How will this trailer effect my gas mileage?

[devleigh]

Hello!

Me and my husband are taking a very long road trip, from Vancouver Island, BC, Canada to Dallas Texas. We're driving a 2008 Dodge Ram 2500 with a 5.7 litre Hemi (Gasoline). It has a towing capacity of 8000lb. It's a gas hog, but we need the power and size. We haven't owned it long enough to know it's gas mileage (we bought it just for the move) but the internet estimates 9-16/12-21 (City/HWY).

We're considering buying a cargo trailer, It's a 5x8', 3000 GVW, Single Axel, 14" Wheels, Dry Weight: 1200 Lbs, Payload: 1800 lbs. I'll be putting a motorcycle in it, along with some household items, so it's total weight should be at the very most 2000lb.

Is there any way to calculate or estimate the effect this trailer will have on gas mileage?

Thanks!
Devin

[tradosaurus]

I hope you didn't buy the truck just to pull that small of trailer? If so sell the truck, motorcycle and everything else you were planning on putting in the trailer and buy what you need when you get to Dallas. Assuming this is a one way trip?

[devleigh]

On the purchase of the truck: I told my husband we needed a long box, crew cab truck that can pull a utility trailer. This truck is what he came back with. Don't get me started.

Anyways, the motorcycle can't be sold .. one way or another, it's coming with us, we're just trying to decide what kind of trailer is best for us, and how it'll effect the mileage.

[theholycow]

Are you sure the bike and other stuff won't fit in the bed?

[Sludgy]

I bought a bike carrier that fits into the trailer hitch receiver for my dirt bike. It hardly affected mileage at all.

[kamesama980]

the trailer will hurt mileage. Wild guess at 2-4 mpg on the highway depending on how fast you go (where you're starting). The truck won't even notice the weight. It will notice the aero drag tho.

He got that truck for that little trailer? Definitely just used the excuse to get a big truck. I pulled way more than that 350 miles with my little toyota 4 banger. I got 18 mpg moving an extra 6k lbs between trailer and cargo.