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

[JacobAziza]

:P not everyone.

its just that the discussion as to whether I was making up the numbers and/or mistaken ended up in a different thread:

40 + mpg out of a mid size truck?

40 + mpg out of a mid size truck?

[Domman56]

haha well two things i didn't notice till i looked through the pics last night 1 it's a diesel that helps alot, and 2 All your front pullies and everything are removed. How's it run without all that stuff man

[Christ]

Domman -

If you're not running your lights, or starting the engine a bunch of times, your car will run FOR DAYS without an alternator. You don't have anything that draws power except an ignition system and whatever small loads you use during operation.

I used to run my Volare without one because I was too lazy to change it when it grenaded itself and the bearings seized up, almost instantly splitting the belt. I just carried a spare deep cycle with me.

[JacobAziza]

Power steering - replaced with manual steering gear
power steering is totally overrated and unnecessary. In my 2 ton truck, the only time I can even tell the difference is parallel parking or in a 3-point turn. In normal driving the only function of power steering is to waste fuel.

brake booster vacuum pump - replaced with electric vacuum pump

mechanical clutch fan - replaced with electric fan (w/ adjustable thermstat)

alternator - replaced with deep cycle (RV/marine) batteries and an on-board 120v electronic charger (making the truck sort of a plug-in-hybrid-light)
augmented with a small solar panel and with all running lights replaced with LEDs (all 6 stock running lights put together can actually draw more power than the headlights)

[Domman56]

Originally Posted by JacobAziza

Power steering - replaced with manual steering gear
power steering is totally overrated and unnecessary. In my 2 ton truck, the only time I can even tell the difference is parallel parking or in a 3-point turn. In normal driving the only function of power steering is to waste fuel.

brake booster vacuum pump - replaced with electric vacuum pump

mechanical clutch fan - replaced with electric fan (w/ adjustable thermstat)

alternator - replaced with deep cycle (RV/marine) batteries and an on-board 120v electronic charger (making the truck sort of a plug-in-hybrid-light)
augmented with a small solar panel and with all running lights replaced with LEDs (all 6 stock running lights put together can actually draw more power than the headlights)

nice does it run much hotter without the fan?

[JacobAziza]

not really. I put in a big electric fan.

it does, however, run much hotter with the grill block in place.

it used to run too cold, so I also set the thermostat higher

[JacobAziza]

Originally Posted by wagonman76

That's great! I know you use it for hauling, but I just have to wonder what you might get with something like an aerocap, since you're doing so well already.

I have sort of done it: Tonneau

Along with adding P$G to my driving regiment, I'm up to 30 on the most recent tank, mixed highway and city, some hills, some big loads, over about 300 miles.

[bondvagabond]

I believe the Zf-5 tranny that bolts to a 460 will bolt right up to a 6.9 diesel. I see them on craigslist for under 200 often in my neck of the woods. They have a hydrolic clutch though, so you would have to swap that out too. I believe the overdrive on them is .8 and they still have a low first, not quite granny low like the old 4 speeds but close.

Tranny swaps on a two wheel drive truck aren't that bad, I bet you could do it in a weekend even with having to swap out clutch pedals for the hydrolic setup if yours is linkage.

Only other costs would be about 40 bucks to weld one end of the zf5 driveshaft to your old driveshaft. and maybe 50 bucks to weld the two tips from the old crossmember to the middle part of the new crossmember.

I'm thinking of doing this with an 87 extracab f250 4 speed, after school gets out in a few weeks. Mine has a 4.9 gas straight six, but I will just be using a different model of zf5, the steps should be the same for you.

[JacobAziza]

Originally Posted by bondvagabond

I believe the Zf-5 tranny that bolts to a 460 will bolt right up to a 6.9 diesel.

Thats what I've read too

They have a hydrolic clutch though, so you would have to swap that out too.

Mine already is hydrolic

I believe the overdrive on them is .8 and they still have a low first, not quite granny low like the old 4 speeds but close.

Sounds perfect

Tranny swaps on a two wheel drive truck aren't that bad, I bet you could do it in a weekend

Thats what Ive heard - plus I have a connection to a small shop where they do Prius plug-in conversions that would help me out with tranny stand and advice

Only other costs would be about 40 bucks to weld one end of the zf5 driveshaft to your old driveshaft. and maybe 50 bucks to weld the two tips from the old crossmember to the middle part of the new crossmember.

Hmm, I thought it was all plug and play, driveshaft should fit tranny output already?

I see them on craigslist for under 200 often in my neck of the woods.

This is where my main problem lies - I haven't come across any cheap around here. For that matter, haven't seen many at any price. Not that I am looking especially hard...

I'm thinking of doing this with an 87 extracab f250 4 speed, after school gets out in a few weeks. Mine has a 4.9 gas straight six, but I will just be using a different model of zf5, the steps should be the same for you.

Let me know how it goes

[bondvagabond]

Up here in the northwest the 4x4 versions are expensive but the 2x4's are cheap.

Try looking in the craigslist ads in a more farmy area near you, probably more trucks out there.

at 30mpg you could go quite a ways to get one and still come out ahead :-)