rated towing is 9200 lp. my trailer is5444lp. bad gas mileage
Poor gas mileage while towing a 5000 pound trailer . No surprise there .
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How far are you towing? 50miles? 800 miles? Is this a route you normally drive? Unloaded? No trailer point A to B is xx mileage.
Pulling trailer on same route and mileage is what?
If you tow rarely then it might not be an issue?
What kind of trailer ?
5th wheel travel trailer ?
Define “bad gas mileage”.
Has the MPG changed in the past five years?
The EPA says a 5.3 liter with 2wd should get 17mpg combined without a trailer. https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/bymodel/2015_Chevrolet_Silverado.shtml What engine/drivetrain do you have and what mileage are you actually getting?
Due to the laws of physics, vehicles tend to get worse fuel economy when towing. I know, I had to sit down for a moment when I learned this secret of the universe as well.
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The big decrement to towing is besides the weight, but wind resistance. 5,444lbs is a good size trailer. I suspect you gas mileage could easily drop in half or more.
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The trailer weighs about as much as the truck. So doubling the weight that is being pulled could cut the gas mileage in half.
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I would expect 8 to 10 MPG in that vehicle while towing that trailer.
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Even on a good day I would not expect good mileage with a 2.5+ ton trailer being lugged along.
A YouTube test of a 2015 1500 with a loaded trailer showed 7.55 MPG as compared to 19 sans trailer. The dashboard display showed 8 MPG. So if you’re in the 7-8 range I’d say things are normal.
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I’ve got an f150 with v8. 17mpg on the interstate at 70mph. Pulling a 16 ft v nose utility trailer weighing about 3700lbs loaded at 70mph equals 9.5 mpg.
Cutting back to 60mph on 2 lane roads gets you about 11 mpg. Wind is a big factor. Turning off the cruise control feels like you’ve deployed a parachute.
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