Easy Aero Fix? (Modding a pickup?)

[Big Dave]

I beg to differ about the "fast back crap." Mine works nicely.

Weight is important but if you intend to use a pickup as a pickup, it becomes a special case.

Trucks are for hauling stuff. Trucks should be evaluated like aircraft - loaded to max gross. If that is the case, you can remove weight from the truck but you don't remove any weight from the vehicle. You just add more payload capacity.

[DifferentPointofView]

True that! Makes me angry at the people who use their trucks like a car. Use it like a truck!!! Instead of spending money to lower it, just buy a beater geo or honda, or toyota!!!

[Achtung]

True that! Makes me angry at the people who use their trucks like a car. Use it like a truck!!! Instead of spending money to lower it, just buy a beater geo or honda, or toyota!!!

I'd say it's usually cheaper to run one truck as a car than to run two vehicles. Besides, my truck's fuel ratings according to www.fueleconomy.gov are nearly the same as your jeep's. My city rating is 1 mpg better infact!

[Chris D.]

Originally Posted by DifferentPointofView

True that! Makes me angry at the people who use their trucks like a car. Use it like a truck!!! Instead of spending money to lower it, just buy a beater geo or honda, or toyota!!!

I use my truck like a car when i'm not using it like a truck..

Do you use your SUV like a car when your not hauling around people?

You could be getting twice the mileage with a mid size sedan that can do the same thing your 2wd Jeep is doing.

Its not cost efficient to own 2 vehicles unless absolutly nessesary,
then your paying insurance for 2 vehicles, and ones just sitting..


Now if you had a large F150 gas 4x4 that you used to haul stuff, a economical car would definatly be a good deal..

I'm getting a consistant 29mph in my truck and it definatly gets used as a truck when needed..


I just hit the switch to let all the air out of the rear helper bags to scare a cat in the parking lot lol. thats why its sitting getteo..




Howabout you, are you using your SUV to its fullest to and from soccer practices j/k

[DifferentPointofView]

yea, I blew a shock ealier this year using it like a jeep should be used. an suv or truck that never sees mud should never be owned.

And when I said truck, I meant both SUV's and trucks, most people around here call suv's trucks anyway since their big and tow stuff. When I got my Jeep it just sorta happened. it was cheap, and I needed a car to go to school. I just actually use it more than just commuting.

are nearly the same as your jeep's. My city rating is 1 mpg better infact!

Yea, but your getting 20 or less mpg and I'm getting now 22's. Chris D. is doing best though at 34% over EPA.

Just wondering, but do you have any picks of it caked in mud?

[roflwaffle]

Originally Posted by Chris D.

Its not cost efficient to own 2 vehicles unless absolutly nessesary,
then your paying insurance for 2 vehicles, and ones just sitting..

Depends on the costs really. For me, comparing my pickup@1,000 miles and 27mpg to my VW@9,000 miles getting twice the mileage shows a cost difference of more than $500. Since insurance on the extra vehicle is only ~$300+/year, it's clearly cheaper to have another more efficient vehicle for my needs. And, since I only need the pickup periodically, I don't have to pay for coverage year round, maybe just for four months out of the year when I use it, so now I'm saving over $700 thanks to having a vehicle that's twice as efficient.

[Chris D.]

Originally Posted by DifferentPointofView

Just wondering, but do you have any picks of it caked in mud?

being that your ZJ is nothing more than a 2wd open diff, all your destin for is the occasional muddy puddle hopping, and thats hardly usefull..

I take my truck to alot of places most 2wd vehicles shouldn't go..
But lets not make this a pissing match..
Your Dakota (I mean Cherokee) is more than useful..









lets see your muddy pictures then, your turn

[Achtung]

Yea, but your getting 20 or less mpg and I'm getting now 22's. Chris D. is doing best though at 34% over EPA.

True. I've got to start figuring out how to mod this beast of mine. I've got a canopy on it... I'm thinking this summer I should see if I can make a tonneau cover like Chris has, they seem to be the best option to make the back of a truck more aero. By the way... Thanks Chris for putting up stuff like that! There's not a whole lot on ecomodders for DIY mods specifically for trucks. I think that would be a neat project, although I've never worked with fiberglass.

, since I only need the pickup periodically, I don't have to pay for coverage year round, maybe just for four months out of the year when I use it

Roflwaffle, That's cool you can get part-year insurance. I haven't come across any insurance companies that do that around here. Although I haven't searched that hard. I should look into that... I was thinking about getting my motorcycle license and buying a little bike for getting around during the summer.

[roflwaffle]

Originally Posted by Achtung

Roflwaffle, That's cool you can get part-year insurance. I haven't come across any insurance companies that do that around here.

It's kind of a pain, since my company requires that the money be held until the end of the term if I decide I don't want to use the whole six months, but I'd rather have ~$100 in a few months than end up paying all that for a vehicle I'm not using. I think brokerage places like e-youknowwhat-surance and similar would be better since they're a month at a time even if they're a bit more expensive and not as trusted.

[Chris D.]

Originally Posted by Achtung

True. I've got to start figuring out how to mod this beast of mine. I've got a canopy on it... I'm thinking this summer I should see if I can make a tonneau cover like Chris has, they seem to be the best option to make the back of a truck more aero. By the way... Thanks Chris for putting up stuff like that! There's not a whole lot on ecomodders for DIY mods specifically for trucks. I think that would be a neat project, although I've never worked with fiberglass..

I just read about some stuff on the internet in reguards to
fiberglass and went for it, hit or miss its a win win learning situation.

try chopping that canopy up in a fastback style setup.
Bondo has started something thats quite good..

aero shells for trucks..
the stuff with the Tundra and F150 are his, the rest is just sorta thrown in there..
http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...ma/AeroTopper/