Sponsored

Tow Journey Recap: DC to CT and back

JeepHouse

Well-Known Member
First Name
Scott
Joined
May 29, 2020
Threads
5
Messages
63
Reaction score
43
Location
Norwich CT
Vehicle(s)
2020 Jeep Gladiator Sport S
I have a small enclosed cargo trailer, 3000 lbs GVWR, that I took from DC up to CT this weekend (approx 350 mi) with about 1000 lbs of gear in it (about 1000 lbs empty so 2000 lbs being pulled) as well as 700 lbs of payload in the vehicle (including my weight and assumed 10% tongue weight). No issues encountered what so ever, have a Sport S with max tow package so well within towing capacity but since no brakes on this trailer, kept the load within the safe range (per the owners manual). Went up the straightest route possible which meant maximum tolls and maximum traffic but didn't experience any of the latter. What I'd like to point out in this post is that on the way there, full load, my MPG as measured by the vehicle were 18 MPG. On that leg of the journey, I kept the speed 50-55 MPH, mostly dictated by the fact that I was following my wife towing our boat (who was a champ driving that thing across the George Washington Bridge). On the way back, pulling the trailer empty, but going about 60-65 MPG, I observed 16 MPG. One caveat here is I wasn't time constrained so I went back through PA which was hillier (but no tolls) and I needed to make a stop there anyway. In the hillier region was in gear 5 and 6, non hilly areas were gears 7 and 8.

I was really happy with the way the vehicle performed, the ride was great, the Uconnect system made the miles pass by with ease and navigation from my phone was seemless, at one point had google maps and Waze going concurrently to see if they would converge on the best route. Previously I had pulled this trailer with an F-150 FX4 with the 5.4L V8 engine, which is a big enough truck you'd never know you had a 3000 lb trailer behind you. I thought some might like to know my observation on MPG and how getting an extra 5-10 MPH could burn more than 2 MPG (however weight and hills could have made it even better). Always a trade off for what you value.
Sponsored

 
 



Top