Doin what they say cant be done.

[Sparkeysmall]

ok, the oil pan heater is installed. the transmission pan is ribbed and its not sticking... so...

anyway. i did a 200 mile trip this weekend. averaged around 12 mpg. massive headwind halfway. but spent most of my time a reasonable difference behind a big rig doing 60.

and i changed the engine oil. full synthetic and some stiction eliminator. says that will have full effect after 4000 miles or so... havent done the transmission or axles yet.

[RustyLugNut]

As fun as it is to fool with mileage mods, this is your work truck and I agree with slowmover on this one. You build your work truck for very different reasons you build a commuter. Reliability is coupled with usability as your main performance objectives as that makes you money. Your truck should pay for itself.

Oil_Pan4's thread on trailer use is also a goldmine of having the best of both worlds.

I have the luxury of having 3 Cummins powered trucks to haul my equipment trailers and deliver machinery. But, I also have a 2005 Dodge Magnum R/T with the factory tow option and a hidden bumper hitch. I often do field repairs and I'll hook up the box trailer to the Magnum to carry the generator and the Esab welder. After performing the work, I'll drop the trailer and cruise around seeing the sights with the little wife comfy in her heated leather seat listening to ABBA on the Bose sound system while The Magnum pulls down 26 mpg at 62 mph.

If you want a Honda Civic to play with my neighbor is selling his for less than a grand. California rust free too.

[gumby79]

A lot of people are suggesting to use an ecobox/trailer combination, not realizing that they are suggesting to tow triples..... yes a Leaf can tow 1ton of hay,however, it is rated at 0lbs towing. This means you drove it and excepted all liability for any incident including non-fault for using the tool in an unsafe manner.
Sparkeysmall must move with the flow of work hear today there tomorrow. This means no spending a day going home to get the right tool for the job,a truck. Adding a car trailer and a welder trailer to the back of the 30' TT and truck + insurance on the traveling circus Caravan ,I assume permit load (over length),. Any fule savings will be consumed by the higher operating cost.
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Payload2,320 tare weight 6,568 tow rating 9,300
From:
2001 RAM Pickup Payload and Towing Charts

Maximum Trailer Weight Ratings must be decreased by the weight of: optional equipment, trailer hitch, cargo in the truck, and passengers other than the driver.

They left out , tongue weight counts tords the payload. Assumeing a standard tongue weight of 10% ~ 8000 =800 +1500 (welder) =~2300lbs leaving ~20lbs for tools and other gear on the truck. This is a commercial operation, willingly exceeding the posted weight limits is opening the doorf or major law suit.
"Give me absolute safty or give me death", Redpoint5
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Add advertising graphics to your modds and now the ROI is tax time /0miles
--
Have you geven any thoughts to airdams and side skirts?

[Sparkeysmall]

Originally Posted by gumby79

A lot of people are suggesting to use an ecobox/trailer combination, not realizing that they are suggesting to tow triples..... yes a Leaf can tow 1ton of hay,however, it is rated at 0lbs towing. This means you drove it and excepted all liability for any incident including non-fault for using the tool in an unsafe manner.
Sparkeysmall must move with the flow of work hear today there tomorrow. This means no spending a day going home to get the right tool for the job,a truck. Adding a car trailer and a welder trailer to the back of the 30' TT and truck + insurance on the traveling circus Caravan ,I assume permit load (over length),. Any fule savings will be consumed by the higher operating cost.
---

Payload2,320 tare weight 6,568 tow rating 9,300
From:
2001 RAM Pickup Payload and Towing Charts

They left out , tongue weight counts tords the payload. Assumeing a standard tongue weight of 10% ~ 8000 =800 +1500 (welder) =~2300lbs leaving ~20lbs for tools and other gear on the truck. This is a commercial operation, willingly exceeding the posted weight limits is opening the doorf or major law suit.
"Give me absolute safty or give me death", Redpoint5
---
Add advertising graphics to your modds and now the ROI is tax time /0miles
--
Have you geven any thoughts to airdams and side skirts?

"Here today, gone tomorrow" very correct. My home is a trailer. I move where the work is. I know im not going to be at this job for ever. Its how the life i chose works. And i would mich rather tow my home to the next job than to stay in a hotel and drive upteen thousand miles back to "home", then another upteen thousand miles to the next job. If you want to think about it. This uses less fuel in the long run.

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The payload for this truck that i can find is around 4,900lbs. Towing capacity 11,000 lbs. so stop getting a fit over weight ratings and safety.

-

And yes. I cannot tow a welder and camper with a geo metro. Yes i wouldnt mind a charger... Not at all. But i cant move everything at a moments notice with a car/trailer setup.

-

And i measured the welder yesterday. It may fit sideways. I would have to cut a hole in the bed liner to make room for the brushes that stick out the front.

[slowmover]

I also use a trailer as home. I use a one ton Dodge. Both seen in my signature. If I somehow lost the use of the Dodge I'd likely use a V8 Charger.

As to what's "safe" in towing, it isn't the manufacturer ratings. Those are designed to get one into a pickup. Decidedly less safe than a car, by every measure.

A better trailer is another approach to using less fuel. An Airstrean style trailer (Silver Streak, Avion or Streamline) has aerodynamic properties such that a half ton or big car can do the job. One of these isn't old at ten years and 30-years can be found where just a re-hab of new appliances and some general work pertain. Click on the link to see the one I sold (since replaced).

Keep this in mind as time goes on. A dedicated rig needs both vehicles to cut transportation costs. I had a hair under $30k into both vehicles when purchased ten years ago. Have a goal of better vehicles.

25-mpg highway solo for the one ton, and 15-mpg towing the 35' trailer. Just inside the experience of quite a few others.

Reliability and longevity will pay on that 488. Re-wire the truck front to back, and rebuild steering and suspension. Age, alone, calls for it.

[Sparkeysmall]

Originally Posted by slowmover

As to what's "safe" in towing, it isn't the manufacturer ratings. Those are designed to get one into a pickup. Decidedly less safe than a car, by every measure.
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I had a hair under $30k into both vehicles when purchased ten years ago. Have a goal of better vehicles.

ive personally seen smaller trucks carrying heavier loads... and if manufacturer ratings don't mean nothing other than sales figures, why do they have a legal twist to 'em? and by these figures, I'm under weight. it tows flat and steady with everything loaded up. and i don't go past 65mph.

and so far I got you beat at $15,000 for this setup. i could've gone cheaper but i do have standards.

--

anyway. to get on topic. i got the day off so I'm going to do some more work. first i have to find a place to do it. the rv park doesnt allow maintenance work.... anyway i want to drop the suspension. from what i have read, one can take the stock lift blocks out of the back and then put them above the axle so as to reuse the U-bolts. the front however would require cutting the coils. some say 2/3 but still have 3/8" more up front and some 1 full coil and end up even. with the 1 coil cut it only has about 1.5" till it touches the bumpstop... i do have my old zj with h&r springs sitting where theres maybe an inch to the front bumpstops and it definitely could use some more travel, any lower and the steering rods would slam against the oil pan... anyway looking at the trucks front end theres plenty of room for everything to fit. both are similar designs.

anyway. i can have the springs out and cut and back driving again in a few hours. assuming nothings rotted together. I've had the jeep apart so many times I've swapped out all my springs numerous times a year within 2 hours each time. its so easy.

and to those arguing cutting coils is a bad idea... its really the only option i got. i can't seem to find "lowering" springs for the front easily. at least not for the 4x4's. and i have done some air suspension searches and got no farther than rear helpers or 2wd front.

i could get individual bags for $100ish each, and make my own custom setup. from what i can gather a fully home put-together air suspension could be anywhere from $500 to... well as much as you want but i really wouldnt mind having the ability to air up and down for varying loads and highways... i also have a fear that over time the air will escape, or lines/seals deteriorate and I'm slammed down like an old lincoln. i don't want that frame grinding look just a nice ride and ride height adjustment. so... a small pump and tank with manual valves... looks to be around $750 for all around. i would count about half that as an eco mod as i mainly want to do that for comfort rather than economy, but it does have its eco abilities.

anyway. I've been averaging 12 so far on this tank. 160 miles in and down just a tick from a quarter to full . from the pump calculations the on board computer is pretty close to being accurate for the average.

so... if i can't find somewhere to hack on my springs ill probably go scouting around for materials to make the aeroshell. I'm thinking about making a simple one for now. maybe conduit and film or plastic sheets. i won't have time to modify the welder arrangement until early march. which is fine as i should have this job till at least may. then its go time for some field work.

[oil pan 4]

Nothing wrong with cutting part of a coil to get fitment right.
Problem is when people cut more than a coil or take a torch to the coils.

[freebeard]

Originally Posted by slowmover

As to what's "safe" in towing, it isn't the manufacturer ratings.

Compare the 'ratings' of a identical make and model in different international markets. That will disambiguate the situation.

What do you think of the logic in this article?

Worst car modifications: Suspension Clamps - Diseno-art

[oil pan 4]

There are 3 things they do overseas that you don't see in the US when it comes to trailering.
1 they use trailer brakes even on smaller trailers towed by cars.
2 they actually slow down to an appropriate speed when towing.
3 it appears that in most euro countries they have to have additional licensing, training, inspections, so on and so forth before they can tow a trailer.

In America our tow rating are for the below average consumer, not using trailer brakes, using the posted speed limit as a minimum recommendation.

So it's not surprising that they have higher tow ratings.

[ECO-AKJ]

Originally Posted by Sparkeysmall

ill probably go scouting around for materials to make the aeroshell. I'm thinking about making a simple one for now. maybe conduit and film or plastic sheets. i won't have time to modify the welder arrangement until early march. which is fine as i should have this job till at least may. then its go time for some field work.

If I remember right, do you tow a fifth wheel trailer or a bumper pull trailer, either way, you could make an aeroshell that could tilt up and become the aero front end for the trailer to keep the air flowing smoothly.