[Fot] Trailers and mileage

[Scott Janzen]

I have an enclosed 20' Vnose Worthington all-aluminum, which is great for all the reasons of convenience mentioned to date.  I currently tow with a 2010 Ford Expedition EL, and the previous tow vehicle was a 99 Suburban.  Two caveats - going from an open to closed trailer, you are going to want to switch to a load leveling/anti-sway hitch, unless you've got a monster tow vehicle.  Also, you are going to find your gas mileage drops like a stone vs the open trailer.  My Expedition, which gets 16+ mpg without a trailer, drops to 7-9 mpg with.  The 99 Suburban did the same.  Basically, you are towing a barn door, and the v-nose does not make much difference.  I had a 20' Haulmark steel trailer until it got stolen (happy day!) and the mileage was not much different from the aluminum V-nose.  Its all air resistance.

With the Expedition and the load-leveling hitch, the rig comfortably cruises at 70-75 and the trailer does not alter the driving experience much, unlike the 99, which let you know it was being steered from the rear all the time, but with an open trailer was pretty good.
So, I guess I'd take a hard look at your tow vehicle, so that you don't end up be unhappy with that aspect.

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