[Fot] MPH towing...

[Robert M. Lang]

Hi,

My rig is a '99 Chevy Express one-ton cargo van. The motor is a 5.7 liter 
chevy V8 with the HD tranny (700R6, I think). My normal trailer is a 20 
foot enclosed Pace American rallye. With the car and "stuff", the gross 
trailer weight is in the 6500 pound range.

I get between 9 and 10 MPG with the enclosed trailer.

With an open trailer, I get more like 13. I only have one data point for 
that setup, but it was a 3500 mile round trip tow, so it should be valid.

With the enclosed trailer, if I get a run on the big hills, I can stay 
above 50 MPH easily. Once in a while I get boxed in on a hill approach and 
then I might drop to below 50 before the hill crests, but that's only 
because when the tranny steps down to the lower gear, I get out of the gas 
so I don't try to pull a long distance in the lower gear.

This truck has about 140K miles on it, so it's not a spring chicken.

The 5.7 liter Chevy motor that was in the Express Vans from the mid-90's 
to the early 2000 range were rated at 225 HP and I believe that number. My 
older truck ('84 G10) had similar miles on it, but the motor was rated at 
150-ish HP. The difference is amazing. That thing downshifted pulling out 
of my driveway. It was HORRIBLE. OTOH, it was close to a junkyard truck 
when I bought it and I put a lot of miles on it over the 5 or 6 years I 
had it... so, it was "tired", to say the least.

regards,
rml
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Bob Lang              Triumph TR6!!            |  This space for rent
Former NER Solo Chair                          |
Voice:617-253-7438                             |  Cell: 339-927-4489
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