Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives Box Trailers & MPG

My son is close to ordering a 7x16 V-Nose box trailer for long distance transport and storage of a side-by-side. Because of the 81" roof height of the side-by-side (Teryx 4), he will need to get an extra height trailer. The combined weight of the trailer and UTV would be about 3500 lbs. If a regular gas 1500 Silverado with a 5.3L gets about 15 mpg, how bad will the mileage be towing the trailer?

The trailer would come with a standard 2 foot V-nose. There are options for 3,4 and 5 foot extended V-noses for another $500. Would these make a significant difference in mileage? The trailer would be making a couple trips between Ohio and Colorado or Utah each year.

Thanks!

I would guess somewhere in that 7-9 mpg range. I'm a little surprised the empty 5.3 is only getting 15 to be honest.

As to the noses making a difference in mpg - I don't know. Trailer mfg could probably answer that and then I'd take it with a grain of salt. Whatever they promise, reduce by 40% lol.

Our family has had three 5.3s and one 4.8 in 2007-2011 models with 4 speed transmission and we consistently get about 15 mpg (one does worse at about 13.5). I do know the newer models do much better with more gears in the transmissions.

Anything beats a flat nose but the fuel savings between a 2' nose and a 3 to 5 ft would be so small that you'd never save the difference in cost. The longer one does give you slightly more inside storage, though.

You didn't mention whether its a single or tandem axle. A tandem IS worth the extra money, even on a trailer that light.

The extra height of the trailer will make a bigger difference than a v-nose. Gas mileage will suck, probably less than 10mpg.

We are afraid of that!

It definitely would be a tandem axle.

Depends a LOT in towing speed. Advice not doing 80 into a headwind……

THAT'S going to take some getting used to on the long haul across I-80!

Here's some info on trailers and wind resistance. It says that a v-nose helps but the best is a v-nose with rounded corners, not sharp angles. Getting the trailer close to the truck reduces resistance between them. Speed kills mileage.


WIND RESISTANCE

Excellent article! Thanks for sharing.

I pull a 20 ft v nose full 8 ft wide inside with 7 ft inside height. I have a 2007 1500 crew cab with a 5.3.I get 15 mpg without the trailer and 7 to 8 with it. I do run my truck in v8 mode only just to help/ I hope with engine wear. My transmission guy said to pull it in tow mode, I tried and it goes to about 6 mpg or less.

My uncle has basically the same setup but flat nosed. He’s been pulling it all over for years, through 4 different GMC 1500 pickups, one 350 and the others 5.3s.

Expect mid single digit MPGs. His new 2023 may be the worst of the bunch for towing MPG. It’s a 5.3 4x4, no idea on rear end ratio but he keeps it at 70mph or under.

Ouch! You guys are telling me what we don't want to hear! But the info is helpful...

On a side note my buddy has a 2018 gmc crew with a 5.3. He gets 22 mpg plus not towing. We went to Deland from here 7 1/2 hrs with his 21 ft ranger boat and it was 12 mpg to 12.5. That was running 70 to 75 mph. I still would never buy a camper, I made mine a camper and can do what I want when I want and it dont and wont leak. And I can haul what I want or need to.

We have an '18 Toyota Highlander. It normally gets about 24 mpg. We have a small camp trailer that we sometimes pull with it that weighs about 3000lb. That drops the mileage to about 14. With the 19 gal gas tank, that means we only have about a 200 mile range. I prefer pulling it with the pickup with it's 35 gal tank.