'allo all
 

hallo everyone
I am new to the site, but have been thinking of ways to improve my mpg for some time now.
I currently own a 1999 Ranger XLT w/ a 3.0L v6, which is giving me some poor gas mileage, which I am eager to increase and maybe share some of my ideas with others of like mind. :)

at the moment, with the minor things Ive done Im managing to avg between 24/25mpg on the hwy, my goal is to reach 30+ mpg.

things Im going to be working on in the next year:
Im going to work on building an aero cover, out of light weight aluminum, body molded to match my trucks lines as close as I can.
I decided to go with aluminum for its much lighter weight compared with fibreglass.

I also have a couple of ideas for smoothing out the front end of my truck, of which I will share as I work on it.

I am also toying with an idea for making the transition between the hood and windshield a little smoother.

with luck, my goal of 30+ mpg will be attainable, but Im hopeful after reading some of the results on the boards prior to joining. :thumbup:

Material choice is mostly about what you like to work with. The aircraft industry is busy switching from aluminum to fiberglass and other composites to save weight; the just have to hire new guys.

As a way of looking at yet another "increase my mileage thread" maybe the OP would have an interest in approaching this via record-keeping as a businessman by separating those miles from personal miles. The use is likely different, and, as he is not a commuter (that I am aware), it would single out a small truck as multi-purpose vehicle (as comes up in other threads) for the separation (if possible) would reveal more about the utility of a truck for the rest of us. It isn't THAT great a difference (with, say, an MPGuino if I understand that device) as miles logged for IRS deduction are essentially work days, and week-ends are personal.

Maybe fillup on Fridays, and record mileage again on Monday morning?

If the OP hasn't seen it, then there is info around here about using screen material instead of coroplast or aluminum sheet as bellypan material. Living on the coast -- with an interest in historical homes -- I have priced bronze and other screening material . . there would seem to be a big set of choices about what constitutes screen. (And, since America is No.1 in imprisoning our fellow citizens, we also lead in all sorts of security screening). Might be something cool and worthwhile there too.

Front air dam of proper length and belly-screen mpg improvements for non-business miles versus business miles would be my low cost suggestion on a quite old business vehicle.

Subsidized fuel really, really changes the cost of ownership as the miles accumulate so quickly. But is misleading for comparing to "personal" miles as what is "paid to the truck" is often mistakenly used as "paid to the driver" (overhead versus income). Mpg improvements -- as a percentage -- are actually quite small in re profit/income due to this subsidization.

For those of us who look to trucks as single, do-it-all vehicles, the further record keeping and analysis would pay forward to the OP's next truck, and illuminate the value of a truck for non-business owners in a particular light (small trucks being popular around here).

If the OP is so disposed.

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my truck is my "go to" vehicle as it is the most reliable one I own :)
so in light of that, then slowmover is correct in that showing how to use the truck as a single, do-it-all vehicle is what I am aiming for.
that said, I have a 94 mazda protege, 1.8L 5 spd w/o AC (factory delete) that I will also be doing some modification too, looking to get that well into the 40mpg mark. (rated at 33-35mpg as it stands now)

while I do use the truck for work purposes as well, 90% of the time its to drive to the job and back home, with the ability to carry materials. using an aerolid wouldnt hamper my ability to transport materials at all, as long as I allow it to be removable in the center area.

as for metal vs fiberglass, I have quite a bit of knowledge working with both, and I can promise that fiberglass would weigh as much as 2 times the aluminum to get the same rigidity.
I believe the screen would not be rigid enough for a belly pan, while I had considered coroplast, Im concerned with its longevity of life, I know the aluminum will outlast it by at least 6 fold, most likely more. :)
plus, as bob mentioned, I am more comfortable working with AL than anything else ;)

I believe the screen would not be rigid enough for a belly pan

Bummer, I was envisioning that The Screen Machine would have both aerolid and belly pan of screen flat-banded across it's width every so far a length . . . one cool calling card, IMO. Top it off with wheel covers the same way. We'd all have to pitch in on wind tunnel time on that, eh?

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Welcome to EcoModder :thumbup: