What a difference a few MPH's make!

[Tripper]

So I had to go into Houston today. Our speed limit here is 75. I'm typically in a hurry & drive 84 as the boys in blue readily allow 10mph over the limit. Well today I wasn't really in a big hurry so I drove in at 70. Instead of getting 14.5mpg I usually get... I got 19.7. DANG... quite an increase. Of course my Nova has all the aerodynamics of a brick! Also... I filled up for $2.29! Sweeeeeeet!!!

BoB

 

[AZRodDave]

Wow, that's a HUGE difference! I'll bet you saw some scenery you hadn't noticed before too? If there is any, that is.

 

[donsrods]

My daily driver has one of those in dash real time gas mileage things that tells you at any given second what you are getting. I get my best mileage at 50 mph, and I get better mileage if I am not on cruise control. I think the cruise control keeps stepping on the gas when I go up a slight grade, whereas, I don't move my foot at all when I am controlling the speed.

Around town I average about 13 mpg, but on the interstate I can get about 27-30 if I don't push it past 65. Everything I drive takes premium and I paid $ 3.10 the other day, which is unheard of, even for regular most times. I am loving it.

Don

 

[Tripper]

Don,
When we moved to the farm I followed the tow truck bringing the Crosley & Dodge coupe in Mrs Tripper's SUV at 60mph. When we drive back & forth in her ride at 85 it takes a 1/2 tank. Driving at 60... it only took a 1/4 tank! BIG diff!!! That really got my attention!

BoB

 

[Willowbilly3]

Yeah, that's always my comback to sniveling about high gas prices, slow down 10 mph and get 3-4 mpg better. I'm just not in a hurry anymore and seldom drive more than about 68 in the 75. That's a good 2 mpg in the Aerostar and about 1 1/2 on the power stroke.

 

[21willys]

It makes a huge difference when I'm loaded with the big trailer. If I run 75-80 I get about 7-9 mpg depending on the wind and aerodynamics of the load. If I drop to 63 I can get 10-13 mpg. But if it's not aerodynamic it will drop the mpg like crazy.

 

[christcrusader13]

Good info... I'm going to have to do some 'trim' adjustments and see if I can maximize my MPG

 

[Willowbilly3]

It makes a huge difference when I'm loaded with the big trailer. If I run 75-80 I get about 7-9 mpg depending on the wind and aerodynamics of the load. If I drop to 63 I can get 10-13 mpg. But if it's not aerodynamic it will drop the mpg like crazy.

On my power stroke it kind of depends on the terrain too. If I can roll fast enough to stay in 6th and not have to shift down on hills it is about the same mpg as running slower and lugging or shifting. Last year I hauled a 59 Chevy farm truck into about a 25 mph head wind and finally just dropped to 5th and set the cruise on 55 because I was shifting down on every hill trying to run 62-65 in 6th. I still get around 10 loaded most of the time. 14 running empty with no trailer.

 

[21willys]

On my power stroke it kind of depends on the terrain too. If I can roll fast enough to stay in 6th and not have to shift down on hills it is about the same mpg as running slower and lugging or shifting. Last year I hauled a 59 Chevy farm truck into about a 25 mph head wind and finally just dropped to 5th and set the cruise on 55 because I was shifting down on every hill trying to run 62-65 in 6th. I still get around 10 loaded most of the time. 14 running empty with no trailer.

My truck runs 2100 rpm at 63 mph in sixth gear and don't lug a bit. Head winds certainly cut the mpg when I have something on the very top of the trailer.

I think I averages 10.5 with this load from Roswell NM with a slight tailwind.


The hills don't change my mileage to much until I get in the mountains. But if I coast as much as I climb it seams to get better mpg cause it don't drop that much mpg when climbing grades.

Empty I get anywhere from 16-20 mpg empty. My truck has 3:73 gears, 6 spd, 2wd, and single rear wheels.

 

[donsrods]

What's the matter, you couldn't get ONE more body on there ??

What a load. (what a GREAT load)

Don

 

[Willowbilly3]

Yeah, I love the low end torque on those Cummins. My power stroke doesn't make any power much below 1900 and really pulls hardest the more you twist it. I have a dually with 4.10s. I would have rather bought a Cummins but they are 3 times as much money to buy an old one and you have to drive a Dodge to get one (a sacrifice I could live with) I bought my 2000 F350 2 1/2 years ago for $2000 and put about another $1500 into it. I couldn't touch a decent running 2000 Dodge for under $8,000 around here.

 

[Bamamav]

Talking diesel, my 2005 Detroit gets 4.75 mpg. That's 50% loaded, 50% empty, uphill, downhill, flat ground, headwind, tailwind, drop it off a cliff. It never changes, run it 60 mph or 72 mph, still 4.75 mpg. Gross weight is usually around 80,000 lbs loaded, 27,500 lbs empty, pulling a 48 ft solid aluminum flatbed trailer.

A buddy has a Dodge 3/4 ton with the Cummins, he gets around the same as 21willys, 16-20, says he has gotten as high as 23 on a trip to Texas.

I have been looking around for me a newer pickup, a 4x4 for sure this time, thought about a diesel, but I just can't talk myself into one. Costs more to buy, fuel costs more, breakdowns cost more, I just can't justify it no more than I would be pulling with it. I'm thinking a gas 4x4, maybe a 3/4 ton will be big enough for me. If I need anything larger, I could always stick a receiver hitch on the Freightliner!

 

[Willowbilly3]

I made a 900 mile round trip this week in a 2013 Chevy 3/4 ton 4x4 four door. I was pulling a 30 foot goose neck. I hauled a new suburban one way and a new Duramax back. That poor little gas engine, what ever it was just struggled like crazy on anything but flat ground. On a lot of hills it shifted down 3 times and was running 4500-5000 rpms trying to maintain 60 mph. I think it averaged a little over 8 mpg for the trip.

 

[21willys]

Talking diesel, my 2005 Detroit gets 4.75 mpg. That's 50% loaded, 50% empty, uphill, downhill, flat ground, headwind, tailwind, drop it off a cliff. It never changes, run it 60 mph or 72 mph, still 4.75 mpg. Gross weight is usually around 80,000 lbs loaded, 27,500 lbs empty, pulling a 48 ft solid aluminum flatbed trailer.

A buddy has a Dodge 3/4 ton with the Cummins, he gets around the same as 21willys, 16-20, says he has gotten as high as 23 on a trip to Texas.

I have been looking around for me a newer pickup, a 4x4 for sure this time, thought about a diesel, but I just can't talk myself into one. Costs more to buy, fuel costs more, breakdowns cost more, I just can't justify it no more than I would be pulling with it. I'm thinking a gas 4x4, maybe a 3/4 ton will be big enough for me. If I need anything larger, I could always stick a receiver hitch on the Freightliner!

My advice for anyone is to get a gasser unless you drive a lot of miles. The extra cost of buying it won't be offset otherwise. I've put a ton of miles on my trucks so it's well worth the extra expense in the purchase. But if your running around town and only doing a couple hundred miles every few weeks buy a gasser.

 

[Willowbilly3]

My PS only gets used when I need a truck. Like 21 Willys says, the cost of operating isn't worth it to just be using it for a car. I suppose around 10-12,000 miles a year but I'd sure hate to go back to a gasser for pulling trailers, which is about 90% of the use it gets. The rest of the time I'm driving the pickin Van, my 97 Aerostar. Even those aren't great on gas, maybe 19 highway but average around 16 most of the time.