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slowmover · 01-22-2016, 12:04 PM

6.0 not known for mpg.

Best to focus on mechanical, first:

1) Perfect alignment. Verify as to best, not just OEM acceptable.

2) Steering slop. From steering column outwards; eliminate.

3) KONI FSD shock absorbers.

4) Upsize front antiroll bar and install one on rear if not so equipped. Grease able polyurethane bushings.

5) Rear Panhard Rod. See if Hendersons Lineup has one for yours.

6) Zero brake drag. Verify. Get it up in air to do so, and lube all moving parts.

7) Highest quality tires, such as commercial traction Bridgestone Duravis. Wear like iron with excellent performance. On a Hunter GP-9700 balancer to Lexus/Mercedes spec. Centramatic balancers all around.

8) Get it on a Cat Scale. Driver, full fuel and normal gear aboard. For second and third scale readings have port or starboard tires off of pads in order to know all wheel position weights.

9) Synthetic fluids. Donaldson or Baldwin filters. If ten years or more in age, then new hoses and belts plus fasteners. New factory battery cables. AGM battery (Sears Diehard Platinum). All new exterior lamps (Phillips Nightguide head lamps; new housings if yellowed). Bosch Icon wiper blades after two/three coats of RainX (especially on side glass and mirrors). New windshield if sandblasted.

10) Have driveshaft removed and ujoints replaced if over 100k miles or ten years. Shop must be able to spin balance shaft. Install Balancemaster.

11) All other book maintenance 10-20% ahead of book recommendations. A new owner starts a new wear pattern on the vehicle. Get ahead of curve.

Steering pays greatest benefit after align and brakes. Shocks and bars are hugely beneficial to an EM driver. Others allow more precise control without wear issues clouding records.

The 45-mph and lower mechanical issues pay better than the 60-mph aero stuff. But, not sexy, and not clear to most as to cost/benefit. As they will in fact add to longevity, their importance must not be overlooked.

Great to see block and pan heaters!! In the diesel world we look at 90-minutes warmup as being 90% of the benefit of plugging in all night.

Every so often it's important to take it out for a 100-mile run. Burn off acids and condensation in fluids, reinvigorate greases, and get tires up to stabilized temps so oils can migrate through casing. That takes 1.5-hrs at steady state to achieve equal temps inside and out of casing.

SCHAEFFERS Oil products, also. Throughout truck.

01-22-2016, 12:04 PM	#21 (permalink)
slowmover Banned Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Fort Worth, Texas Posts: 2,442 2004 CTD - '04 DODGE RAM 2500 SLT Team Cummins 90 day: 19.36 mpg (US) Thanks: 1,422 Thanked 737 Times in 557 Posts	6.0 not known for mpg. Best to focus on mechanical, first: 1) Perfect alignment. Verify as to best, not just OEM acceptable. 2) Steering slop. From steering column outwards; eliminate. 3) KONI FSD shock absorbers. 4) Upsize front antiroll bar and install one on rear if not so equipped. Grease able polyurethane bushings. 5) Rear Panhard Rod. See if Hendersons Lineup has one for yours. 6) Zero brake drag. Verify. Get it up in air to do so, and lube all moving parts. 7) Highest quality tires, such as commercial traction Bridgestone Duravis. Wear like iron with excellent performance. On a Hunter GP-9700 balancer to Lexus/Mercedes spec. Centramatic balancers all around. 8) Get it on a Cat Scale. Driver, full fuel and normal gear aboard. For second and third scale readings have port or starboard tires off of pads in order to know all wheel position weights. 9) Synthetic fluids. Donaldson or Baldwin filters. If ten years or more in age, then new hoses and belts plus fasteners. New factory battery cables. AGM battery (Sears Diehard Platinum). All new exterior lamps (Phillips Nightguide head lamps; new housings if yellowed). Bosch Icon wiper blades after two/three coats of RainX (especially on side glass and mirrors). New windshield if sandblasted. 10) Have driveshaft removed and ujoints replaced if over 100k miles or ten years. Shop must be able to spin balance shaft. Install Balancemaster. 11) All other book maintenance 10-20% ahead of book recommendations. A new owner starts a new wear pattern on the vehicle. Get ahead of curve. Steering pays greatest benefit after align and brakes. Shocks and bars are hugely beneficial to an EM driver. Others allow more precise control without wear issues clouding records. The 45-mph and lower mechanical issues pay better than the 60-mph aero stuff. But, not sexy, and not clear to most as to cost/benefit. As they will in fact add to longevity, their importance must not be overlooked. Great to see block and pan heaters!! In the diesel world we look at 90-minutes warmup as being 90% of the benefit of plugging in all night. Every so often it's important to take it out for a 100-mile run. Burn off acids and condensation in fluids, reinvigorate greases, and get tires up to stabilized temps so oils can migrate through casing. That takes 1.5-hrs at steady state to achieve equal temps inside and out of casing. SCHAEFFERS Oil products, also. Throughout truck.