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Old 01-09-2019, 07:15 AM   #162 (permalink)
slowmover
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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
Forgotten if I’ve asked: Have you scaled this? CAT Scale, top off to max fuel with only driver and gear kept permanently aboard?

It’s well worth knowing the point where additional weight starts to make a difference in mild terrain.

Mine did 24-mpg the first day I owned it (I was thrilled). I’d also scaled it (first chore after purchase).

It takes roughly 1,000-lbs in truck bed before MPG is affected (I’ve since learned how to compensate).

The 6,860-lb published ship weight is these days 7,940-lbs before I add 500-lbs work gear or hitch trailer.

I had to re-work the placement of gear & tools to keep the weight on or ahead of the rear axle. And it’s now within 40-lbs all four corners.

Scale weights are the ne plus ultra in determining tire pressure values.

Upsizing the front anti-roll bar to match the change made by adding a rear one gave me much flatter cornering response. Means less brake/less throttle for curves. Less time “into” steering degree and duration. No strange oversteer.

And any claims I’ve made about mpg are ALWAYS at same travel speed/engine rpm. Constant use of cruise control. Other approaches are flawed (using one’s foot to eak out MPG fails past hour three).

It’s not the highest number, it’s the average. The planning number where additional weight up to X, and neither darkness, rain, or traffic changes it.

$3/gal diesel at 300-miles WILL NOT exceed a cost of . . . .

That’s the number to find. Fuel cost per mile. CPM. (See sig).


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Last edited by slowmover; 01-09-2019 at 07:33 AM..
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