Fuel Mileage

art leong · 07-07-2008, 07:47 PM

One good thing happened on my trip to the track Friday, I averaged 9.5 mpg.
Ford F550, 7.3 diesel automatic. 48' 5th wheel living quarters trailer.
All I had to do is stay a steady 52 mph (on the interstate)
People were passing me like I was standing still. But it beats the heck out of 7mpg

Mike Meier · 07-07-2008, 08:51 PM

When are you going to come pay a visit to D-1?

Jim Wahl · 07-07-2008, 09:03 PM

Let me see, at 52mph it would take about 3 weeks to get up to Div one. Jim

THE LEGEND · 07-07-2008, 09:14 PM

06 Chevy Duramax Dually 4wd
This weekend 48 ft enclosed trailer with 2 cars and a golf cart. Going to Clay City thru the mountains. I ran the posted speed Limit. 9.7 mpg

Last year same trip 50 ft LQ 1 car 75-80 mph avg 8.9mpg

Chip

art leong · 07-08-2008, 12:21 AM

The 4.88 gears really keep my speed down. The sweet spot seems to be under 2000 rpm and unfortunatly under 55 mph.

art leong · 07-08-2008, 12:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Wahl

Let me see, at 52mph it would take about 3 weeks to get up to Div one. Jim

Now that I'm retired time is one thing I have plenty of.

Philip Saran · 07-08-2008, 12:35 AM

Art, would it be worth the $600 - $1000 to regear that beast of a truck (F550)?
or would it just take away too much torque and take too long to recoupe the
investment?

My F350 diesel (6.0) has 4:10 and 285/75R16 tires and seems to do about
9 to 12 mpg depending on how many hills we climb with a 7.5K load.
I suppose if I went back to the stock 265/75R16 tires that might help a bit.

But it's not capable of getting the kind of milage the Dodge diesles seem to
get at all.

LNorton · 07-08-2008, 01:03 AM

We towed our open trailer with the firebird and the box we built on the front 2 hours to MIR for the IHRA Double this spring with Mom's Dodge 2500 Diesel truck and got 17.5 mpg round trip.

Then we used it to tow a friends 28foot Gold Rush packed front to back, top to bottom with my stuff moving home from Radford and got a tick over 16mpg. Same trip with my Dad's 2001 Chevy 2500 Duramax got 15.9 mpg with the open trailer loaded down behind it.

The Dodges really seem like the way to go for towing to me. Diesel may be up, but the mileage really helps out a lot for us. Makes it hard to think we should get a motorhome.

Also, Mom's Dodge has a 3.55 gear from the factory, and will still go up the mountains as fast as you want with the 28 footer packed full.

Mike Meier · 07-08-2008, 01:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Wahl

Let me see, at 52mph it would take about 3 weeks to get up to Div one. Jim

Maybe Art needs to fiddle around with the boost or something, LOL.

art leong · 07-08-2008, 02:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philip Saran

Art, would it be worth the $600 - $1000 to regear that beast of a truck (F550)?
or would it just take away too much torque and take too long to recoupe the
investment?

My F350 diesel (6.0) has 4:10 and 285/75R16 tires and seems to do about
9 to 12 mpg depending on how many hills we climb with a 7.5K load.
I suppose if I went back to the stock 265/75R16 tires that might help a bit.

But it's not capable of getting the kind of milage the Dodge diesles seem to
get at all.

Originally I looked at getting a lower (numeric) rear end ratio. But the rear I have dana 135S full floater.
Very very expensive $900 for the gears alone. Plus I'm afraid of hurting the tranny. I've heard a lot about tranny woes ($5000 for a good one)with these fords, and it seems like its all about lugging them down. With the setup I have now I can go up most bridges in overdrive.

07-07-2008, 07:47 PM	#1
art leong VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Richmond Hill, Georgia Posts: 2,003 Likes: 0 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post	Fuel Mileage One good thing happened on my trip to the track Friday, I averaged 9.5 mpg. Ford F550, 7.3 diesel automatic. 48' 5th wheel living quarters trailer. All I had to do is stay a steady 52 mph (on the interstate) People were passing me like I was standing still. But it beats the heck out of 7mpg __________________ Art Leong 2095 SS

07-07-2008, 08:51 PM	#2
Mike Meier Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Webster, TX Posts: 317 Likes: 127 Liked 39 Times in 8 Posts	Re: Fuel Mileage When are you going to come pay a visit to D-1? __________________ Mike Meier "World's most expensive DF/S" 2007 Chevy Cobalt....because suffering through owning an AMC Stocker wasn't enough

07-07-2008, 09:03 PM	#3
Jim Wahl Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Central Florida Posts: 5,844 Likes: 667 Liked 683 Times in 129 Posts	Re: Fuel Mileage Let me see, at 52mph it would take about 3 weeks to get up to Div one. Jim __________________ Jim Wahl....NHRA #2239 S/SS - IHRA # 8 Stock, D2 Stock Champion (forever I guess) 2019 Baby Gators Stock Champion 2009 NHRA D2 National Open Stock Champion 1982 NHRA D2 West Palm Beach LDRS SS Runner Up Past President, Southern Stock / Super Stock Association.

07-07-2008, 09:14 PM	#4
THE LEGEND VIP Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Fayetteville, n.c. Posts: 1,411 Likes: 0 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Fuel Mileage 06 Chevy Duramax Dually 4wd This weekend 48 ft enclosed trailer with 2 cars and a golf cart. Going to Clay City thru the mountains. I ran the posted speed Limit. 9.7 mpg Last year same trip 50 ft LQ 1 car 75-80 mph avg 8.9mpg Chip

07-08-2008, 12:21 AM	#5
art leong VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Richmond Hill, Georgia Posts: 2,003 Likes: 0 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Fuel Mileage The 4.88 gears really keep my speed down. The sweet spot seems to be under 2000 rpm and unfortunatly under 55 mph. __________________ Art Leong 2095 SS

07-08-2008, 12:35 AM	#7
Philip Saran Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Parker, CO. Posts: 728 Likes: 165 Liked 14 Times in 11 Posts	Re: Fuel Mileage Art, would it be worth the $600 - $1000 to regear that beast of a truck (F550)? or would it just take away too much torque and take too long to recoupe the investment? My F350 diesel (6.0) has 4:10 and 285/75R16 tires and seems to do about 9 to 12 mpg depending on how many hills we climb with a 7.5K load. I suppose if I went back to the stock 265/75R16 tires that might help a bit. But it's not capable of getting the kind of milage the Dodge diesles seem to get at all. __________________ Phil Saran Parker, Colorado

07-08-2008, 01:03 AM	#8
LNorton Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: RacerTees.com Posts: 505 Likes: 0 Liked 4 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Fuel Mileage We towed our open trailer with the firebird and the box we built on the front 2 hours to MIR for the IHRA Double this spring with Mom's Dodge 2500 Diesel truck and got 17.5 mpg round trip. Then we used it to tow a friends 28foot Gold Rush packed front to back, top to bottom with my stuff moving home from Radford and got a tick over 16mpg. Same trip with my Dad's 2001 Chevy 2500 Duramax got 15.9 mpg with the open trailer loaded down behind it. The Dodges really seem like the way to go for towing to me. Diesel may be up, but the mileage really helps out a lot for us. Makes it hard to think we should get a motorhome. Also, Mom's Dodge has a 3.55 gear from the factory, and will still go up the mountains as fast as you want with the 28 footer packed full. __________________ Lee Norton - N229 STK IHRA H/FIA - NHRA O/SA RacerTees.com