Another Truck....

[DeckSetter]

Lots of good info, thanks guys!

Some clarifications......

I already drive slow, usually cruise at 55mph.

I haven't looked in to a scanguage much, but will do so. I don't know if it would be worth it though because I'm thinking about swapping in a diesel. I have to figure a rough estimate of how long it would take to pay for itself, but I think I could pull 25+ mpg with it without any trouble, and maybe push 30 with some other mods.

I don't plan on LRR tires any time soon, the tires on the truck are brand new. Brand new as in, when I bought the truck a month ago it still had the little casting nubs on all 4 tires. They are passenger tires, but they'll do for now since I'm not hauling heavy. Uniroyal Laredo will do for now.

I drive mostly highway miles, I do mostly residential construction and most of the jobs I work on are 40+ minutes away highway driving. I'm going different places all the time, so that's going to effect my mpg a little, and I don't really have a way to do A-B-A testing because of it. Sometimes I'm at 3 or 4 different jobs in 1 day, sometimes I'm at the same place nonstop for a couple weeks, but since the truck takes about 30 gallons to fill up, I'm never in one place long enough for 3 tanks of gas of consistent driving.

As to lowering the truck, it's a 4x4 so lowering these things is crazy simple. The 4x4 and 2wd trucks use the same leaf springs and axle in the rear, but the 4x4 has a lift block. Take out lift block, put it back together with U bolts from a 2wd truck, drops rear 2" and it's basically leveled. Then I can get a set of torsion keys to drop the front 1-3" and a shackle to drop the rear, and for under $200 I drop the truck 2/4. Just wondering how much this will help me, since I drive mostly highway.

I think I will probably do the lawn edging chin spoiler, looked for lawn edging yesterday but didn't find any at Lowe's. Oh well, spring will be here in a month... How low should I go?

The cap is probably going to stay on the truck, it came with it and it's very useful for work. I considered rigging something up to leave the hatch propped part way open to redirect air when it comes off the back, but I doubt it would help much.

How much should an electric fan help on a small V8? It's not very torquey... and I could keep it if / when I swap to diesel.

[slowmover]

Records of fuel use are going to be your best friend. There will be boundaries (time and distances) that will give you the overall picture (average mpg).

Lowering the truck, if really that cheap and easy, would be worth a try. Alignment and pinion angles would be my concern.

Electric fan worthwhile if no towing or long hot summer. The good ones are expensive, though.

Air dam: I measured off about 7-trucks one day in a parking lot. I found none lower than 10", IIRC. The rule of thumb, also IIRC, is to have the dam no lower than the bottom edge of truck components.

Be sure to weigh the truck at some point. That's always a good starting point for all mods, not just drivetrain changes.

Bed toppers (caps) are definitely our friend. I look forward to being able to purchase an AEROLID someday. My 8' bed and topper have 170 c/f inside and I'd give up a good deal of that for the awesome aero improvement (and FE increase).