Quote:
Originally Posted by redyaris
when you think of replacing your present Truck is fuel consumption the primary consideration? How many miles does your truck travel in a year on $40k? I am at the other end of the fuel cost spectrum in that I spend $1200 -$1500 per year to travel 32000km [20000 miles]. Yet I am still willing to invest $1000 - $3000 per year, in efforts to get down to 3.3L/100km [71mpg] as my 'fleet' average. Even though at the outset the return on investment does not look that good. The way I look at it is; I am insulating myself from future price rises. I suspect in your case a 5% reduction in fuel consumption represents $2000 savings in money but also a reduction in maintainance cost as well. Big trucks are in the same aerodynamic boat as motorcycle; real bad aero. The best ones I have seen in Canada are the bulk haulers with trailers that have the space under the deck between the wheels enclosed. What I have often wondered is why truckers have not built some form of cargo bays under the trailer deck much like the cargo space under a gray hound bus, which they could use for small inter city loads, to help both aerodynamics and generate extra income from the fuel already being used.  |
The problem with the trailer design is that the vast majority of docks are a certain height and if you use what amounts to a belly drop trailer ( like a moving trailer or a cattle trailer ) you can't unload. But as far as what you asked in the beginning, you are talking 125k-150k on the miles most of the time per year, with idle time ( 8 hours or more consuming a gallon/hr resting, plus time in a dock waiting to get unloaded ). The one truck that was the worst offender was a CAT powered W900 Kenworth ( old flat top with a mechanical 3406B that never ran quite right ) averaged 4.8 to 5.2 mpg loaded. Any improvement means several thousand dollars a year saved.
Here's what I've learned: electronic diesels are better all around when it comes to reliability and power curve shaping. Get the combination right and drive with the right techniques 8+mpg is normal with tons of power. Using an APU instead of idling the truck saves tons of money ( going from a gallon per hour to a gallon every 8-10 hours ) and saves the engine. Evans Coolant is the best thing since sliced bread ( lasts the life of the vehicle and has a 375 degree boiling point with a zero running pressure; no more busted water pumps, blown head gaskets and better thermal efficiency ). The best aerodynamic truck built was a Peterbilt 372 ( called it the Winnebago ) that was the first semi to get 10 mpg loaded ( had to get killed, it was too good ) and that was 20+ years ago.