I ran across the site today on a truckers forum for big trucks .
Although the article is talking about class A trucks much of it can be used in every day vehicles . So much technology has been reseached for the trucking industry this site will amaze most . I found it incredible .
http://www.everytime.cummins.com/every/pdf/MPG_Secrets_Whitepaper.pdf
Tim
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Replies
One nasty web site. Was taking an inordinately long time to load. When I tried to leave, it wouldn't let go. I finally pulled my firewall plug.
PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
That's a 1.3MB PDF file.
Download it, don't open it.
Unless you're broadband, that it.SamT
Tin can and a looong string. I'll pass (drive maybe 3k miles per yr). Forewarning would've been nice.
Thanks.PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
I'll put it in a nutshell fer ya.
I'ts a report by Cummings about what effects milage on a semi truck.
Air turbulence. Da biggie
Tire pressure and age. Older is better.
Speed.
Lubricants.
Habits. Lead foots loses da race.
Got it? There will be a quiz on 7-23-'23SamT
Thanks. Last night's storm further frayed my connection string. Things are barely working. Repair order called in. Satellite internet? Spoke with my elec coop this week. They've been promising broadband over their wires for 3 yrs. Last year they promised that everybody would have it available by last Christmas. Uh, huh... Seems everything they try doesn't work very well.
Mine's a little smaller than a semi, but I do have two live rear axles and 14k lbs empty. Speed it doesn't do. Tire pressure I understand and watch carefully. Tire age? As in baldies? Lubricants? They're a good idea. Air turbulence, eh? Mine makes no difference tail gate up or down, maybe 'cause it doesn't go very fast. But does have the ability of all 10 wheels pulling.
Always figured I was doing pretty well to get 8 mpg. Off-road, nowhere close. These weren't exactly designed for highway travel. Not exactly streamlined.
Yesterday I picked out another 6 ton rock to bring home tomorrow. More available if you'd like a few. Client still can't believe anybody'd want one. PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
More available if you'd like a few.
As many as we can get.
I'll ave a cold one in the fridge when ya get here to Central Missouri,
ROAR!SamT
Sphere's still waiting for the one by the tree. You can have the rest.
I like y'all, but not enough for that drive in my truck.
A driveway's there now. Creating a house site was even more interesting. Rocks we got.
Also beer.PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
It's an Acrobat document, 1-point-something megabytes. Took maybe 5 seconds on my creaky 300MHz box.
If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. --James Madison
That's what Sam said. Problem's not my computer, it's that frayed string that connects it to the rest of the world. DSL is miles away, cable much farther.
I'm used to that. My complaint was their site locking onto my computer, refusing to let go when I'd waited long enough, no end in sight, and tried to leave. My firewall came to my aid. Why they've gotta latch on I have no idea. Porn sites I understand...
My satellite TV buddy came by today to pick up a few rolls of reinforced bitumen I happened onto. We trade some. One of those rocks for a year's worth of satellite TV (upper tier), for instance. Unfortunately, he's not able to help me out with satellite internet. Gotta call another company tomorrow. We'll see.
Next time you drop by Montpelier, head on south, past Mr. Jefferson's school, and look me up. Not far. PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
Fascinating - I wonder if there is anything so comprehensive on regular sized trucks...tailgate down vs. up, tire choice, ladder racks etc. I guess we drive a lot less miles than a typical semi.
In reality I have no idea of my truck's fuel economy. But I want a Sprinter anyway.
Brian,
Mythbusters did a side by side test of pickups with tail gate up and tailgate down. Dramatically better mileage with the tailgate up!
Yep! UP !!!!!!!
It has to do with the turbulance caused by the cab, tailgate up and there is a turbulance "bubble" that causes most of the air and it's attending drag to slide over the back of the truck.
4WD mag in about 1980 did same test with twin S-15s and found that better mileage with tailgate down ovewr same controled course, time, etc
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
The Mythbusters test was not on a track, they used a variant of a wind tunnel to determine which method had less turbulence.
Jon Blakemore RappahannockINC.com Fredericksburg, VA
Then there is thishttp://www.trucktrend.com/features/consumer/163_0506_tailgate_myth/index.htmlTonneau covers also help a pick up's mpg a lot.
I thought I would let this run for a while to see what yall got out of it .
Engine power with rear ends matched on sized tires pulling what weight matters.
Its hopeless but their hasnt been the work done on cars as big trucks .
Shreddar was specing a truck a while back and it had medium low gears. [367 er close] She didnt say but it was on what tires? Low rides would have made it gear lower, etc.
It costs money to go fast but a truck should be speced for the speed you will drive it .
The engine power to torque turning a reccomended rpm is best . Most engines spec at 11 to 1500 rpm. Thats known as the sweet spot where low end power is utilized and also best fuel milege under load . Your engine will be speced for a crusing rpm . Depending on tire size and rears will depend on what speed that will be . A 410 rear may only be running 55 mph at 1200 rpm. While 333 rears may be traveling 75 with a certain set of tires. However 1150 is my sweet spot on a 350 chevy engine and that happens at 65 mph.
Some engines dont have the power to pull the truck at its sweet spot rpm . I have a 6 cylnder chevy that has 333 rears as well but at that rpm it dosnt have enough power to pull hills , so its constanly being shifted and slows down on hills . I just pulled 3000 lbs behind the tool truck today up the mountain which is probably as steep as they make hyways . It pulled it in 2ond gear so I can only imagine the fuel it was burning . The other truck pulls it nicely in third gear with the same load and much quicker . The bigger engine also gets better fuel mileage .
Once speed is built up its important to coast to a stop and not burn that expensive momentum. Thats really important in town driving . The low geared trucks really burn the fuel from stop light to stop light often in high rpm when they could split shift with out a load .
Maximim tire pressure offers less resistence to the road than partially inflated tires and that goes for our trailers too. Ive heard of running 10 lb more than max reccomended just for mpg and top end power. The less resistence the more power too.
I keep thinking about those ladder raCKS CATCHING WIND . lol.
Tim
If you were going to travel any distance at highway speeds it would probably make sense to add fairings to ladder racks and the like.
If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. --James Madison
If you will just try to remember one thing out of the discussion.
80,000 pound vehicles are getting upwards to 8 mpg .
My rig ways 5600 and gets 11mpg.
If my truck got 20mpg it would be no match for the technology posted here.
The only answer we have control over is fuel consumption in the energy crisis.
Think about the ground we have covered with homes and how much more efficient they are today .
Weve hardly done anything with vehicles we use . To save , we have to settle for less. The big trucks didnt and neither are we settling with less on homes .
I think its time we did somthing about vehicles as an answer to high fuel prices.
Tim
I think BigDanT's right ...
U ain't never buying nothing!
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
lol
This is the wrong thread for that.
Tim
Edited 7/25/2006 8:20 am by Mooney
I know what it is .
You just bought a 8 to 10 mpg rig didnt you? Now you both have one .
I havent seen yours but his is sweet . Its what I wanted in the beginning and still will dream about it . I think its too late . Thats a seriously offensive truck.
Tim
8 to 10 ... don't insult me ...
This baby will get a solid 12 all day long!
I was actually leaning toward something with dual rear wheels ... both Dan and my mechanic kinda talking me into it from their experiences ... then ... I mentioned gas mileage to my mechanic.
He said nothing with Duals is ever gonna get over 10 with the way U load it ...
so ... when I found one with single ... I test drove it and jumped at it.
Hoped for the best ... as again both Dan and Brian had me fearking the handeling ...
But it rides just fine. Much more like a van than a truck. I drove a coupla panel van/bread trucks .. aka Postal Trucks ... those drove every bit like a full size truck. Something I've always liked about a full size van is I could hit the PA Turnpike once a week and cruise at 85 just fine ... those I test drove had a real top speed of about 60 to 65 ... anything more felt like I were gonna lose control at the first turn.
My new one rides just like the van it replaced ... nice and smooth.
essentially all I did was move the GVW from 7,500 up to 9,500.
and the back is about a foot longer .. and the sides are "square" ... and a bit taller.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
I gotta ask since you are a van man.
Did you ever consider a 1 ton passenger van? You know like those that seat 14 people ? Long sumbritches.
Tim
yup.
was thinking that'd be my next "move up" until I found the current one at a great price ... so I jumped a step.
the box van/step van gives ya way more room because of the square sides.
I'll try to find a coupla pics of mine ... I've posted them so I know they're somewhere in this machine ...
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Pretty nice .
The last I checked that type truck was cheaper than a window van cause the churches are after the any church bus and all prices of them. Older to newer churches I guess.
Not many are gonna buy a used U haul truck. They are painting them white now to resell them. I thought I was going to buy a church 1 ton too but they are high .
Tim
mine was a Ryder truck leased off GMC.
bought it as GMC "reconditioned" or what ever thay called it and came with a 6mos/6K mile warrenty.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
"In reality I have no idea of my truck's fuel economy"
just reset the trip OD to zero at each fillup then divide the miles by gal's filled at the next stop.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Thanks, its not a math issue - the 2nd (now) broken odometer has been on 113,658 for 2 years now. The first broken odometer was on 208,xxx when I replaced it, and it was there when I bought it at auction - 89 Chevy 2500 Utility 4x4 w/305 - not a real looker, but worth keeping around. The trip odometer is stuck at 100, but I'd estimate fuel economy at 10-12...?
I'm just glad I don't have to drive it too much, fuel is high right now. But overall operating expenses are real low...I want the Sprinter for my family (passenger style) but even with the fuel savings, the initial cost would kill us.
We are at least 7 years from the first one heading to college, and I'm certain these next few years will be full of trips, so I am wondering if the fuel savings would more than offset the payments. Our 98 suburban is over 200k and won't last forever.
Treat every person you meet like you will know them the rest of your life - you just might!
You could always keep an eye out for a used one.
A new one won't be any cheaper next year :)
You could always keep an eye out for a used one.
A new one won't be any cheaper next year :)
I've looked - not too many for sale - mostly cargo at that. Maybe after the house is done & we know where finances lie...
Now if we could do that + learn to make biodiesel...
Treat every person you meet like you will know them the rest of your life - you just might!
There is a little warning about biodiesel being used in a Sprinter- only B2 is allowed. Must have something to do with the high injection pressures.
My VW TDI is only supposed to use B5.
At http://www.tdiclub.com, engine warranties have been voided by dealers that found out that more that B5 was used.
The biodiesel thing won't help if we can't use it....
"...tailgate down vs. up..."
Mythbusters did a segment on that. They concluded that pickups got better mileage with the tailgate up. It was something about airflow - I don't remember details.
I rely on my personality for birth control.
Funny you should mention that.
Most aircraft use what are called "vortex generators" to reduce drag and increase fuel economy.
The same technology has been marketed worldwide for trucks for at least ten years now.
Scope it out yerself....
http://www.airtab.com/
If you've got a wobbly 5th wheeler or cattle trailer, you might wanna look at the stability benifets....
Popular amongst truckers down under, with the obvious fuel savings, NOT in common use in Canada or USA.
If a long haul trucker spends 40k$, or more, on fuel a year you really gotta ask yerself why he doesn't want to cut that cost by 4%.
I don't understand.
Eric
in Alberta...
Thanks for posting that, Tim.
I had none of the problems with it that Tom had.
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"Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd." Voltaire