belly pan on the Dodge diesel

[bandit86]

Mpg numbers?

[skyking]

Hello Bandit! If you click the link to my fuel log, you'll see it is not a primary rig so I have to take the long view on it all. I will have some results, but they will be compromised by an injector change. I have no inexpensive means to get an instant readout. It is a mechanically injected engine with no instrumentation beyond the 34 gallon fuel tank.

[ECONORAM]

Originally Posted by Diesel_Dave

Where did you get this info? I've been looking for an "official" Cd & frontal area for my truck.

Sorry brother, I've been busy as of late... Here's a couple sources, but I went by the Dodge site's numbers:

I found some figures on Allpar today which have a lower Cd than I recall: Dodge Ram 1500 pickup trucks: what's new and what's coming
These are the figures I used: http://www.media.chrysler.com/dcxms/...ifications.pdf True, the 4x4 might be a little higher than my 2wd, but I figure it's not too far off. My goal is to get my truck's Cd down to about 0.35, which is where a BMW X5 is... Area is 34 sq ft. Yuck.
Dave

[slowmover]

Will we see an update of this thread on the newer truck?

[skyking]

Not a pan, but I am on the lookout for a large piece of belting for a front dam and side skirts between the wheels. Having better clearance and 4wd, this truck may be hard on any pan installation. Now that I have it I am more likely to get into sloppier stuff or at least not avoid it completely. It is amazing how much caked mud I have removed from it already, and there is more that has to be carefully loosened where it is near wiring and hoses, etc.
My brief experience with pans has shown that if there is a gap, a rock will get up in there. If it is mud the weight that can end up on the wrong side of things may tear them down.

[slowmover]

You've pretty well sold me on skirts versus pan. Though aft of the rear axle still has promise (given an aero lid). Move the spare tire to the bed.

[skyking]

My spare occupies a pretty good semblance of a diffuser IMO.