Yesterday, my husband and I towed our 2-horse BP Merhow w/ one horse approx. 350 miles, then towed the empty trailer back home, another 350 miles. The trailer weighs 1900 lbs. empty, the horse was a small QH, probably weighing 900 lbs. We had no hay, saddles, etc. to add weight

Our gas mileage averaged 8.9-9.1 mpg. which is exactly half of what we get when we are not pulling the trailer.

My husband was not happy to say the least, and was wondering how to get better gas mileage while towing. He thought that because the Merhow has a strait, flat front it caused more drag and would lower the gas mileage.

Would a trailer w/ a more rounded or v-nose (like a 4 Star) help w/ gas mileage? Or do you just expect to get crummy mileage when towing horses?

Thanks for the help!

what are you towing it with?  how fast are you driving?  hand calculated mpg or computer?

yes you should just expect low mpg when towing.  a v-nose would likely not help enough to warrant a different trailer (unless you wanted one anyway), weight also has little to do with mpg, wind resistance is the problem.

both the trucks in my sig pulling the same trailer got ~13 mpg towing at 65 mph.  w/o the trailer at 65 mph the 2500hd gets ~20 mpg and the trailblazer ~22 mpg.

I don't care if we get a different trailer but if there is a shape of trailer that would help increase gas mileage it would be worth it to us to purchase that trailer.

The mileage was calculated by the computer in the car, we had the readout set on mpg and it kept constant track of it as we drove.

Thanks!

Deirdre

Best way to improve your fuel mileage is slow down. Personally I don't like to go over 65 and usually set my cruise around 60/62, regardless if the speed limit says I can go faster. When I haul horses I'm just not in that big of a hurry to get anywhere. And if I am, that's my fault not my horses, so I still keep it on the slower side. I'm pretty sure my horses appreciate it too.

Unless you plan to haul those kind of distances regularly, I wouldn't sweat it too much or spend to much trying to fix it. Hmmm, an extra $35-$75 or so dollars for fuel occasionally or monthly payments on a new trailer or truck. Hmmm.

If we slowed down (esp. going LESS than the speed limit). We would likely be road-kill, cause we'd be run over by one of the thousand's of Semis going across Texas!

Thanks for your input but I wouldn't purchase a 'new' trailer, I would purchase used and there wouldn't be a huge extra outlay in $$$. If the gas savings were noticeable the "new, used" trailer would be worth it. And I don't see why we would get a new truck, we just purchased this one.

You are right, we don't normally drive 700 miles in one day towing our trailer but that's not to say that we won't be doing it again and I couldn't say how often we'll be doing it. I hadn't planned on driving that far yesterday and if you'd told me on Friday that we'd be hauling that far I'd have said you were crazy! ;o)

If the speed limit is 55, he'll go 60.

If the speed limit is 60, he'll go 65.

We DON'T drive 75mph towing our horse trailer!!

Deirdrehttp://www.gspca.org/

I find I get the best mileage towing at about 60.  Any faster and my truck really starts sucking down the fuel.  I haul about 120 miles a week and if I'm going faster than 65 and leave the cruise on up hills (it kicks down and revs the engine) it takes 3/4 tank.  If I stay at 60 and take the cruise off going up hill I only use 1/2 a tank.   That is about a 9 gallon & $25 difference.  So by just slowing down I save $100 a month

I dont' know if the horses notice the different speeds, but I notice the difference when I drive with the window down and wouldn't like the strong wind in my face.

It's probably not the shape of your trailer, just the extra weight and resistance to the axles turning.

I frequently tow an empty 7x14 trailer over to eastern Utah to pick up a load of rock to build homes with. The trailer does not stick up higher than my Ford F-350 Pickup. Towing empty trailer over or trailer with  8000lbs of rock coming home I get almost the same mileage. 12.5 to 12.8mpg. Which is pretty much the same as when I hook up to 16,000lb 4 horse LQ.  So the weight doesn't seem to make much difference. My truck empty gets 19mpg running 70mph down the hiway with out a trailer.

So hooking up a trailer regardless of whether it is a tall gooseneck LQ with A/C, awning and racks on top that weighs 16,000lbs or a flat bed with 2 foot tall sides that weighs 4,000lbs empty cuts my mpg by about a third. I don't think changing the shape will make much of a difference.

I have a 97 Dodge 2500 2WD Auto Diesel

 My truck is a 02 Dodge 2500 2WD auto diesel and I only get about 11-12 mph towing and about 15-16 empty.   We traded my 1/2 ton dodge because the bed rails were to high.  I guess I should have kept looking for an older truck to get that higher fuel mileage.

Just out of curiosity...WHAT is your trailer tires' speed rating???

Unless you have top of the line Goodyears...I'm willing to bet you have exceeded your trailer tires' speed rating...

Just a thought, because I don't want to read your next posting here to be in reference to a trailer tire failure...

Slowdown...save fuel...and your tires...

And you give yourself more time to react to events that can occur in front of you...

Some examples of Pickup truck braking distances and bad outcomes...

At 55 mph your reaction time is 60 feet. Now add in 160 feet for braking distance. That’s 220 feet. You just rear ended a 560 SEC Mercedes and doubled your insurance. The passenger is faking a sore neck and has a brother in Century City who is an attorney specializing in personal injury.

At 65 mph your reaction time is 71 feet plus 240 feet to stop. This time you rear-ended a ‘Vons Is Value’ truck. Luckily your work truck has one and the airbag deployed, but it broke your nose. Your truck is totaled and it takes twenty days to build a new one providing your insurance company gives you a check first for your old one.

Then we add a REAL BIG TRAILER and now the numbers get real interesting...

I don't recall saying slow down because the horses prefer it. I'm sure they do appreciate me not zig zagging in traffic not trying to race to my destination. I said slow down because it will improve your fuel economy. OK and I prefer it. Deep dark secret that 55mph limit that we had for so many years actually conserved quite a bit of fuel. Sadly we are in such a hurry to get anywhere, we have forsaken it. And yes I keep up with the other traffic too, but sometimes wonder what our hurry really is. I don't know about Texas but most states limit the truckers to between 55 and 65 mph, so if you were doing 62, should not be a big deal. The other reason for going slower is it allows more reaction time should you need to react to some unforeseen hazard in the road. Especially critical when towing a trailer.

Anyway, good luck finding a solution to your dilemma, be it a used trailer or a diesel truck or just figuring you don't tow enough to worry about it.

Happy trails.

As much as I hate being slow, especially on long trips, I try to keep the speedometer pegged at 62mph. I have an 02 Duramax 3/4 ton and pulling a fully loaded Jamco 4H with lots of tack and show stuff, I can manage 13-16mpg depending on the terrain. If it is mostly flat hi-way driving I can get 16mpg. If I am hauling to Reno over the hills then I get about 13mpg on the trip up. This same truck with no trailer will get 19mpg on a run from Sacramento, CA to Seattle Washington with the speedo between 70-80mph.

Keeping the speed at 62 with the trailer also avoids alot of suspicion from the hi-way patrol. Trucks with horse trailers are supposed to be driving the same posted speed as the tractor-trailers.

Well, with that rig, your trailer can take over your tow vehicle in an emergency stop; speed on a straight line with completely clear highway, no traffic, no deer, no dogs, and no blowouts, is marvelous, however, these things can happen....in view of the light tow vehicle, it's undoubtedly high speed gear ratio in the rear, fuel economy, and stopping ability, other than getting a different vehicle, reducing speed is your best bet.  The safety issues will be in effect with a v-nosed trailer as well.  Having worked wrecks with the type of arrangement you have, the best friendly advice will be to take much more time in transit.  Good luck to your family and horse(s) in whichever solution you find, ...all the best....

reference:

http://www.horsewheels.net/v1%20I1%20Pulling%20Power%20and%20Stopping%20Ability.pdf

I agree w/ everyone about slowing down. I used to show horses most every weekend years and years ago. I drove my own rig and I drove much more conservatively then my husband does now.

I got married (to a non-horseperson) and of course he has no idea how to drive when towing live cargo! The first time we went someplace w/ our trailer and a horse he started out driving like you'd drive a car! I told him (very nicely) that he needed to take it easy for the sake of the horse and I explained why. Well I guess I bruised his male ego because it led to a big ol' fight!

I always say "I'll drive" when hauling horses but he refuses. Luckily after he cooled down he has listened to my advice, plus he's read articles that I've printed out for him (I think it helps if advice comes from a 3rd party!). He's better now but when it gets towards the end of a long day and he's ready to get home, he starts getting a little lax w/ his driving.

Recently when I offered (for the thousandth time) to drive, and was turned down I finally asked hubby why he never let me drive. His answer? Because "I drive too slow!" LOL

I guess I can't win. BUT, my husband really is great, and he tries to understand the horses and my love of them. And he participates with attending clinics, shows, etc. Like on Sat., when he would have rather been playing Golf, he cancelled his plans to take my horse (at the last minute) 700 miles to a trainer.

Deirdre

No one yelled at them to SLOW DOWN. I agree my husband should SLOW DOWN. But what was a simple post asking about aerodynamics and gas mileage has turned into a criticism of our driving.

I have tried to get my husband to ride in the back. Believe me, I'm doing all I can to make our horse trailering experiences safe and positive for all involved. I feel lucky that we have the V8 4Runner to tow w/. Before we were using a V6 BMW X5. At least I talked hubby into a V8.

We can't all have huge HD PU trucks w/ super duty this and the perfect axle ratio, etc. etc. In a perfect world, yes. But not in MY world ;o)

I do a lot of research, most of it on this site and I know what it takes to be safe, I know it is not ideal to tow w/ an SUV, etc., etc.

But hubby thinks if the auto manufacturer says the vehicle can do it (tow that much) then we are going to do it!

I just want the friendly advice that I think this forum is known for. It's hard not to react when you think people are being judgemental.

Deirdre

I agree, and hope you don't feel hurt at my input. If so, please accept my apologies....  While addressing the fuel mileage issue, I also hoped to give you some info to help you with the hubby....

And I did pull a flat faced 2 h BP TB trailer with a Dodge Ramcharger!  Never wrecked but learned about that fuel thing, tooo....am lucky now to have the big truck for the big trailer, and still have a standard V-nosed BP 2h that I can pull with the Suburban for little runs to the vet etc...  I truly do wish you luck, and perhaps a V-nose will help a bit on fuel, at least on flat roads....(My husband is somewhat the opposite.. always bigger truck "just in case", and drive like there is an open cup of scalding coffee sittin in your lap!)  there's an idea!

Let me check........................................................No just little old me, currently in Vermont.......Why do you ask???

I think REG has moved to http://www.tractorbynet.com/

Your 4 runner will pull probably just about anything..  I'm not knocking that by no means.. But to really get the optimal fuel mileage out of it while you are towing you shouldn't drive the posted speed limit..  The sticker on the window that tells you the mpg is not based on the actual speed limit..  It is based on 55 mph.. Getting a v-shaped nosed on the trailer probably wouldn't make a big enough difference to justify buying one.   For your next trip just try it..  Drive 55 to 60 mph for the whole trip regardless if the speed limit is 70 and just see what happens.. You'll probably be suprised.   I drove across kansas last year at 60 mph all the way from Missouri to Colorado.  I wasn't pulling anything and I got 20mpg.  On the way home I drove 80.  I only got 17.5mpg.  Speed makes a difference.  

Whoa...care to state what you paid for the 4RUNNER or better yet...BMW X5...My guess i that you could have bought a no trim GMC 3500 Duramax for what you paid for either of those vehicles...

http://autos.yahoo.com/2007_toyota_4runner/

http://www.epinions.com/content_86842707588

Tell me I'm wrong...You won't be the first and you probably won't be the last...

The SUV's we use to tow w/ are daily drivers. A large PU set up for towing would most likely sit in the driveway as it wouldn't be something we'd want to drive around in the city on a daily basis.

We paid $21,000 for the 4Runner.

We paid $27,000 for the BMW X5, it was a 2001 and had only 11,000 miles on it when we purchaed it approx. 6 yrs. ago. We kept it for several years, selling it when it had 90,000+ miles on it.

Deirdre

Good prices on those vehicles...especially the BMW...

A used GM3500 Duramax should be in those price ranges...(do you think I favor a particular model of tow vehicle?)...

Well if you tow regularly...I would think about turning a BIG pickup into one of your daily drivers...

Just so you understand my position...as a Fireman...I have responded to too many trailer accidents where the tow vehicle was overwhelmed...YMMV

Anyhow be safe out there...

Plus a diesel isn't bad on fuel if you don't run the dog S__t out of it..

Not the newer ones.  They don't get any better than a gas engine.

Your getting better fuel mileage than anyone I know that has a truck newer than 2000.  Everyone I've talked to gets 15-18 empty and 11-12 towing.  That's what I got with my gasser.  If you have some secret to higher fuel mileage pass the info on.

There is no secret..   Drive the speed limit and don't romp the gas pedal every time you take off..   I drove across kansas this spring at 65mph.. The speed limit was 70 but I didn't care..   I got 20mpg with a 4wd 4 door 2500hd Duramax.   Driving home I drove 80 the whole way and got 17mpg..   I am thinking about putting a programmer on it and that should help get a mile or two better.. 

lets not get crazy here, we are talking about a 2h trailer. there are NO late model midsize or larger suv's that are going to be "overwhelmed" by 5000 pounds (or even less in this case).  the driver might be, but not the truck.........and if so, no larger truck is going to make up for lack of skill.

Tow Capacity of a Toyota 4Runner (Maximum) 5000 lbs

So hopefully her rig weighs less...

High speeds lead to smaller margins of safety...proven fact

Our trailer weighs 1900 lbs, we have 2 1000 lbs horses, two saddles, one bale of hay, 1/2 bag of feed, etc.

Anyway we are probably at 5500 lbs max including passengers, etc.

I think the 4Runner does a very good job of towing our small trailer (it has NO dressing room and is very compact in size) and I feel comfortable and safe using it.

Deirdre

as the op has stated the towing capacity is much more than 5000#.

and yes, "High speeds lead to smaller margins of safety...proven fact" who is arguing that?  but speed is also relative, within context of this discussion.  i see you claim vermont.....ever been out west?  75 mph is "gettin it" while towing (with ANY rig) as far as im concerned, but i have no problem doing it if traffic is light.

The day we hauled 700 miles and went 70mph at times, we were in Timbuktoo and were the ONLY people on the road. We were driving from Dallas, TX to Shiner, TX and once we got out of the DFW Metroplex, we had the roads to ouselves.

I agree that if you are on a straight road, by yourself, there is no reason you can't go a little faster as long as it's not wet, nighttime, foggy, etc. But on a clear, dry day why not?

I understand that a deer or dog or whatever might jump out in front of you, BUT are you really any better off if you are travelling at 60mph vrs. 70mph? You still can't stop and you're going to hit the deer or the dog, or whatever.

I'm not advocating speeding along in city traffic!! That would be nuts!

Deirdre

I don't know where these people live but the truckers in Texas do NOT drive the speed limit! They drive as fast as they can get away with, with 80-90mph NOT unusual.

I am MOST terrified when I see a semi coming up behind me, then pulling around me to blow by. I feel like I'm going to be sucked into their wake! It's esp. terrifying when I've got the horse trailer. When the semi trucks blow by it feels like a tornado!

Deirdre

Yes I've hauled from Colorado to Ohio corridor...the Dakotas to Ohio corridor...Yeah...I've even gone thru IOWA...

65 mph * 10 hours = 650 miles traveled

70 mph * 10 hours = 700 miles traveled

For an extra 50 miles...you've got more risks, more wear and tear on your vehicle and more expense for fuel...

Not to mention speed on trailer tires...ST are rated for 65 mph

For me, I'll slow down...YMMV

i guess we could discuss "risks" forever. its all about ones comfort level.  it is a "risk" just driving to work around here.  when you stop and think about it, shoving a 1/2" piece of metal in the mouth of a 1000 pound then jumping on their back is a pretty big risk also, probably bordering on asinine. 

i run the speed limit, conditions permitting.  some choose not to.  who is right?  no proof either way.  i dont care about "wear and tear" on my truck or mpg.  this is an expensive hobby anyhow you cut it, im not going to sweat the small stuff.  when this truck wears out, if i keep it that long, i will buy another one.  when the fuel tank runs empty, i fill it.  yes ST tires are rated to 65 mph, but im not the only one who has run many, many miles at speeds over that.  and there are always LT tires.

everyone just be careful.

you will get used to that "feeling".  when i was teaching my wife to tow i spent a fair amount of time driving around big rigs to demonstrate she was not going to die.  not that i would recommend it, but to show her that you can survive actually in the "bow wave" if necessary.  i drive a tractor trailer for a living, so i guess that makes me a little better at the vehicular foreplay.  you get used to only having inches between rigs.  she never got fully comfortable around the big trucks but she is far better than when she started.

The ST or LT designation have nothing to do with speed rating.   Need to check specs with your specific tire mnfct. 

is that a ST215/17.5 ??  im pretty sure ST tires are no larger than 16".  17.5" should be in the truck class, not ST or the LT (light truck).

Here are all of Goodyear's RV and Trailer tires

http://www.goodyear.com/rv/products/

i dont see where you answered my question.  i understand it is a trailer tire, but does it say ST before the size?  if it does not have ST then it is not the type of tire paul and I are talking about. the 17.5" tires in the load/inflation chart i have are NOT ST tires.

I went to the Goodyear site...and the load inflation data they have is massively out of date 2005/2006...

http://www.goodyear.com/rv/pdf/rv_inflation.pdf

And the only tires that had inflation rates of 130 psi were 22.5" tires

These Elites sound like great tires...I wonder why Goodyear doesn't have them on their website???

What is the ballpark per tire?

And do you need special rims, like the Goodyear Unisteel® G614 RST®???

never mind, according to this.........

http://www.goodyear.com/rv/pdf/rv_inflation.pdf

the tire size you are talking about is NOT an ST tire.  that explains why yours are rated at 75 mph.

Then why don't you enlighten us and tell us what the model of the tire is????

They aren't one of the Chinese recalled tire models are they???