Just ret'd from a camping trip and am shaking my head at how GOOD my mileage was...I am running an '01 F150 w/4.6 and manual transmission. I have historically gotten between 17 and 19 mpg at the most, unladen on the highway. This spring I put a canopy on the pickup, but hadn't checked the mileage since. I towed my 2000 lb. tent trailer this weekend and got 17.5 mpg the way up and 18.75 the way back. This was driving from Olympia, WA to Bellingham, WA, all highway mileage. The way up was about 20% stop and go, and the rest was at prevailing traffic speed (65-75), some hills, some use of cruise control. The way back had a lot less stop and go. I used the cruise heavily and stuck with traffic at 70-75 mph. I was intentionally NOT trying to save gas - I wanted to know how bad my mileage is going to be for an upcoming trip to Yellowstone.

Has anyone else experienced mileage like this? I suspect it's the canopy - I used to have a soft tonneau. I find it tough to believe that towing has had zero effect on mileage....

 

You may have had a little help with a tail wind. I'm sure in your situation the canopy helped a lot. There would be little wind resistance from a pop up with that thing on there.

That is still good milage considering the extra weight you had on there and it being a 4.6 to boot. I would try taking it on another trip and see if you get consistent results. I would expect you would get at least 14mpg instead of 17.

I wish I could get milage like that with my trailer.

 

I also have a 2001 with the 4.6, but with the automatic. I had a cap installed 2 weeks after buying the truck. I noticed a 3 - 5 mpg improvement depending on traffic and wind. But one thing I do agree with is that the cap provides better fuel economy, even when towing my 3500 lb tent trailer with boat on top.

 

Syd - what kind of mileage drop do you see between regular driving and towing your tent trailer?

 

Looks like there's room for me. I have a '99 4.6, auto; I usually get 23 mpg on the hwy, without a trailer. I made a solid bed cover, lost about 1/2 mpg.

 

I pulled my 2,000 pound tent trailer from Minnesota to Utah and back. Averaged 18 mpg for the entire trip. 4.2L 5 Speed, 4x4, 3.55s. I think that tent trailer just sits in the vacume behind the truck and really doesn't push any air. Just a little extra mass to accelerate and haul up the hills.

 

The truck gets better mileage when towing, I lose about 1 - 3 MPG, I have gotten 24 mpg towing out in Alberta Canada. Usually get 17 - 21 when towing. When truck is not towing average 15 - 18. And in winter months, luck to get 11 - 13 mpg. I have been keeping track of my mileage since day 1. Best ever was 24, worst ever was 8, but it was 30 degrees below zero for a week.

 

Somebody pinch me. I am in the middle of a roadtrip and am STILL seeing great mileage with my truck and tent trailer combo. The first leg of today's trip from Olympia WA to Ellensburg, WA was over two mountain passes and pushing it pretty hard - 18 mpg . Nice little tail wind coming down from the second pass helped, no doubt. Second leg, from Ellensburg to Spokane, WA was only 16 and odd change. No mountains, but less tailwind and I was driving in 5th at 75 most of the way. Tomorrow's drive to Bozeman, MT will see more mountains, but I'm going to take it easy on the flats, too, to see how much it helps to stay at 65 to 70 instead of 70 to75.

This truck is bone stock. 4.6, 5 speed manual, 3.31 rear end. I have a fibreglas canopy and am pulling a 2000 lb tent trailer. I'm hauling a ton of crap in the canopy - bikes, firewood, generator, luggage, you name it. The closest thing to a performance mod I made was adding a KN filter, and we all know there's plenty of doubt whether that's a plus or not. I also have firestone air bags helping the springs in back. Like I said last week, it's gotta be the canopy.