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Your mpg hauling will be more determined by you speed as any other 
factor. Wind resistance (or drag) is a significant factor in your 
mileage - especially pulling a big box behind you. Drag does not go up 
linearly with your speed it goes up with the square of your speed. That 
is the force from drag that has to be overcome at 60 mph is 4 times the 
force of drag that has to be overcome at 30 mph. The power required for 
an object to overcome the drag force goes up with the cube of the 
velocity. That is the power required to pull a horse trailer at 60 mph 
is 8 times that required to pull the same trailer at 30 mph. The fuel 
used is directly proportional to the power required to be generated.

A boxy trailer will generate more drag that one with an aerodynamically 
efficient nose. Removing your tailgate will reduce your drag.

There is a pretty good discussion at

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drag_%28physics%29#Drag_at_large_velocity

My truck will pull my trailer down the highway at 80 mph but I sure take 
a big hit in mileage. Sixty to maybe 65 seems to be the best compromise 
for me - to get decent mileage while not losing my patients on how long 
it takes to get somewhere.

Truman


Susan & Jerry Milam wrote:
> Getting 14 MPG hauling fully loaded with my 2004 GMC 2500 Duramax. 
> Travel steady 58 MPH on highways........
>  
> Susan


--

"The opposite of a correct statement is a false statement. The opposite 
of a profound truth may well be another profound truth."    Niels Bohr 
-- Nobel Laureate, Physics




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