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Old 03-11-2012, 01:59 PM   #37 (permalink)
dem45133
Outside the Box
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: SW Ohio, Highland County
Posts: 47
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Thanks Dave

Driving tech is of course a major contributor. By default I'm not real brake dependent and pretty much do as you were saying... just not to the same extreme. Back in the semi days, I once came all the way back from CA to WI on the south route with the trailer brakes out like 2-1/2 turns on a trailer I hadn't been pulling. Since I almost never put hardly any demand them I didn't notice. I was also a little light as our back hauls were generally only grossing 65 or 70k. Boss obviously spotted this condition when he proceeded to service the trailer when I got in, and then jumped my butt (as he should have)... but as I explained to him... If I'd had a hill or had done my initial check when I hooked up as I was supposed to.... it would have been me telling him about it, as whomever pulled it was never to let it get that far (means also he wasn't doing the mandatory brake checks at the top of the big grades... something I always do). Brakes and steering are my two biggest pet peeves. He knew he was preaching to the chior. Nope not brake dependent... but I've I'd had needed them they wouldn't have been there. 2400 miles and didn't notice.

Thinking ahead to 5 or 6 dollars a gallon... its pretty safe to say I'd have to give up commuting with it then. While the transformer idea has merit in some ways... it would cost a bunch and be hard to make up although I do expect to have this truck the rest of my life. But I'll try cleaning up some of the drag... to the point that's practical.

Commute... ~ 2 miles of two track 23-30 mpg township road, then 18 miles of good US two lane, but twisty and hilly. 60% of the 25 mpg (at 40) curves you have to slow down for are at the base of a hill on the other side of the curve...so now your trying to regain your speed while climbing to boot!. This part of the commute even works the cummins, but especially the v8 if your trying to regain back to 62 mph until the next curve/hill combo in a couple/three miles. The rest is 24 miles of good open country 4 lane but not limited access. Most run 65 to 70... speed limit is 60. Rolling gentle grades. It has one good size grade (for eastern standards) that's about 5% I think for about 2 miles on each side. The v8 can maintain 70 on it but I seldom do as its almost 100% throttle to so it. If I am not careful 100% will force it out of OD. The cummins barely knows its there. Just for smiles one time I floored the cummins at the bottom in 6th doing 70... was doing almost 90 by the time I reached the top (with a big smile!)... Gotta love that turbo! And this is a stock truck...wonder what do they do when they are boosted hard?

At 6 am, there is only marginal traffic... but lots of deer.

The e thing is intriguing and I may play with that... but not on this truck I think now. Work is considering offering plugins for e cars... so maybe i'll design and build up a David machine just for commute. From my previous comments... I can do that reasonably easy. There is probably some law that says I can do what I'm thinking... GM and Chrysler can, but somehow that's different. But I have to finish the remodeling first.

As you may have guessed by now... we gave up on TV several years ago... we have no TV service and cant receive digital air in this location... but we will locate and watch a good DVD sometimes. I'll go tinker with something, read, or I go to bed.

Thanks,

Dave

Last edited by dem45133; 03-11-2012 at 04:19 PM..
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