How To Calculate Gas Mileage When Towing A Trailer

Whether you're planning on hauling an extra load for business or pleasure, waking up to unfavorable fuel prices can put a damper on any plans you've made. To better prepare you, the guide below will tell you what you need to know about gas mileage when pulling a trailer.

How Trailers Affect Gas Mileage Rate

As you may have guessed, hauling a load will cause a drop in your gas mileage rate, regardless of the number of miles driven. The miles per gallon you get are largely down to the weight of the trailer and load, but several other factors can affect this.

The greater the weight you are carrying, the more force that is required to tow it; the more force required, the greater your engine's fuel consumption. So when it comes to towing, a bigger engine, more than likely in the form of a truck, is better for improving your miles per gallon.

Combine the added weight with the drag that the tow vehicle will inevitably experience and you can expect to see your gas mileage take a significant hit. Knowing what you might have to pay for fuel can be highly advantageous.

How To Calculate Gas Mileage When Towing A Trailer

A vehicle may be for personal or business use, so knowing your fuel consumption can be useful for calculating deductible costs or simply finding ways to save money. Here's the easiest way you can calculate your gas mileage in just three steps.

Get to know your vehicle

Start by calculating the fuel consumption of the tow vehicle without the trailer; this can be done either through a quick internet search or by reading your vehicle's odometer.

Fill up your vehicle's tank, record the current odometer reading, drive until the tank is at about half or quarter way full, fill up the tank again, and then record the odometer reading for a second time.

Determine the miles driven by subtracting the starting odometer reading from the ending one. Divide the result by the number of gallons required to fill the tank the second time, and that will give you your vehicle's standard mileage rate.

Make an accurate estimate of your trailer and cargo

The weight of the trailer can be found in its accompanying manual, but if you don't have the manual for whatever reason or if you're renting the trailer, you can easily find this information online or by asking the dealer.

Estimate how much cargo will be loaded into the trailer or find a nearby weigh station and weigh the loaded trailer there; doing this may incur a fee.

Calculate the drop in mileage

Any load under 2500 pounds is considered light. To calculate gas mileage for light loads, subtract 10 to 15 percent from your standard mileage rate.

If you have a medium load that is between 2500 and 5000 pounds, subtract 15 to 25 percent from your standard mileage rate.

Lastly, for heavy trailer loads of 5000 or more pounds, subtract 25 to 35 percent from your standard mileage rate.

How Can You Improve Your Gas Mileage When Towing?

There are a number of options you can utilize to increase your miles per gallon, but their effectiveness may vary between vehicles and according to the type of load you're carrying. Try any of the following to improve your gas mileage with a trailer:

What you can do with the tow vehicle:

• Accelerate gently, break early, and reduce your speed on the highway by 3 to 6 mph. Changing the way you drive should be the first step that you take to improve your cents per mile. Traveling at high speeds for prolonged periods of time will increase the amount of fuel you use, especially if you're carrying an additional load.
  Choose a diesel engine over an unleaded one. Diesel engines tend to cost slightly more than petrol ones but can generate around 12 to 15 percent more power out of a gallon, which can be useful in terms of bettering your cents per mile.
• Aerodynamics contributes around 50% to fuel consumption so where possible, avoid driving on windy days to mitigate excess drag.
• Install a wind deflector on your car to deflect airflow over the trailer. You can enjoy improvements of between 3-5 miles per gallon after installing a wind deflector. Additionally, deflectors can reduce wind noise when traveling at speed, which may be a useful feature for a long trip.
• Fit a new__ air filter__ to improve airflow to the towing vehicle's engine. A damaged or clogged air filter won't be able to prevent dust, insects, and harmful particles from reaching the engine, which means you won't get an optimal mix of air and fuel to support performance.
• Maintaining your vehicle's standard__ tire pressure__ is simple yet highly effective. Another option is increasing your tire pressure by around 5 to 10 psi to reduce rolling resistance and improve speed maintenance. Do this cautiously as excessive pressure can reduce the contact patch of tires with the road.
• Buy a fuel additive from a trustworthy brand. Always check with your vehicle's manufacturer beforehand to ensure your warranty won't be compromised by the use of additives.

What you can do to the trailer:

• Reduce your overall load and ensure even distribution. This may seem very obvious, but people very seldomly do this. Simple changes in the load you're carrying can do wonders in terms of improving the efficiency with which an automobile moves and reducing how much you're paying for gas.

FAQs

What vehicle gets the best gas mileage while towing?

Reducing gas expenses and improving your miles per gallon can also start with the car you choose. As of 2022, the cars that can get you the best miles per gallon are the Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, and Ford Ranger.

What affects gas mileage?

Dry weight aside, your miles per gallon can be affected by excessive short trips, traveling in cold weather, speeding, heavy braking or acceleration, and poor maintenance. Poor maintenance can include incorrect tire alignment or pressure, injector problems, and even spark plug issues.

Is premium gas better for towing?

Premium gas might help to improve the performance of your car, but there is no evidence to suggest that it will reduce fuel costs or increase your miles per gallon when towing. If so, the difference will barely be noticeable.

Final Thoughts

There you have it - some simple steps to improve your mileage rate for pulling a trailer. Your wallet is sure to thank you for following these tips!

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