Topic: My New Toy (ota)

[tortoise]

I towed 2700 lb of washed rock in an open U-Haul trailer and it didn’t use much more fuel than usual, maybe 2 L/100km extra. Not having a whole lot of extra drag probably helped.

Towing a 2700 lb trailer with a  Sequoia is like towing a dinghy with an aircraft carrier. 

[Gurgie]

I towed 2700 lb of washed rock in an open U-Haul trailer and it didn’t use much more fuel than usual, maybe 2 L/100km extra. Not having a whole lot of extra drag probably helped.

Towing a 2700 lb trailer with a  Sequoia is like towing a dinghy with an aircraft carrier.

Yeah, my JGC wouldn't even break a sweat towing that little... and with the diesel, towing isn't much of a penalty on fuel economy either.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

Yeah, my pop-up weighs about that, and like I mentioned, the Tundra doesn't even feel it.  Fuel economy isn't greatly affected either. 

[johngenx]

Yeah, it's the relative size of the load. When I've towed loads that more than effectively double the weight of the HL, it drinks badly.

I towed my neighbours little tent trailer back from his vacation property and I didn't notice a real fuel economy penalty. Towing 4500lbs of reno waste in stop and go?  Ugh. Terrible. Glug glug glug.

[dkaz]

I towed 2700 lb of washed rock in an open U-Haul trailer and it didn’t use much more fuel than usual, maybe 2 L/100km extra. Not having a whole lot of extra drag probably helped.

Towing a 2700 lb trailer with a  Sequoia is like towing a dinghy with an aircraft carrier.

It was 2700 lb of gravel plus the weight of the trailer. Or was it including? I got 2/3rds of a yard of washed rock because that was the maximum payload of the trailer.

Tow a 2700 lb hard side camper and the fuel consumption goes up because of all the extra drag.

[tortoise]

Yeah, it's the relative size of the load. When I've towed loads that more than effectively double the weight of the HL, it drinks badly.

I towed my neighbours little tent trailer back from his vacation property and I didn't notice a real fuel economy penalty. Towing 4500lbs of reno waste in stop and go?  Ugh. Terrible. Glug glug glug.

That's a LOT of weight for a HL.  I thought the Gen 1's were limited to 3500 lbs with the tow package and it was the Gen 2's that were bumped up to 5000 lbs.

[johngenx]

Conflicting info on the rating for Gen 1 Highlanders. I figured one 4500lb tow would be fine regardless of actual rating. It wasn't happy but managed better than I thought it would. I did manually control the transmission to keep rpm up.

No more "heavy" tows for the old gal now, I sold the brake controller. I still have the hitch and electrical connector, but can only tow on the cars brakes now.

[bridgecity]

Aerodynamics/wind has a larger effect on fuel mileage than weight.  Drop a couple thousand pounds while towing at highway speeds with my Tundra and the difference in minimal, if noticeable.  Add a head wind (similar effect to increasing frontal area) and the increase is dramatic. 

[Great_Big_Abyss]

Aerodynamics/wind has a larger effect on fuel mileage than weight.  Drop a couple thousand pounds while towing at highway speeds with my Tundra and the difference in minimal, if noticeable.  Add a head wind (similar effect to increasing frontal area) and the increase is dramatic.

On the highway at a steady speed, yes this is true.  However, in the city in stop and go traffic, weight is a bigger enemy than wind resistance. 

[bridgecity]

Aerodynamics/wind has a larger effect on fuel mileage than weight.  Drop a couple thousand pounds while towing at highway speeds with my Tundra and the difference in minimal, if noticeable.  Add a head wind (similar effect to increasing frontal area) and the increase is dramatic.

On the highway at a steady speed, yes this is true.  However, in the city in stop and go traffic, weight is a bigger enemy than wind resistance.

Yes, very true.  I never really think of it that way as when I have a trailer in tow I'm almost always heading for the highway.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

Aerodynamics/wind has a larger effect on fuel mileage than weight.  Drop a couple thousand pounds while towing at highway speeds with my Tundra and the difference in minimal, if noticeable.  Add a head wind (similar effect to increasing frontal area) and the increase is dramatic.

On the highway at a steady speed, yes this is true.  However, in the city in stop and go traffic, weight is a bigger enemy than wind resistance.

Yes, very true.  I never really think of it that way as when I have a trailer in tow I'm almost always heading for the highway.

I suppose it depends on the use case.  If you're using your truck to pull a camper, most of your driving will be done on the highway at highway speeds where windage is a bigger issue.  If you're a contractor, you're probably spending a lot more time in the city where weight is what penalizes you.

[dirtyjeffer]

Aerodynamics/wind has a larger effect on fuel mileage than weight.  Drop a couple thousand pounds while towing at highway speeds with my Tundra and the difference in minimal, if noticeable.  Add a head wind (similar effect to increasing frontal area) and the increase is dramatic.

On the highway at a steady speed, yes this is true.  However, in the city in stop and go traffic, weight is a bigger enemy than wind resistance.

Yes, very true.  I never really think of it that way as when I have a trailer in tow I'm almost always heading for the highway.

I suppose it depends on the use case.  If you're using your truck to pull a camper, most of your driving will be done on the highway at highway speeds where windage is a bigger issue.  If you're a contractor, you're probably spending a lot more time in the city where weight is what penalizes you.

double up...tow the boxy camper on the highway at 140 km/hr...chug, chug, chug. 

[Great_Big_Abyss]

Aerodynamics/wind has a larger effect on fuel mileage than weight.  Drop a couple thousand pounds while towing at highway speeds with my Tundra and the difference in minimal, if noticeable.  Add a head wind (similar effect to increasing frontal area) and the increase is dramatic.

On the highway at a steady speed, yes this is true.  However, in the city in stop and go traffic, weight is a bigger enemy than wind resistance.

Yes, very true.  I never really think of it that way as when I have a trailer in tow I'm almost always heading for the highway.

I suppose it depends on the use case.  If you're using your truck to pull a camper, most of your driving will be done on the highway at highway speeds where windage is a bigger issue.  If you're a contractor, you're probably spending a lot more time in the city where weight is what penalizes you.

double up...tow the boxy camper on the highway at 140 km/hr...chug, chug, chug. 

LOL, I don't drive at 140km/h on a normal day.  People here in Manitoba just don't go that fast. 

[Fobroader]

Aerodynamics/wind has a larger effect on fuel mileage than weight.  Drop a couple thousand pounds while towing at highway speeds with my Tundra and the difference in minimal, if noticeable.  Add a head wind (similar effect to increasing frontal area) and the increase is dramatic.

On the highway at a steady speed, yes this is true.  However, in the city in stop and go traffic, weight is a bigger enemy than wind resistance.

Yes, very true.  I never really think of it that way as when I have a trailer in tow I'm almost always heading for the highway.

I suppose it depends on the use case.  If you're using your truck to pull a camper, most of your driving will be done on the highway at highway speeds where windage is a bigger issue.  If you're a contractor, you're probably spending a lot more time in the city where weight is what penalizes you.

double up...tow the boxy camper on the highway at 140 km/hr...chug, chug, chug. 

Thats the official cruising speed of the Dodge Ram pulling a 40' fifth wheel club. Its pretty bad to see a rig that big pass most left lane hogging morons on the right when you're on the highway.

[dirtyjeffer]

Aerodynamics/wind has a larger effect on fuel mileage than weight.  Drop a couple thousand pounds while towing at highway speeds with my Tundra and the difference in minimal, if noticeable.  Add a head wind (similar effect to increasing frontal area) and the increase is dramatic.

On the highway at a steady speed, yes this is true.  However, in the city in stop and go traffic, weight is a bigger enemy than wind resistance.

Yes, very true.  I never really think of it that way as when I have a trailer in tow I'm almost always heading for the highway.

I suppose it depends on the use case.  If you're using your truck to pull a camper, most of your driving will be done on the highway at highway speeds where windage is a bigger issue.  If you're a contractor, you're probably spending a lot more time in the city where weight is what penalizes you.

double up...tow the boxy camper on the highway at 140 km/hr...chug, chug, chug. 

LOL, I don't drive at 140km/h on a normal day.  People here in Manitoba just don't go that fast.

i know, i'm just kidding...can you image your fuel economy doing that though? 

[Great_Big_Abyss]

Aerodynamics/wind has a larger effect on fuel mileage than weight.  Drop a couple thousand pounds while towing at highway speeds with my Tundra and the difference in minimal, if noticeable.  Add a head wind (similar effect to increasing frontal area) and the increase is dramatic.

On the highway at a steady speed, yes this is true.  However, in the city in stop and go traffic, weight is a bigger enemy than wind resistance.

Yes, very true.  I never really think of it that way as when I have a trailer in tow I'm almost always heading for the highway.

I suppose it depends on the use case.  If you're using your truck to pull a camper, most of your driving will be done on the highway at highway speeds where windage is a bigger issue.  If you're a contractor, you're probably spending a lot more time in the city where weight is what penalizes you.

double up...tow the boxy camper on the highway at 140 km/hr...chug, chug, chug. 

LOL, I don't drive at 140km/h on a normal day.  People here in Manitoba just don't go that fast.

i know, i'm just kidding...can you image your fuel economy doing that though? 

It wouldn't be great even with an empty truck.  Pulling a large camper?  Ya, no way. 

[quadzilla]

Hit hwy 400 and hwy 11 north of GTA in the winter and you will see pickups pulling sleds cruising at 140 all the time. I also see contractors with big trailers or people pulling horses on the 401 at 125+ quite often.

A lot of people just don't care about fuel economy.

[rrocket]

Hit hwy 400 and hwy 11 north of GTA in the winter and you will see pickups pulling sleds cruising at 140 all the time.

Yep!  Those poor bearing in those small tires at 140km/h!!

First thing I did when I got my trailer was upgrade all the bearings.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

Yeah, life is just slower in MB.

[bridgecity]

Hit hwy 400 and hwy 11 north of GTA in the winter and you will see pickups pulling sleds cruising at 140 all the time.

Yep!  Those poor bearing in those small tires at 140km/h!!

First thing I did when I got my trailer was upgrade all the bearings.

My concern is trailer tire speed rating. Most are only rated to 104km/hr.