suggestions to help beat the gas price crisis.

[LONE-STAR]

Wow I thought I had it bad at $900.00

 

[YellowXterra]

I have $600 planned on gas during our upcoming vacation in June. 1600 miles over 2 weeks.

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

I hunted for the sweet spot mileage wise ever since we got our first trailer. My truck likes to run about 64MPH, thats where it gets the best MPG. I added mileage with a tow tune and a free flowing exhaust also.

 

[stacktester]

I hunted for the sweet spot mileage wise ever since we got our first trailer. My truck likes to run about 64MPH, thats where it gets the best MPG. I added mileage with a tow tune and a free flowing exhaust also.

I did a little experiment today Scott. I had to go 1/2 way to Daytona on 95 this morning then back to Jax and cut over on 10 to Lake City. The whole time I had the cruise on 55 mph. The instant economy said I was getting around 23-25. When I pushed it to 70 mph it went down to 17 mpg. Not sure how accurate the instant economy gauge is but if it's correct that's a pretty big difference.

 

[djblu883]

Before I walk I will just take the golf cart. I guess I need a small camper to pull behind it

well a motorcycle camper could be pulled easily by a cart.....kinda hard to charge one on the road though...maybe yours is gas???

 

[djblu883]

I just ran the fuel calculator part of the gps program in the bus.
It seems this years fuel cost for the trip to the fort is going to be,...
$1952.78
Based on 6 mpg at $4.50 a gallon.
YIKES

ok i can settle down now....mine will be much better than that!!!

 

[jugman]

Huh? What does alcohol and tobacco consumption have to do with the rising gas prices? Color me lost!

Huh? I am sick of hearing people complain to me about gas when there smoking and drinking as much or more than they are on gas. As I said when those two things drop then gas will be getting to high. Do what you want but I don't want to hear the crying if you have that much extra money to spend. I don't like the high price of gas neither but I'm not smoking 6.00 a day in cigarettes.

 

[djblu883]

Huh? I am sick of hearing people complain to me about gas when there smoking and drinking as much or more than they are on gas. As I said when those two things drop then gas will be getting to high. Do what you want but I don't want to hear the crying if you have that much extra money to spend. I don't like the high price of gas neither but I'm not smoking 6.00 a day in cigarettes.

I don't smoke or drink...still complaining and I'm STILL complaining about the gas prices!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[loveDmouse]

Slowing down does make a big difference. Proper maintenance is good too.

I noticed on our last trip down to Florida for our cruise (so we weren't in our motorhome) that the trucks were going way slower then usual. Usually on 95 most are running you over this time you couldn't hardly push them out of the way.

 

[jugman]

I don't smoke or drink...still complaining and I'm STILL complaining about the gas prices!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I will say this real sloooow. I grumble about the prices also, but I don't want to hear it if your pumping gas with your car running and smoking at the same time!!!!!!!!!! When gas gets to high people's habits will start to change. Mine already has, so I'll have more for gas to go on vacation. Vacations will be the last thing I change.

 

[djblu883]

I will say this real sloooow. I grumble about the prices also, but I don't want to hear it if your pumping gas with your car running and smoking at the same time!!!!!!!!!! When gas gets to high people's habits will start to change. Mine already has, so I'll have more for gas to go on vacation. Vacations will be the last thing I change.

well your slow type made no difference...I still understood everything you said from the beginning...attitude ...attitude

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

I did a little experiment today Scott. I had to go 1/2 way to Daytona on 95 this morning then back to Jax and cut over on 10 to Lake City. The whole time I had the cruise on 55 mph. The instant economy said I was getting around 23-25. When I pushed it to 70 mph it went down to 17 mpg. Not sure how accurate the instant economy gauge is but if it's correct that's a pretty big difference.

They are correct in the fashion that you are using it, for comparative purposes. That truck will get the most mileage below 2000 RPM. I can get a few more MPH out of mine and still keep it below 2000 since I run the 285 tires and have the speedo corrected for it. This lowers my gear ratio compared to a truck with the 245's. I get hammered up here in the winter because the winter blend has more Kerosene in it that straight #2 diesel, Kero has less energy but makes the fuel less likely to gel when it gets below freezing. Most people up here that run Bio also have to treat the fuel in the winter to prevent gelling.
2 guys I know are running theirs ( a Dodge cummins 5.9 B series and a 7.3 powerstroke) on cleaned vegetable oil, they have a trailer set up to pump the oil from the restaraunt and filter it. The Dodge smells like a french fry when running on it ..... no kidding.

 

[stacktester]

I run 265's on mine now. I'm curious to see if there's any difference when I'm pulling the camper at 55/60 compared to 70.

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

Your speedo will be off by about 2 1/2 % IIRC.

Just figure that for every 100 miles you drive on the odometer you are actually going 102 1/2

I checked mine with a GPS before I changed it with the tuner, I was off about 5 1/2 %

Your truck wont notice the gear change with the tires, there is enough torque to pull an even lower ratio.

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

I run 265's on mine now. I'm curious to see if there's any difference when I'm pulling the camper at 55/60 compared to 70.

Real world, no BS , no exagerating, with the modifications to my truck I get about 19 MPG running 70 MPH on the interstate with just the family in it.
Pulling the trailer that weighs about 9000# loaded I get around 11 1/4 on summer fuel. In the winter you can cut my loaded MPG by at leat a 1/2 MPG and my unloaded by a full MPG.

I have not tried running the truck at 65 or under on the Interstate, I frankly havent driven it anywhere except work since we got back in early January. If we have somewhere to go I either take my gas enginetruck that our son usually drives or we drive MrsDisneys HHR.

 

[stacktester]

Real world, no BS , no exagerating, with the modifications to my truck I get about 19 MPG running 70 MPH on the interstate with just the family in it.
Pulling the trailer that weighs about 9000# loaded I get around 11 1/4 on summer fuel. In the winter you can cut my loaded MPG by at leat a 1/2 MPG and my unloaded by a full MPG.

I have not tried running the truck at 65 or under on the Interstate, I frankly havent driven it anywhere except work since we got back in early January. If we have somewhere to go I either take my gas enginetruck that our son usually drives or we drive MrsDisneys HHR.

What is an HHR? I'm seriously thinking of getting a VW Wagon. They get around 45 mpg from what I'm seeing. 90% of the time I could use it because my equipment will fit if the back seat is down. I hear they're expensive to repair though so that scares me. Another thing I thought of was to put the device in that changes the gear ratio in from 3:73 to 3:55. Kinda like the old 2 speed rear ends that were in the F-600 type trucks. Obviously the modern version of course. A friend of mine just got the new 6 speed Allison and he claims empty he's getting around 23/24 on the highway doing 70.

 

[ntsammy5]

I hear they're expensive to repair though so that scares me.

A friend just traded one in for a Mini Cooper for that reason.

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

What is an HHR? I'm seriously thinking of getting a VW Wagon. They get around 45 mpg from what I'm seeing. 90% of the time I could use it because my equipment will fit if the back seat is down. I hear they're expensive to repair though so that scares me. Another thing I thought of was to put the device in that changes the gear ratio in from 3:73 to 3:55. Kinda like the old 2 speed rear ends that were in the F-600 type trucks. Obviously the modern version of course. A friend of mine just got the new 6 speed Allison and he claims empty he's getting around 23/24 on the highway doing 70.

Look up Chevrolet HHR, its essentially a PT cruiser clone made by Chevy.

23/24 sounds a little high, is that what the driver info center says or is that the number of miles driven divided by the number of gallons you put in it at fill up ? with the HHR I got 29.5 on the last tank, around 400 miles with a little over half being on I-75 traveling to my Moms place, the rest was back and forth to work and around town.

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

A friend just traded one in for a Mini Cooper for that reason.

I have heard they dont have the best service record, a friend at work has an 05 or 06 jetta diesel with a 6 spd manual that gets him in the upper 40's on the highway. My Aunt used to have a rabbit diesel and back when fuel was around $1 gallon she used to brag that she could drive down for family functions for $5 each way, she live sabout 4 hours away from where I do.

 

[VACAMPER]

This is definately a man thread! lol I'm gonna go find a girlie thread. Ya'll have fun