Towing MPG (interested in all years, 2000 - 2017)

[rzabel]

Mine's too big for a single axle too, but that's how they did it back in '48. I have a 7500 lb axle on this one. My 2003 Yukon XL 2500 with the 8.1 and 4.10 gears gets about 8-9 mpg towing. Not much better without the trailer, but that's what I got it for anyway. It sure pulls nice!

 

[PG01]

I am curious what people get for mpg when towing?

I had a 2002 5.3 for pulling a snowmobile trailer. The thing is not all that heavy but has a lot of wind resistance.

I could pull 80 mph plus without a problem, but the thing liked the fuel. And there was no happy medium on the tach/shifting. I would be cruising along at 2200 RPM, but every hill bumped my up to 3200 RPM or way over.

No way to run between 2400 - 3000 RPMs.

Mileage was always 15 mph highway, but was a constant 7 mpg with the trailer.

Haven't had the snow fly yet to see what my 2014 6 speed will do with the extra 35 HP, but curious what others have seen.

View attachment 182939

Looks like a matchbox

 

[bldn10]

My '02 5.3 gets about the same towing as it does around town - 12ish. Pulling a 2900# car on an aluminum open trailer.

 

[gpracer1]

From what I’ve seen with 3 gas Tahoe’s and one diesel F350 7.3 the gas will see 7-9 mpg and diesel 9-12 mpg towing anything decently sized.

 

[ZACHBORIS]

7-8 with our 32' cherokee TT

 

[thompsoj22]

Just realized our 08 yukon denali xl 6.2 6 spd is going to get 7-9 mpg towing our 4k lb travel trailer. thats about 55 cents per mile! we are definitley at a crossroads decision with RV'ing. Our trip was 164 miles and the fuel was $104 dollars at $4.59 per gallon I am a ca native but straight up FU ca gas prices!

 

[97audia4]

Mine's too big for a single axle too, but that's how they did it back in '48. I have a 7500 lb axle on this one. My 2003 Yukon XL 2500 with the 8.1 and 4.10 gears gets about 8-9 mpg towing. Not much better without the trailer, but that's what I got it for anyway. It sure pulls nice! View attachment 190479

If I could find one not rotted out in PA I would trade my 09 Denali in and get one just to pull my trailer and find a weekend car.

 

[norcalboon]

2012 Denali XL 6.2 Just did a 300 mile trip up the CA coast with 6500# TT and averaged 8-9MPG , towed great, much better than my previous 2005 XL with the 5.3 - that was similar MPG but it worked really hard, esp. on any grades.

 

[swathdiver]

Just realized our 08 yukon denali xl 6.2 6 spd is going to get 7-9 mpg towing our 4k lb travel trailer. thats about 55 cents per mile! we are definitley at a crossroads decision with RV'ing. Our trip was 164 miles and the fuel was $104 dollars at $4.59 per gallon I am a ca native but straight up FU ca gas prices!

Can you get E30 over there? Should be less than 87 and will be as good as 92-93.

 

[thompsoj22]

2012 Denali XL 6.2 Just did a 300 mile trip up the CA coast with 6500# TT and averaged 8-9MPG , towed great, much better than my previous 2005 XL with the 5.3 - that was similar MPG but it worked really hard, esp. on any grades.

we also like the towing capabilities of the 6.2xl. Our TT is maybe 4500 lbs loaded, It really isnt the weight of our trailer, I think it is just the reality of pulling a square box into a headwind? we live in ridgecrest and normally travel north on hwy 395 so we climb "constantly" all the way to mammoth lakes. I should try hwy 101/pch for a beach trip as there would be fewer hill's at sea level and maybe i could see better results in mpg.

 

[thompsoj22]

Can you get E30 over there? Should be less than 87 and will be as good as 92-93.

Im not sure, I havent ever seen it marketed here. I think the only thing i have ever seen is "contains 10% ethanol" on the pump. I simply fuel at chevron with premium, There was a time when i used to laugh at the price of fuel and did not care about the cost but the budget has tightened with private school's for the kids and just the cost of getting through life, You know the American Dream! lol, No complaints though. The only solution is to out earn the cost of living, There really is no other option and America allows "ANYONE" to work as hard and as long as they want to! There is no oppression in our country, Oop's there i go!

 

[swathdiver]

Im not sure, I havent ever seen it marketed here.

Chevron is great, arguably the best gasoline IMO. But they're proud of it and for whatever reason many of the Chevron stations around here have dropped the brand and turned into BPs, Shell, etc. Probably too high franchise fees.

Anyhow, there are over 200 stations in California carrying Flex-Fuels. Except for Shell stations, you can identify Ethanol pumps by their yellow handles as you drive by. Then you can investigate further and see if they carry other blends.

It currently costs about $21 more to drive 300 miles on 93 octane gasoline compared with E30.

 

[thompsoj22]

Chevron is great, arguably the best gasoline IMO. But they're proud of it and for whatever reason many of the Chevron stations around here have dropped the brand and turned into BPs, Shell, etc. Probably too high franchise fees.

Anyhow, there are over 200 stations in California carrying Flex-Fuels. Except for Shell stations, you can identify Ethanol pumps by their yellow handles as you drive by. Then you can investigate further and see if they carry other blends.

It currently costs about $21 more to drive 300 miles on 93 octane gasoline compared with E30.

I would love to try the E30 and if i ever spot a yellow handle ill get some. We live in Ridgecrest ca, and i am allmost positive there are no yellow handles at any of our 7 gas stations. Only ca would deny us an efficient option because they can make more cash on less efficient higher priced oxygenated summer blend.

 

[swathdiver]

I would love to try the E30 and if i ever spot a yellow handle ill get some. We live in Ridgecrest ca, and i am allmost positive there are no yellow handles at any of our 7 gas stations. Only ca would deny us an efficient option because they can make more cash on less efficient higher priced oxygenated summer blend.

Yeah, doesn't appear to be any in your town. Bakersfield, Lancaster and Victorville at least have E85, not sure about E30. Will they run on JP-5? Got plenty of that nearby I'm sure!

 

[thompsoj22]

Yeah, doesn't appear to be any in your town. Bakersfield, Lancaster and Victorville at least have E85, not sure about E30. Will they run on JP-5? Got plenty of that nearby I'm sure!

used to be JP-8, now It is F-24. Im whining at 7-8 mpg towing. our AC are gulping 5-6 GPS in burner, yup gallons per second with a operating cost of right around $25,000 per flight hour. America has without a doubt the most lethal military/Defense on earth! Why anyone would want to go tow to tow with us is rediculous.

 

[petethepug]

Odd, 7 e85 stations in SD but nothing else for 100’s of miles. I can’t believe there’s no Costco in Ridgecrest yet.

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[swathdiver]

Odd, 7 e85 stations in SD but nothing else for 100’s of miles. I can’t believe there’s no Costco in Ridgecrest yet.

Gas Buddy is more accurate. Victorville and Lancaster each have one listed but they are quite proud of their E85. Then there are dozens and dozens in LA out to Palm Springs and on down to SD. Prices in the metro area seem to average $2.85 a gallon.

 

[petethepug]

I’m gas buddy inept. Couldn’t make it work for e85 even tho I swear by the app, lol.

Just realized that the L9H 6.2L in the 09 Denali has no AFM but flexfuel compatible. That’s be a nice combo for a keeper truck needed for towing. 2WD option too if you didn’t need the front two for snow.


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[swathdiver]

I’m gas buddy inept. Couldn’t make it work for e85 even tho I swear by the app, lol.

Just realized that the L9H 6.2L in the 09 Denali has no AFM but flexfuel compatible. That’s be a nice combo for a keeper truck needed for towing. 2WD option too if you didn’t need the front two for snow.


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No E85 in the website version, app only. Yes, the L9H was the ultimate truck 6.2 IMO. A handful of 2010 Yukon XL SLTs got them too.

 

[petethepug]

Since 2019 I see that the phone App for Gas Buddy is the only one that shows e85 or any grade fuel as an option. For those of you wondering about the corn fuel being run in the 09-14 NNBS trucks, e85 milage is the same going cross country as Premium fuel. Once you get into stop and go or in town the -2 to -3 MPG factor kicks in. It simply takes more fuel to get the truck up and running at speed. After that, the e85 pays back two the three times.