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

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by JacobAziza

It has a 3.73 currently

From what I see online the only choices to go smaller are 3.06 or 2.73
After the hill I climbed yesterday (in 1 the whole way) I'm thinking 2.73 may be too big a jump, so I guess I know what I'm looking for.

Thanks

Yeah, 2.73 would be ok for a very strong auto or for flat ground use on a manual but you would probably end up riding a bit much in 1 to get going up a hill. I would also worry the gears in a 2.73 would be too small as they usually went in a 2 or 3sp car.

3.06 should be good but I have no idea what your 1st gear reduction is.

I would also consider 3.55's which "should" be able to mount up despite being marketed for a different model ford truck. The increase would only be moderate but maybe more tolerable if there are any issues starting in 1st.

Good Luck
Ryan

[JacobAziza]

Haven't gotten to changing gear ratio's yet (no money)

But I have an update:

Just had a long highway run, heavy but small load so I was able to keep it covered.
Light traffic, 5-6 lanes so I could go even slower than usual (45 instead of 50)

In about 150 miles I averaged 28.5 miles per gallon, way above my original goal.

[Daox]

Haha, thats better mileage than my Grandmother gets in her 93 Taurus. Great job Jacob.

[rmay635703]

I would say, save your money your gears are fine where they are, all the higher gears would do for you is move your speed up slightly. I doubt you can beat that MPG.

Good Work
Ryan

Originally Posted by JacobAziza

Haven't gotten to changing gear ratio's yet (no money)

In about 150 miles I averaged 28.5 miles per gallon, way above my original goal.

[JacobAziza]

Right now I shift into high gear at 25mph.

Even I think 25-30mph is too slow for the freeway.

[bondvagabond]

hey, any chance of some pics of your belly pan, and other mods?
summation of your driving techniques? can you maintain over longer distance trips, or does your style depend on slow speed of around town driving?

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.

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.

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?

If you started this project over from scratch, what would you do different? shell out a bit more for a more modern rig with an overdrive? different gearing? quad cab for cleaner aero's with an open bed.....(just brainstorming, don't know if that would work :-)

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

[bondvagabond]

To help with any guestimations on my questions, the epa estimates for gas powered f250's are the same weather 2x4 or 4x4 as long as they have the same engine/tranny.

Is the diesel engine key to your system do you think? cheers

[bondvagabond]

sorry guys, most of my ??'s were answered in an older post

[gman]

man i havent even got that good of milleage in my ranger
yet..

[CoastRider]

Originally Posted by gman

man i havent even got that good of milleage in my ranger
yet..

I had a 90 bare bones model best I ever got was 22 but I didn't drive it to smart.