Go Back   EcoModder Forum > EcoModding > EcoModding Central
Register Now
 Register Now
 

Reply  Post New Thread
 
Submit Tools LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 05-03-2008, 09:51 AM   #1 (permalink)
EV test pilot
 
bennelson's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Oconomowoc, WI, USA
Posts: 4,435

Electric Cycle - '81 Kawasaki KZ440
90 day: 334.6 mpg (US)

S10 - '95 Chevy S10
90 day: 30.48 mpg (US)

Electro-Metro - '96 Ben Nelson's "Electro-Metro"
90 day: 129.81 mpg (US)

The Wife's Car - Plug-in Prius - '04 Toyota Prius
90 day: 78.16 mpg (US)
Thanks: 17
Thanked 663 Times in 388 Posts
S-10 Pickup Ecomods

Hey Everyone.

I have a 95 Chevy S10 Pickup truck - 2.2L 5-speed manual that I would like to be able to get 30 MPG from.

I have already removed the mechanical radiator fan from it and replaced that with an electric fan. ( http://forum.ecomodder.com/showthread.php?t=1444 )

I would like to build an aero cap for it.

I am also considering lowering the truck and adding an air dam or belly pan.

Does anyone have experience in lowering vehicles that could give advice?
Here are two kits for lowering a truck. What do you think of the prices and what's included?

Kit 1


Kit 2

Both are for a 3 inch drop in front and back.
The one is for $110 and the other is for $270.
Can I "build my own kit" for significantly less?

I am going for fuel economy - any "looking cool" is only a side effect. Frankly, I could only ever look cool on accident anyways.

All comments welcome!

-Ben

__________________


300mpg.org Learn how to BUILD YOUR OWN ELECTRIC CAR CHEAP
My YouTube Videos
  Reply With Quote
Alt Today
Popular topics

Other popular topics in this forum...

   
Old 05-03-2008, 10:20 AM   #2 (permalink)
Legend in my own mind
 
trikkonceptz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Homestead, Fl.
Posts: 927

Evil Pumpkin - '08 Scion xD RS 1.0 #1633
90 day: 35.45 mpg (US)

Silent Silver Killer - '10 Honda Insight EX
90 day: 51.5 mpg (US)
Thanks: 2
Thanked 14 Times in 13 Posts
The only difference between the two kits are the shocks. Most kits will include shocks because once you lower a vehicle beyond 2" you risk bottoming out the oem shocks and therefore rendering them useless and giving yourself a horrible ride.

If you are looking to save cash, then buy the kit without the shocks and if you ever feel the need to buy new ones because you blew out the old ones then spend the extra $60 at a later date to replace the shocks.
__________________
Thx NoCO2; "The biggest FE mod you can make is to adjust the nut behind the wheel"

I am a precisional instrument of speed and aeromatics
If your knees bent in the opposite direction......what would a chair look like???





  Reply With Quote
Old 05-03-2008, 10:49 AM   #3 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Earth
Posts: 303

Pushrod - '02 Chevrolet Cavalier
Thanks: 0
Thanked 8 Times in 4 Posts
Isn't the 2.2L S-10 already rated for 30hwy?
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-03-2008, 01:52 PM   #4 (permalink)
EV test pilot
 
bennelson's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Oconomowoc, WI, USA
Posts: 4,435

Electric Cycle - '81 Kawasaki KZ440
90 day: 334.6 mpg (US)

S10 - '95 Chevy S10
90 day: 30.48 mpg (US)

Electro-Metro - '96 Ben Nelson's "Electro-Metro"
90 day: 129.81 mpg (US)

The Wife's Car - Plug-in Prius - '04 Toyota Prius
90 day: 78.16 mpg (US)
Thanks: 17
Thanked 663 Times in 388 Posts
Here's what the FuelEconomy.gov says:

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/calcu...umn=1&id=12136

21 city, 26 highway.
__________________


300mpg.org Learn how to BUILD YOUR OWN ELECTRIC CAR CHEAP
My YouTube Videos
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-03-2008, 02:58 PM   #5 (permalink)
A madman
 
brucey's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: WV
Posts: 1,018

Pequod - '17 Subaru Outback
90 day: 22.79 mpg (US)
Thanks: 73
Thanked 183 Times in 98 Posts
Send a message via AIM to brucey
My buddys 89 S10 gets 35 mpg city with some EOC and 31 mpg highway with a camper shell on it. Oh yeah, it sits on the ground and looks like this too:



He says the thing that has helps the most is he thinks lowering it, the front air dam is less than an inch off the ground and it drags everywhere.
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-03-2008, 08:59 PM   #6 (permalink)
EV test pilot
 
bennelson's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Oconomowoc, WI, USA
Posts: 4,435

Electric Cycle - '81 Kawasaki KZ440
90 day: 334.6 mpg (US)

S10 - '95 Chevy S10
90 day: 30.48 mpg (US)

Electro-Metro - '96 Ben Nelson's "Electro-Metro"
90 day: 129.81 mpg (US)

The Wife's Car - Plug-in Prius - '04 Toyota Prius
90 day: 78.16 mpg (US)
Thanks: 17
Thanked 663 Times in 388 Posts
Wow - that truck has been modded for theft deterrent too!!!

Lowering and an air dam hey? Guess I must put those on for next on my list.
__________________


300mpg.org Learn how to BUILD YOUR OWN ELECTRIC CAR CHEAP
My YouTube Videos
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2008, 01:26 PM   #7 (permalink)
EV test pilot
 
bennelson's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Oconomowoc, WI, USA
Posts: 4,435

Electric Cycle - '81 Kawasaki KZ440
90 day: 334.6 mpg (US)

S10 - '95 Chevy S10
90 day: 30.48 mpg (US)

Electro-Metro - '96 Ben Nelson's "Electro-Metro"
90 day: 129.81 mpg (US)

The Wife's Car - Plug-in Prius - '04 Toyota Prius
90 day: 78.16 mpg (US)
Thanks: 17
Thanked 663 Times in 388 Posts
I just ordered "kit #1". - springs and blocks to lower the truck 3"

It should come for this weekend. Hopefully I should have time to install it.

I have never worked with springs before. I need to go rent a "spring-compressor", right?
__________________


300mpg.org Learn how to BUILD YOUR OWN ELECTRIC CAR CHEAP
My YouTube Videos
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2008, 01:42 PM   #8 (permalink)
EcoModding Apprentice
 
adam728's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Michigan
Posts: 161

Mazda3 - '08 Mazda 3 S
90 day: 29.65 mpg (US)

DR650SE - '13 Suzuki DR650SE
90 day: 46.16 mpg (US)

Wife's - '12 GMC Terrain SLE-2
Thanks: 2
Thanked 22 Times in 18 Posts
Dang, I'm too late.

Good luck with the 3" drop, I would have only recommended 2". Some guys say alignment with 3" coils is no problem, others have a lot of issues. Also 3" in the back puts you about on the bump stops. It's the point where many guys will start to channel the frame to give the axle more up travel. We did 3" blocks on a buddy's Sonoma years ago and the back bottomed out everywhere.

Shocks shouldn't be too much of a problem. Since the bumpstops aren't moved (you are only riding lower in the travel) the compressed length of the shock will end up the same. Its just that drop shocks usually are stiffer and better control the now very limited up-travel.

I had a 98 S-10, 4 banger 5 spd. Dropped it 2" with coils up front and blocks in the rear. Ended up adding air shocks, as the truck was worthless once dropping the back. 300 lbs worth of dirt bike and gear would leave it squated and bottoming on everything (not that it was much better stock).

I am surprised your mileage is that low with that truck though. 25 mpg was probably one of my worst tanks in my 98 (granted the head/intake/exhaust is a little different).
__________________
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2008, 01:48 PM   #9 (permalink)
Did you get that thing?
 
reformed's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Buffalo NY
Posts: 162

Green Machine - '92 Honda Civic LX
90 day: 39.98 mpg (US)

Money pit - '97 Infiniti j30
90 day: 22.74 mpg (US)
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Yea you will need a spring compressor, and be careful with it if its a cheapie! The ones that are essentially just clamps can fly off if you're not used to them. We used to use them until one day it did, and would have easily taken someones head off if they had been in the direct path of it.

Also, trikkonceptz is right about the shocks. with a 3" drop and stock strut/shocks you will prematurely wear them out and they won't perform that well because they weren't designed to be used with that small amount of travel. You may also need caster/camber plates if your tires tuck in too much when you're done. The best way to lower your front would be through drop spindles, this way you still have roughly the same geometry for your suspension. I'm no expert by any means, a long time ago I had a garage and my partner did hydraulics, lowering, and airbags and such and I just used to help him with the suspension when I wasn't doing my thing.
__________________

Last edited by reformed; 05-27-2008 at 05:51 PM..
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2008, 02:31 PM   #10 (permalink)
Legend in my own mind
 
trikkonceptz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Homestead, Fl.
Posts: 927

Evil Pumpkin - '08 Scion xD RS 1.0 #1633
90 day: 35.45 mpg (US)

Silent Silver Killer - '10 Honda Insight EX
90 day: 51.5 mpg (US)
Thanks: 2
Thanked 14 Times in 13 Posts
If the rear bump stops become a problem then hack'em. The are solid rubber and about 4" long, cut them down and re-install and you should have no issues unless you apply load to the bed ...

__________________
Thx NoCO2; "The biggest FE mod you can make is to adjust the nut behind the wheel"

I am a precisional instrument of speed and aeromatics
If your knees bent in the opposite direction......what would a chair look like???





  Reply With Quote
Reply  Post New Thread


Thread Tools


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Report: Improving the Aero Characteristics of a Dodge Ram Pickup Truck MetroMPG Aerodynamics 36 08-05-2013 11:25 PM
SAE report: Pickup Truck tailgate aerodynamics... better up, down, or off? MetroMPG Aerodynamics 5 11-17-2011 02:35 PM
Aeromoding my truck ('95 Chevy S10 pickup) bennelson Aerodynamics 42 12-17-2010 06:28 PM
VW pickup for conversion to electric or veggie oil? bennelson Fossil Fuel Free 16 02-12-2009 06:13 AM
Yet another pickup driver checking in... LUVMY02CREW Introductions 12 03-02-2008 06:38 PM



Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.5.2
All content copyright EcoModder.com