 12 MPG!

I repacked the wheel bearings just to know they were in good shape. This trailer is a flat bed open trailer probabley weighs 1000 pds. This truck should not even know it is back there. Why the dramatic mpg loss? Any advise or experience would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again

My experience is that it doesnt matter much how much the trailer weighs, but you are still pulling a brick.. no aerodynamics... I am assuming its an enclosed trailer?

[DELTAJOHN]

Hell, with my small flat bed trailer, (About 1200 empty) and 1000 lbs of motorcycles, I got 18 mpg traveling a combination of mountain roads and Highway in West Virginia with my 6.0!

[cyclonestroker]

Seems like a high drop. I get about 16 pulling a 16' fishing boat with a 40hp motor and all the gear and beer.

[armyman05f250]

I bought the trailer to carry my 2 harleys. I decided to start trailering them because of some leg problems that make long rides a thing of the past. My wife and I are day trippers on the bikes anymore.

I had the EGR and Oil cooler replaced last year. I have not had any issues since the work was done. I change oil every 5k religously and it was flushed correctly after the work was completed. I get a very decent 20 to 22 mpg cruising interstate at 65(it seems my truck likes 65 better than 70 for mpg). The trailer is an open flat bed with the tall ramp gate with wire mesh so it seems that would allow air to pass thru (my thinking when I bought this trailer anyway).

The loss of 20mpg to 12mpg seems extreme. The trailer tracks true and I have packed bearings so no issues there. If I am getting 12mpg empty I am scared of what I will see when I load 2 fullsize bikes on it.

What is crazy is I pull a 40 ft 5er and get 10 or 11mpg and that weighs 14K.

[GreenPSD]

That is a huge drop, but I don't think that mesh ramp passes as much air thru it as you would think at that speed. At least that has been my experience. Or maybe you have not pulled it enough to get an accurate read.

[DELTAJOHN]

Originally Posted by armyman05f250

I bought the trailer to carry my 2 harleys. I decided to start trailering them because of some leg problems that make long rides a thing of the past. My wife and I are day trippers on the bikes anymore.

I had the EGR and Oil cooler replaced last year. I have not had any issues since the work was done. I change oil every 5k religously and it was flushed correctly after the work was completed. I get a very decent 20 to 22 mpg cruising interstate at 65(it seems my truck likes 65 better than 70 for mpg). The trailer is an open flat bed with the tall ramp gate with wire mesh so it seems that would allow air to pass thru (my thinking when I bought this trailer anyway).

The loss of 20mpg to 12mpg seems extreme. The trailer tracks true and I have packed bearings so no issues there. If I am getting 12mpg empty I am scared of what I will see when I load 2 fullsize bikes on it.

What is crazy is I pull a 40 ft 5er and get 10 or 11mpg and that weighs
14K.

That rig sounds almost like mine, I have a mesh gate on the trailer too, same mods to the engine, stock tune, stock exhaust, tires stock size. And yes, my best on an unloaded cruise truck alone 65-70 mph, was 22 mpg. Something doesn't sound right.