New from Colorado

[Dave H. (CO)]

I'm a newbie from Colorado. My vehicles are:
1997 Hyundai Elantra Wagon, 1.6, 5 speed manual
2000 Chevy Malibu, 3.1 l, automatic
2003 Chevy Silverado 3500 x-cab, dually 4x4,8.1L gas, Allison Auto
2000 Kawasaki Vulcan 800

I currently have no mods on any of the vehicles except the truck-I'm leaving tomorrow with a 1200 lb trailer to go to south Texas and back. I'm hoping for 11.5 mpg avg, coming back with around 2 cords of oak firewood. The only mods are covered holes in the bumper, lower air dam, smooth rear hubcaps, smooth side boards and top for the firewood, and hopefully I'll get some rear fender skirts on the truck before I leave.

The 1997 Elantra I've been getting around 31mpg out of lately.

I haven't calculated the Malibu mileage lately so don't know.

The cycle gets around 52mpg.

I work primarily as a drafter for a heavy civil construction company.

[gone-ot]

Originally Posted by Dave H. (CO)

I work primarily as a drafter for a heavy civil construction company.

...pen & pencil, or computer? And, "Welcome Aboard!"

[slowmover]

Buddy, that's some expensive wood to BBQ with back home!!

Welcome.

I'm leaving tomorrow with a 1200 lb trailer to go to south Texas and back. I'm hoping for 11.5 mpg avg, coming back with around 2 cords of oak firewood. The only mods are covered holes in the bumper, lower air dam, smooth rear hubcaps, smooth side boards and top for the firewood, and hopefully I'll get some rear fender skirts on the truck before I leave.

Alignment
Brake drag
Tire pressure (against load)
Steering wander
Air filter

Same for trailer (align & brake drag) plus bearing service. Trailer tires to max sidewall pressure.

Travel speed under 60, ideally. But at under traffic flow means no lane changes and far less braking (plus fewer acceleration events into and out of towns or metro areas). Proportional brake controller. WDH hitch, too, as braking/steering is bettered. Every little bit helps on FE.

I'd also tarp the load, very tightly.

.

[Dave H. (CO)]

I started with Pencil/paper, but now do it on computers.
Yes, it's expensive firewood, but I was going to Texas anyway for my Dad-In-Law's 80'th birthday and our usual trip car is currently non-running. 2 cords of wood will make up the different cost in gas with value of wood. I was sick Wed. night so was unable to do the lower airdam or fender skirts. So, the only mod done was 2 rear smooth hubcaps (one of which disappered within the first 150 miles), and taped over front bumper tow hooks and vents. As far as weight dist. hitches go, it won't be needed for as small a trailer as I'm pulling with such a large truck. I avg. 11.6 coming down, so I'm not entirely un-happy so far. I'm still hoping to get some skirts/or the air dam installed before I leave here, but I know how time goes when on vacation with relatives.

I'll post back when I return. I've obtained 12.75 running solo in the past on the highway, doing around 65 mph. For a 900 mile trip I can't do only 60-the trip would take far too long. 16 hrs is bad enough for a one-day drive.

[gone-ot]

...they don't make wood-burning steam cars anymore do they? (ha,ha)

[Dave H. (CO)]

Well not awful, I got 9.8 returning home with a side-wind. I'm guessing I had close to 8,500 lb worth of wood/misc stuff added to the initial truck/trailer weight of around 8300. I get about 7mpg towing the 5th wheel. Thankfully that's the only long trip the beast will have this year. I'm still about 31mpg avg on the Hyundai though.