hypermile homestead vehicle

[bondvagabond]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

dcb's idea is pretty inspired. I like! You may even be able to save on insurance / registration if you're not driving the 4x on public roads.

I also agree (and you likely already know) that if you do end up driving the 4x4 to/from, aero should be the focus (moreso than weight).



Pictures? I'd love to see pictures.

In a straight line, my understanding of these things is there would be zero difference in drag. But we never really drive in a straight line for very long. So you're bound to see some added drag. Can't comment on how much.

One EM member, palemelanesian, keeps meticulous records and has documented the MPG penalty in his car (90's Civic sedan) of a full vs. closer-to-empty fuel tank. Weight is weight... less is better.

FYI: My LED tail light conversion ... has some power draw comparisons.

Pictures of that XFi tail, please!

Sorry, no pics, but I can describe it. square hitch mount, hitch mount bike rack, contoured square frame of electrical conduit hugs back corners of geo around the edge of the hatch. frame tubing is bolted at corners so it can be removed and fit in the geo. frame is ubolted at bottom edge to bike rack, then a telescoping awning pole comes from the center of the top edge of the frame, so middle of hinge area of hatch, past center post of trailer hitch bike rack, extending about 4 feet past, so it was about 6ft all together. then made a spandex cone, easy to sew only one seam. Point goes on the tip awening pole, spandex has enough stretch that round base fits fine on square frame. Didn't really flap much, it was smooth enough and I drove slow enough that it worked great. Totally removable/storable in the vehicle too.

Thanks, for the tips on the led's and gas volume.

[shovel]

A spool, in a rainy climate, with a short wheelbase.

You know, a gun's faster and a pie plate full of coke is more fun.. but hey whatever floats your boat.

[JackMcCornack]

Sadly, I think the days when one could leave a vehicle unattended in the wilds are behind us--too many meth labs and too many people who think it's fun to destroy other people's work.

Samurais are a bit too trendy in the market these days, I think you could get an equal Tracker/Sidekick for less money and it would convert more easily into a streamlined two-seater with a covered cargo bed--make the cover a Kamm tail and accept a bit more drag when you have to transport a piano (or anything else that would require raising the cover).

+1 on the locked front diff and open rear diff. With locking hubs left unlocked on roads and locked in the poop, you'll have the best of both worlds.

I think a high mileage 4x4 is a fabulous idea--go for it, man!

[bondvagabond]

A spool is about a hundred bucks and a lock right is about 220, I never drive around town, I ride my pedal powered infinity mpg mobile, that's why I got rid of the xfi, was making me fat :-) this mud is so hard to get through that I think I will end up doing a spool in the back and a lock right in the front. At least one poster here thinks that the spool shouldn't cost any mpg on strait highway, and 500 of my 600mile roundtrip is on strait interstate-5 for those of you who know Oregon, it's very strait.

[dcb]

Another thought, If theres significant woods, any old rat bike can probably forge a path that isn't part of the washout. I used to hit the trails on my suzuki 1000 all the time. I wasn't doing over the handlebar heel clicks, but I always got where I was going.

[bondvagabond]

Originally Posted by JackMcCornack

Sadly, I think the days when one could leave a vehicle unattended in the wilds are behind us--too many meth labs and too many people who think it's fun to destroy other people's work.

Samurais are a bit too trendy in the market these days, I think you could get an equal Tracker/Sidekick for less money and it would convert more easily into a streamlined two-seater with a covered cargo bed--make the cover a Kamm tail and accept a bit more drag when you have to transport a piano (or anything else that would require raising the cover).

+1 on the locked front diff and open rear diff. With locking hubs left unlocked on roads and locked in the poop, you'll have the best of both worlds.

I think a high mileage 4x4 is a fabulous idea--go for it, man!

The kicker for me was when a week long cabin building trip was ruined by us finding a pot grow on our land, had to call the sheriff, he recommended we not hang there till after the grow season, total pain. Want to get out there more, and make more of a presence felt there. In the poor yahoo's defense it looks like the blm land all around it. Need to put up some fences and signs etc. Oh, and work out a sweet high mpg 4x4 so I can be out there more :-)

[Weather Spotter]

could you build a lockable shed on your property to store the 4x4? then drive a high MPG vehicle out to the area, then walk the 2 miles to get the truck to do the hauling?

[bondvagabond]

Originally Posted by Weather Spotter

could you build a lockable shed on your property to store the 4x4? then drive a high MPG vehicle out to the area, then walk the 2 miles to get the truck to do the hauling?

It'd have to be a connex box with a padlock inside a welded anti cut box like how the forest service does there fire road gates.

I'd take a military half-track to get one of those in though :-)

My land was cheap with awesome trees, so road is bad ,wells are deep

[bondvagabond]

Originally Posted by JackMcCornack

Sadly, I think the days when one could leave a vehicle unattended in the wilds are behind us--too many meth labs and too many people who think it's fun to destroy other people's work.

Samurais are a bit too trendy in the market these days, I think you could get an equal Tracker/Sidekick for less money and it would convert more easily into a streamlined two-seater with a covered cargo bed--make the cover a Kamm tail and accept a bit more drag when you have to transport a piano (or anything else that would require raising the cover).

+1 on the locked front diff and open rear diff. With locking hubs left unlocked on roads and locked in the poop, you'll have the best of both worlds.

I think a high mileage 4x4 is a fabulous idea--go for it, man!

According to the epa samurai get 3.5% better mpg, have solid front axel and carb(much less scary for me to work on) if you swap to the webber carb you don't even need a computer! Sidekicks get worse mpg with better aero's I think the samurai has more potential for an ecomodder.

[moorecomp]

Originally Posted by dcb

Another thought, If theres significant woods, any old rat bike can probably forge a path that isn't part of the washout. I used to hit the trails on my suzuki 1000 all the time. I wasn't doing over the handlebar heel clicks, but I always got where I was going.

Or you can do what this guy did:

http://www.skyhawg.com/sam1.html

He is a regular on some of the homebuilt aircraft forums I frequent.