Fuel Mileage for an older Pete

What if you removed on of the rear axles if you don't need the tandem for weight or traction , there has to be some fuel saving there or just going to single tires on the tandem. I really don't buy all this aero truck crap

 

I would say if you really want tandems, make the front a dead axle. It's about a $5000 job, but you would have the tandem look without the extra weight.

Your biggest problem is going to be the aerodynamics of your loads.... unless it is an enclosed trailer.

 

I got 7 mpg out of my FLD with a Detroit 60 with 390's.

 

I ran low pro's with a 10 speed and I hit the 7's when I dropped to 58 mph pulling a flatbed with all sorts of weight from light to heavy. I always had consistent 7's. Now I have a 06 Detroit with only an EGR valve and can only get 6.1 at 58 mph with 355's and a 13 speed. 58 is slow, but I have found that I can get over 180,000 miles on a set of steer tires and 2 years / 300,000 miles out of my spread axle trailer tires as well as far less maintenance costs by going slow. I run the way I do and save thousands of dollars each year. I first heard about this kind of driving on Kevin Rutherford's show on Satelite radio. It works. You end up driving a few more hours every week, but you save a ton of money and to me, that makes it all worth while.