Holiday Travel Trailer Tow Trip - Weight / MPG stats & Experience

[Maverick123]

I really wish this trailer had a back bumper and a 2" hitch receiver.

Let me know if you figure out how to add one.

I'd really like to add an electric scooter or bike rack to the back of my trailer.

I'm adding a rack above the bed for that

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[mkebikecop]

Holiday Travel Trailer Tow
Coastal City to Coastal City
No net elevation change.
Mountains in the middle.
Went on a CAT SCALE as loaded with people, pets, and luggage.

Steer Axle : 2260 lbs
Rear Axle : 2640 lbs
Trailer Axle : 2940 lbs

Full tank of Gas.
Full tank of Propane.
10 gallons Water.

Simple ball and chain.
No WDH. Sway not an issue.
Pulls well at 60 MPH which was most of the trip.

Trailer Brakes : YES

91 Octane one direction.
50°F to 65°F light rain for 100 miles.
462 miles / 29.868 gallons
15.468 MPG

87 Octane reverse direction.
50°F to 65°F.
464 miles / 29.180 gallons
15.901 MPG

Truck said 16.5 MPG for the round trip.

With a scangauge:
3000 RPM & 80 horsepower typical at 60 MPH and about 35% on dash power meter.

6% and 7% grades:
3800 RPM & 100 horsepower typical at 45 to 50 MPH* and about 50% on dash power meter.

*This to keep engine water temperature steady at 190° to 200°F and generator below 250°F the whole mountain climb of about 2000 vertical feet in a short distance.

Light to no wind either direction.
Light cross wind if anything as I was traveling N & S.

What is the tung weight

Holiday Travel Trailer Tow
Coastal City to Coastal City
No net elevation change.
Mountains in the middle.
Went on a CAT SCALE as loaded with people, pets, and luggage.

Steer Axle : 2260 lbs
Rear Axle : 2640 lbs
Trailer Axle : 2940 lbs

Full tank of Gas.
Full tank of Propane.
10 gallons Water.

Simple ball and chain.
No WDH. Sway not an issue.
Pulls well at 60 MPH which was most of the trip.

Trailer Brakes : YES

91 Octane one direction.
50°F to 65°F light rain for 100 miles.
462 miles / 29.868 gallons
15.468 MPG

87 Octane reverse direction.
50°F to 65°F.
464 miles / 29.180 gallons
15.901 MPG

Truck said 16.5 MPG for the round trip.

With a scangauge:
3000 RPM & 80 horsepower typical at 60 MPH and about 35% on dash power meter.

6% and 7% grades:
3800 RPM & 100 horsepower typical at 45 to 50 MPH* and about 50% on dash power meter.

*This to keep engine water temperature steady at 190° to 200°F and generator below 250°F the whole mountain climb of about 2000 vertical feet in a short distance.

Light to no wind either direction.
Light cross wind if anything as I was traveling N & S.

what is the tongue weight?

 

[mkebikecop]

Has anyone towed an Airstream Bambi? I see they have a 16, 20 & a 22 foot models.

 

[Mavster Mechanic]

what is the tongue weight?

380 to 400 lbs as fully loaded.

 

[Mavster Mechanic]

Please don't, unless you want to take all the weight off your rear axle and create a "sway machine."

I have close to too much tongue weight right now. I added a spare tire and extra batteries to the front.

Taking a trivial amount off will only be helpful.

 

[chilicharger]

Holiday Travel Trailer Tow
Coastal City to Coastal City
No net elevation change.
Mountains in the middle.
Went on a CAT SCALE as loaded with people, pets, and luggage.

Steer Axle : 2260 lbs
Rear Axle : 2640 lbs
Trailer Axle : 2940 lbs

Full tank of Gas.
Full tank of Propane.
10 gallons Water.

Simple ball and chain.
No WDH. Sway not an issue.
Pulls well at 60 MPH which was most of the trip.

Trailer Brakes : YES

91 Octane one direction.
50°F to 65°F light rain for 100 miles.
462 miles / 29.868 gallons
15.468 MPG

87 Octane reverse direction.
50°F to 65°F.
464 miles / 29.180 gallons
15.901 MPG

Truck said 16.5 MPG for the round trip.

With a scangauge:
3000 RPM & 80 horsepower typical at 60 MPH and about 35% on dash power meter.

6% and 7% grades:
3800 RPM & 100 horsepower typical at 45 to 50 MPH* and about 50% on dash power meter.

*This to keep engine water temperature steady at 190° to 200°F and generator below 250°F the whole mountain climb of about 2000 vertical feet in a short distance.

Light to no wind either direction.
Light cross wind if anything as I was traveling N & S.

You appear to have a 22-24 FWD hybrid. My '25 4k tow AWD hybrid weighs a bit more, but also has a bit more power with the bigger motors and gear ratio change. That is good news for me. I plan on buying a trailer with a very similar weight and size soon. I was figuring that getting 15 mpg would be an acceptable amount for pulling the max it can handle. I plan on going 65 mph as much as possible, so that will give me a bit over 3 hours of drive time per tank. Buying the cheapest tier of gas at stations, instead of 91+ or diesel, is where the savings will be realized. My previous tow vehicle (2003 GMC Sierra 6.0 AWD) barely does 10-12 mpg when unladen and requires 91 octane, so the Mav should be an improvement in every way but passing power. I think I can do some slick stuff with the hybrid part of the Maverick to keep my trailer electrics running better, also.

 

[Mavster Mechanic]

I have 300 Ah of trailer batteries.
No solar.

I have a 30 amp vehicle to trailer charger.

In a pinch, I figured I would put the key to run in the Maverick and let it recharge the trailer for a few hours.

In four months of ownership and five camping trips so far, I've never needed to run the Maverick while camping.

3 hours between gas stops is about what I do while towing. Also lets me and the dogs get out and run around a bit.

190 to 225 miles between gas stops with my Trailer in tow.

 

[Cherokee]

If I was so inclined to get up to a near 8,000 pound GVWR I’d pick a bigger truck.
I wouldn’t work my 2024 AWD Ecoboost that hard even it it did have a 4K tow package.

Another example of why I’d never buy used.
I bet I get pounded for my opinion.

 

[Mavster Mechanic]

If I was so inclined to get up to a near 8,000 pound GVWR I’d pick a bigger truck.
I wouldn’t work my 2924 AWD Ecoboost that hard even it it did have a 4K tow package.

Another example of why I’d never buy used.
I bet I get pounded for my opinion.

I baby mine 80% of the time.

How else do you think I go 800 miles on one tank of gas?

 

[Cherokee]

I baby mine 80% of the time.

How else do you think I go 800 miles on one tank of gas?

I’d want a frame on body and a larger vehicle to feel safe.
You are fine until something happens.
Any evasive maneuver and you’re in trouble.

Considering all you invested in truck trailer and gear.
well, I cannot imagine the gas mileage being that big if a deal.
I would never put myself on the edge just for gas mileage.

I’d worry about things like micro cracks In The unibody welds unseen and unseeable.
A frame under a body can flex a bit.
I’ve seen beds bump into the back of the cab on old school trucks and flex right back no problem
A unibody has Verry little give built in.

The older Dodge Dakota frames would twist so bad the radiator would leak, be destroyed.

 

[Mavster Mechanic]

Well I didn't have the TT 3 years ago.
And I commute 88 miles a day.

But it did surprise me a little that 2025 model year close-out F-150's are priced the same as a well equipped Maverick.

 

[chilicharger]

I have 300 Ah of trailer batteries.
No solar.

I have a 30 amp vehicle to trailer charger.

In a pinch, I figured I would put the key to run in the Maverick and let it recharge the trailer for a few hours.

In four months of ownership and five camping trips so far, I've never needed to run the Maverick while camping.

3 hours between gas stops is about what I do while towing. Also lets me and the dogs get out and run around a bit.

190 to 225 miles between gas stops with my Trailer in tow.

What is this 30 amp vehicle to trailer charger and how do you have it connected?

 

[Mavster Mechanic]

What is this 30 amp vehicle to trailer charger and how do you have it connected?

The vehicle to trailer charger came built-in with my trailer purchase.

It auto detects lead or Lithium batteries.
It will charge lead at 13.7v (I think) and it will charge Lithium at 14.7v (I know).

Most factory equipped 7-pin connectors will send 20 amps max. to the trailer. Since I installed an after-market 7-pin I used 8 gauge wire (10 would probably be ok since it's not in a confined space) and put it on a 30 amp fuse direct to the truck battery with a relay to a key-on circuit.

(So I won't drain the truck's battery when key is off.)

Your stock setup will probably recharge a trailer at up to 20 amps.

 

[Cherokee]

Well I didn't have the TT 3 years ago.
And I commute 88 miles a day.

But it did surprise me a little that 2025 model year close-out F-150's are priced the same as a well equipped Maverick.

Careful Careful, Ford Finds out you exposed the bait and switch to the Maverick addicts and your extended warranty just might expire a bit too soon. :'P

 

[LSchicago]

Slow down is excellent advice. Trailer tires are not designed for high speed.
If I had a dollar for every blown trailer tire I've seen on the highways over the years, I could buy another Maverick.

I run H speed rated tires on my trailer. Mainly because they are low profile, so they will spin a bit faster.

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