truck milage for 1ton+

   / truck milage for 1ton+ #21  
A couple things to think about as far as MPG.

No matter what gears you have, it takes the same amount of H.P. to move a truck down the roads. Doesn't matter if you have a 5.00 rear end or a 3.00 rear end. Its a matter of a engine having a particular sweet spot in the RPM range where it gets the best mileage.

On the highway, the weight has less of an affect on mileage than aerodynamics. In town, the weight has more of an affect and the aerodynamics don't matter. Once you get a large heavy truck and load moving, its weight doesn't add that much to the power requirement to keep the load moving.

I'm not sure this is 100% correct, but I believe the power to overcome wind resistance is based on the square of the speed. In other words, the wind resistance is 4 times greater and 60 than at 30mph. Its nine times greater between 30 and 90. Thats why you see a huge drop off as your speed increases.
 
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   / truck milage for 1ton+ #22  
That's pretty good city mileage for a 1 ton....is it a dually?

I have a 06 CC 6.0 dually w/ platinum edge chip, and K& N filter and 4:10's.....the best I can get unloaded @ 2000 rpm (63mph) is around 17mpg. If I'm pulling a light-medium load, down to 11-13. I've pulled a 20,000 load 400 miles, and barely averaged 10.

I think the 7.3 PS's definitely had/have the best mileage going......

The only other things I am considering is opening up the exhaust and going to a bigger tire size, to get a little better mpg....especially with diesel prices....
 
   / truck milage for 1ton+ #23  
That's pretty good city mileage for a 1 ton....is it a dually?
If that is at me my 06 is a SRW F-350 4x4 Extended Cab Short Bed Diesel with 3.73 gears.

Chris
 
   / truck milage for 1ton+
  • Thread Starter
#24  
i guess I should have stated my info's as well

99 f450 drw, 7.3psd 2wd extended cab long bed 4.88 rear

04 f250 6.0psd, 4wd, extended cab, short bed 3.73 rear
 
   / truck milage for 1ton+ #25  
Our 2003 F550, 7.3PS, got 6 to 7 mpg loaded. That was with the optional 5:13 gearset & 20,000lb trailer.
 
   / truck milage for 1ton+ #26  
I have a 2004 F350, V10, 4:30, extended cab/long bed and it gets 11 mpg on the highway unloaded, 8-9 towing 5,000 lb boat.

Don't forget about temperature effect on mileage. My Toyota Yaris gets a solid 40 mpg in mixed driving in the summer, but when the temp. drops below 50, the mileage drops to a consistent 37 mpg.
 
   / truck milage for 1ton+
  • Thread Starter
#27  
Our 2003 F550, 7.3PS, got 6 to 7 mpg loaded. That was with the optional 5:13 gearset & 20,000lb trailer.

5.13 nice. i saw that on the ford list. really glad I don't have those.. :)
 
   / truck milage for 1ton+ #28  
We had an '88 F-Superduty, which was equal to an F-450. It had a 7.3 diesel, 5 speed manual trans and a 5.13 axle ratio. At that time the 5.13 was the only ratio available with the diesel and a 4.88 was the axle ratio for the 460 gas engine. The diesel was the non-turbo International 7.3, probably had about 170hp, you needed that 5.13 ratio to pull a decent load.
 
   / truck milage for 1ton+
  • Thread Starter
#29  
yep.. i her those NA engine could fall all overthemselves at highway speeds if you tried to accelerate..

soundguy
 
   / truck milage for 1ton+ #30  
i guess I should have stated my info's as well

99 f450 drw, 7.3psd 2wd extended cab long bed 4.88 rear

04 f250 6.0psd, 4wd, extended cab, short bed 3.73 rear

Fuel economy probably improved other those years, all other things being equal.

Ken
 

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