Better mileage than average new passenger vehicle in 2.5ton commercial truck!

[JacobAziza]

Sorry for the long delay, not working included not looking at emails or answering phone calls all extended weekend either.
It was pretty sweet

hey, any chance of some pics of your belly pan, and other mods?

summation of your driving techniques?

Slow.
45-50mph on the freeway, except downhill.
Coast to all stoplights, and down any hill steep enough to maintain 50mph or faster.

can you maintain over longer distance trips, or does your style depend on slow speed of around town driving?

Best mileage was over 143 miles of highway driving (28.5mpg)

I have a thread going called hypermile homestead vehicle, I had come to the conclusion that a modified suzuki samurai was the answer to my problem, but If I could rig up a 4x4 similar to your truck I could haul firewood back from my off grid cabin site and have it end up being cheaper than a more "efficient" vehicle.

Always best to start with the smallest vehicle that will meet your needs.

A brief summary of my project, is a vehicle that will cheaply take me, and dumpstered building supplies from the city where I live, 300 miles to my 12 acres of bare land, then through 2 miles of snow and mud, then haul firewood from old logging slash from my land back downhill 2 miles through mud, then 300 miles to the city.

12 acres of land. I am SO jealous.

my questions for you are, if I didn't jack it up on big tires, what kind of mpgs could do you think I could get with the 4x4 version of your truck?

No idea, I've only done this once. I have read consistently that 4x4 detracts from mileage, what with the extra weight and drivetrain drag, but I have no idea by how much.

If you started this project over from scratch, what would you do different?

Honestly, the only thing I think I'd change is I'd start this project 3 years ago.

shell out a bit more for a more modern rig with an overdrive?

Average mileage has not increased in about 40 years. Every increase in engine efficiency has been paired to increasing weight, power, or adding power accessories.
I definitely want an overdrive. I'll swap the transmission as soon as I can afford it. The truck only cost $2000, so I can spend a good chunk on a 5spd tranny and still be well under what I would have likely paid for a newer truck.

different gearing?

I was considering it, until I found a hill I could just barely climb in low gear with the bed loaded down with concrete.

quad cab for cleaner aero's with an open bed

I use every square inch of the bed on a regular basis. Besides, I'm not sure if the improved aero would make up for the increased weight.

.....(just brainstorming, don't know if that would work :-)

Yeah, I really don't know much about anything, just trying things and seeing what works as I go along.

very interesting project, way to go, you the man, we're not worthy, etc.....

Thank you!

[JacobAziza]

Disclaimer: almost all highway,mostly flat, no load (except a passenger) - so by my own standards, this is sort of cheating, as all of the past numbers (including my previous record of 28.5) included jobs with loads.

Average over about 120 miles:

30.28mpg

The only difference from previous tanks (aside from no load) is I have tilted the tonneau cover so it starts from halfway up the rear window and ends at the tailgate.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tml#post144148

I choose to believe that at least some of this new record is attributable to that.

The point about odometer calibration was well taken, and I've been checking it against my new GPS. Some trips they end up exactly the same. Others its off by a little bit, just under 4%. This could be related to me using it to find my parking space on foot, and that it counts mileage when I'm driving in reverse and the odo doesn't. Or it could be that the odo really does read 4% high. If so, it would make this trip 29mpg - still a new personal record, and about 100% better than my pre-hypermiling average mileage

This is so far beyond my original goal and what I imagined to be possible. You guys get most of the credit. Thank you all for the inspiration and encouragement.

[99metro]

Says a lot about your driving technique. That manual tranny helps A LOT. very impressive.

[JonnyG]

How do you drive 45-50 mph on the freeway without getting killed? I'm from San Diego, so I know people in southern California don't tolerate that.

[JacobAziza]

Originally Posted by JonnyG

How do you drive 45-50 mph on the freeway without getting killed? I'm from San Diego, so I know people in southern California don't tolerate that.

Most of the highways I drive on are 4 lanes or more, and always at least 2.
I stay in the slow lane (or sometimes the 2nd one, if there are 5 or more, to avoid merging). I have a great big rear view mirror, and roof mounted brake lights. Anytime I see someone coming up behind me in my lane, I put my hazard lights on for about 5-10 flashes to let them know I'm not going to be speeding up anytime soon. Most people promptly change lanes, some choose to stay behind me a few miles, but the only time I have had brights flashed at me is when the fuse to my hazard lights blew and I didn't know it.

[JonnyG]

Ahh yes the good old hazards. Good to hear you're being safe about it out there.

[CoastRider]

Originally Posted by JonnyG

How do you drive 45-50 mph on the freeway without getting killed? I'm from San Diego, so I know people in southern California don't tolerate that.

Most people wont mess with 5000 pounds of american iron Even hummer drivers don't want to tango with a beast like that. Its part of the reason sales of bigger vehicle jumped when they became all cushy, Large vehicles get a certain amount of respect... err Fear on the road. Way to many asshats take advantage of that and use them to plow through traffic.

[Christ]

Yep, those same idiots in the huge SUV's get behind me, then realize exactly how uncool it is to be in the vehicle with more mass (thus, inertia) when I brake quickly.

I'm still trying to find the bumper sticker that says:

"If you can read this, get your insurance information ready."

[JacobAziza]

Originally Posted by CoastRider

Most people wont mess with 5000 pounds of american iron Even hummer drivers don't want to tango with a beast like that. Its part of the reason sales of bigger vehicle jumped when they became all cushy, Large vehicles get a certain amount of respect... err Fear on the road. Way to many asshats take advantage of that and use them to plow through traffic.

Oh, it was SO much fun when I used to drive armed trucks.
20,000 lbs of solid steel plating, (and a siren and air horn).
Heavy traffic, trying to merge and no one wants to let anybody in; my partner looks out the window "You're gonna hit that car"
"No I won't. He'll stop"
They always stopped

[Domman56]

I believe you man and GREAT JOB with that really Kudos. It just kiinda pushes my buttons that people are having a hard time beleiveing the fuel economy of my elco which i designed for economy and you're huge work truck gets better MPG and everyone believes you haha