Gas mileage when towing a Camper Trailer

From my experience towing my 5k camper in the mountains can be a real workout for the Tacoma especially if there's headwinds. No problem on the flats.

 

Yes.

 

I've rented various trailers to try them out, towing them over the mountains and to the desert to our fav campout spot in Ocotillo Wells. I would love to settle on a pop up for the reasons you stated - light-weight and roomy for what you get. However, have you ever stayed in one in a sand storm? Not pretty. I could put up with the wind shaking the trailer around but the Mrs said that was the last, and only, time. It was loud and the little thing shook madly. Tried positioning the trailer in various angles (the tail into wind fared the best but the thing still shook madly). So, the pop-up is out for us.

 

You pull that with a Taco?

 

But of course.

 

I pull an RPOD trailer at about 3800 - 4200 LBS... Flat ground holding about 60mpg... I'm getting around 12pmg

 

I think your doing pretty good getting 11 MPG towing that @ 65 MPH with a Tacoma, not very aerodynamic in addition to the weight.

 

If you're doing weekend or extended weekend jaunts it sounds like you want a Casita. This one is a 16' 1996 model that I sold last year for $8k. I currently have a 2001 that it's excellent condition (I feel it'd bring >$12k but I'm not selling it this year.)

~2600lb empty, 3000lbs loaded and pulls easily with the Taco. It has manual stabilizers that help prevent the rockin' and bouncin'.

They're expensive (new ~$26k) and used (a 20 year old trailer in great shape can still fetch $13k ) but there's a reason for it with the longevity, low maintenance, comfort-in-a-small package and resale value. I've owned 3 Casitas.. the first I bought brand spanking new in 2005 and sold it in 2007 for almost the price of new, the second I bought at auction for $4k and it needed some work (estate sale auction and nobody else there knew what it was worth.) Once cleaned up and the water system, water heater, hubs were fixed and exterior plastic and tires replaced I sold it for $8k.

They've evolved slightly over the last 30 years but the changes are relatively small. I'm sure I sound like a broken record here on TW... but I swear I don't work for Casita and just think their travel trailers are wonderful condos on wheels. Anyone in the market for a travel trailer I'd recommend you call the Casita factory and ask if they have a rep close by (by rep I mean a Casita owner.. they used to give owners $100 for each referral that turned into a sale.)

 

My dad had one of those. They're a quality trailer for the money.

 

Yes, 8-11mpg sounds about right. My latest tow was a 1700lbs trailer with a 3100lbs 04 camry 160 miles. I averaged 9-10mpg on 80% flat-ish/20% hilly highway.

And for the armchair towers, easily maintained 75+mph in 5th gear overdrive and not downshifting much at all, only on hills. Should note, my truck ‘13 4.0 DCSB with gross weight of 5500lbs (sliders, skids, etc) stock gearing 265/75/16. Starting from dead stop sucks tho lol

 

Cool. I actually bought the 96' above hoping my father would use it but he likes working too much to relax or vacation. I really like your pop-up and it looks like you've got decent clearance for off-road capabilities. The summers get damn hot here in the mid-atlantic and the little ms and I like sleeping in artic temps so I'm not sure soft-sides would work for us.

One of my favorite parts about this trailer is the near zero maintenance. is that we park it and generally do nothing to it until the next adventure.

 

Thanks!

Low maintenance must be nice. At least I've reinforced whatever has rattled loose, because I hate revisiting problem areas. (Taking a cheap trailer down washboard gravel at unsafe speeds has resulted in some serious garage time. ) So the maintenance list seems to grow smaller each year of ownership.

Last year was a biggie with new tires and upgrading the battery/converter to lithium. But no repairs for the first time. So far this year it's probably due for a new set of wheel bearings and it's annual water anode, and that's it so far. That will be my lightest spring shakedown since buying the bastard.


If I had the space to store one, I would have gotten either a Casita or a retro 19. Those are seriously cool trailers. And as you say, the Casitas are tanks. Unfortunately, the only level ground around my little house is in the garage. I have no place to store a hardside.

 

I assume you meant 60mph sounds about right, if I was in Florida where it's mostly flat I wouldn't even need to run in 4th gear. But yes on flat ground 65-70 easy but I would rather maintain 65MPH to minimize gas usage. 11mpg.

 

I pull around 12-14 MPG with this set up:
~1500 payload
~2500 towed

 

Very cool, I love the background too

 

SAE J2807 was developed to establish a standard method of testing Towing Capacity. Prior the J2807, manufacturers had their own individual test procedures. None were consistent within the industry. This led to much confusion.

Camper salespeople like to stand and sell based on the units UW (Unloaded Weight). In reality, the number of interest should be the GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating).

Some people would only advocate towing with a Kenworth tractor or equivalent. Reality, towing will decrease fuel mileage and increase wear on parts. Its a physics thing. Of course, the truck could be grossly over designed to compensate for all perceived situations, but no one could afford it or feed it fuel. Plus it'd pretty near worthless when not towing.

Many people are towing with marginal equipment (tires, hitch, trailer....brakes, engine.....). Many are grossly overloaded. Many have received bad or misleading information about towing.

Stay within the limits of the trailer, truck and the GCVWR (Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating). Weigh your loaded truck and loaded trailer. Know where and how your load is distributed.

OP, your fuel mileage sounds about normal for your towing situation. There really isn't a simple way to improve it. Best path is to drop your speed, proper tire inflation, less weight, reduce any air drag.

 

My trailer tows well even in heavy crosswinds, I guess the sway bar controller works well. Wing drag I can't help much because of the height of the camper but as you mentioned slower speed does help.

 

I get 8.5-12 depending on the direction of the wind with this setup.

 

Cool. Did you do an axle replacement? I've been thinking about switching from the torsion to a beefier leaf spring axle.

..and I see no plumbing hanging down did you shorten plumbing or is this a model without the bathroom with bunks up front?