Power when towing

[ASD Dad]

Just curious how you guys that are pulling decent sized campers feel the power is when pulling grades.  My prior TV was a Tundra 5.7 and I could pass people going uphill when towing our 6600# camper.  I never had to worry about merging.  I never had to worry about the 7% grades locally.  Tundra was stock but we're talking 400lb/ft of torque and over 380hp.

 

I took a test tow with the camper and had to pull out onto a 2 lane 55mph country road.  When empty the NVP has zero issues with getting quickly to speed and I was satisfied with the lower powered motor especially in a much larger vehicle.  Let's just say I was surprised in a not so good way when merging out into traffic pulling the camper.  NVP and camper were empty too other than the year round stuff we store in the camper.  Once I got too speed it maintained it just fine but it was flat ground.  

 

So wanted to ask - everybody satisfied with their V8 towing power?  Is this just something I'll need to get used too?  I've always had plenty of power when towing past campers, this is the first time I felt underpowered.  

 

I know there are plenty of bolt ons that the Titan guys like such as the Airaid intakes, several exhausts and headers.  Then there are the ECU tuners from Bully Dog and Superchips.  All show repeatable dyno gains.

[andy_george]

As I've posted in other threads here, I have a Keystone Hornet trailer, 30ft, about 8,000lbs. I'm used to towing with modern diesel pickups and medium duty straight trucks. So of course the NV gasser is less torquey, but once I got used to it, I thought it seemed perfectly adequate for our trip from Michigan to Florida, through the mountains you mentioned I believe.

 

Now just like you, my first 50 mile trip home from buying the camper I was worried. It seemed to be lacking, just like you say. But once we had a hundred miles under our belts heading south, I felt like it was doing a great job, and I never felt any different the whole trip or since then.

 

Maybe there is an issue with your NV (probably not likely), maybe it'll just take a little more getting used to, or maybe your Tundra was a secret Toyota test vehicle with 800 ft.lbs. of torque:). Let us know if your impressions change after your trip maybe? Hopefully it does a good job for you..,,

[RICK]

Much more power than my 3.0 diesel sprinter when towing my work trailer. Problem is even without the trailer i'm getting 5.5- 7.5 mpg. Drive very little highway, mainly city averaging 12.5 mph. At least that was my average with my sprinter over 6 years. I'm much lighter than my sprinter was loaded.

 

Still have less than 3,000 miles , but I don't see an improvement when it breaks in.

 

Rick.

[andy_george]

Dang, just out of curiosity, Rick, what kind of mileage did the Sprinter give you in those city conditions? High teens?

[ASD Dad]

Andy, first trip is coming up soon. We're heading north through the NC and TN mountains. Made the trip in the past with zero issues but got a little hesitant after the short test tow. Would have preferred a closer trip but no time. I'm guessing it will be fine but I won't have that big headroom of power I'm used too. I'll just be planning farther ahead and not hammering up the hills. I may just start adding bolt ons for the fun of it. I wouldn't mind having more power day to day either!

[andy_george]

I didn't use the cruise through the mountains of Tennessee, and I manually controlled the gear selector button. 4th was fine for most hills, I clicked into 3rd for a couple of the real big ones and for engine braking on the down side. Never did I fall below 60 mph unless I wanted to. I'm not sure acceleration would have been great, I was just happy to maintain through those portions of the trip.

 

More power is ALWAYS welcome, but I'm at the age that dependability is nearly as important, and with the fuel mileage we get already, I'd hate to see what 20+more hp would do to this 5.6! :/

 

Hope you have a great trip! Jealous we aren't heading out on vacation ourselves!

[RICK]

Dang, just out of curiosity, Rick, what kind of mileage did the Sprinter give you in those city conditions? High teens?

6 years with the sprinter my city average was 12 mpg. On the highway from la to san diego 125 miles I showed 19-21 mpg.

 

I only do 6000 miles a year. But I'm under 200 miles a tank and last tank was only 134 miles on 23.81 gals. 5.63 mpg

 

$3.99 a gallon/ $95.00 I have a total of 2335 miles since 12/30/14.

 

Power is nice, but mileage sucks. Out here gas is about $1.00 more than diesel. So when that's factored in my cost per mile is well beyond double.

 

Rick.

[ASD Dad]

Do you have a ton of idling going on to get that low of mileage?  That just seems insane to be that low.  Is that all traffic or idling at sites as well?  

 

I have relatives that live in CA and one said their old 10 mile commute could take up to an hour depending on traffic.  That is just beyond crazy to me.  I'd be on a bike way before I sat in that traffic!

[RICK]

T do next to no idling. but at an average of 12 -13 mph based on a 6 year average in my sprinter it's stop and go in the city. lots of lights and stop signs. Does the AC use a lot of extra fuel? 

 

when i do go on the freeway and am not in traffic, i only see at most 10-11 mpg. this is with my van carrying approx 2000# of shelving and equipment/ supplies. that's still approx 1500# under the gvwr. my sprinter was much heavier as it still has lots of cargo in it i haven't transferred into the nissan.  

 

Can't imagine how you guys get that good of mileage towing 8000#, when i'm much lighter and don't even come close on the freeway when i'm driving 60-65 mph on an open freeway. yes it's a 3500 high roof, but how much more drag is there, compared to your travel trailers? 

 

Should I inflate the tires to the rated pressure of the tire or keep them at the posted pressure on the door jam? it can't make that much difference. can it? 

 

My scan guage shows approx 1gph while stopped at a light in drive and approx .75gph in neutral. not a big enough change to shift every time I'm at i light.  

 

Any suggestions that will make a difference. 

 

Rick

[Heavy Metal Doctor]

Most of my towing has been across the mountains of PA.  I have never felt the NV is lacking.

It feels right to me with a 7500LB camper behind it - no different than any other towing setup really.  In "feel", it seems the same as my Tahoe with 3K behind it or the Chevy dually I drive at work with 18K worth of goose neck / equipment behind that.