How slow can you go? Fuel mileage experts?

My E cat got best mileage at 1350 pulling a van .....classic mid roof 35-40,000 lbs......6.5-7.2 quarterly ifta ......62 mph

 

Drop it down to 17th and run the same rpm you'll pick up your mpgs more.

 

Really all a moot point if congress gets around to passing speed limiter law that ATA and TCA wants. Then we will have a 65 or 68 limit for all trucks. Then my running between 60 an 65 will not be as big of an issue.

 

That'd be great. I could cut my 9-0-nothing back to 2200rpms and not be in anybodys way.

 

try pulling one of these trailers with a 3406c turned up to 475+ and i guarantee you wont get better that 5.5 mpg. hell, my light weight is 45,000. and the fact that its missing one side when empty is like pulling a parachute.

 

I think the best is to run in the motor's sweet spot. If the rear diff ratio permits to combine the desired road speed with the engine optimum rpm, even better. I have an 05 ISX 550/1850 w 3.58 rears. I'm running 65mph@1400rpm (the ISX's sweet spot) and make use of engine's "droop control" setting in the engine parameters to get me over the hills with lesser shifting possible. My average is 7.5 plus or minus .5 depending on weather with a reefer loaded 65-80k lb. doing hills as well as flats.

 

Sounds like most of you are O/O, but this is an area that i excel at. Driving for many different company's with so many different types of trucks it is just the simple things that take time to learn, like using using the lay of the land going up and down hills, being in the right gear and knowing the places to park before you get there. Hitting that parking spot at the truck stop first time in without driving around numerous times. Getting backed in on the dock first time in. Timing the weather with your load if you know most of your stops throughout the country, this is hard to due but with a good DM or broker you can at times keep the wind at your back. Always keeping the truck rolling, even at slow speeds and trying to stay out of the cities in heavy traffic. I avg about 4.5 mpg with a any 500 engine, and that would be local, hauling dirt and rock. As for OTR with smaller engines, 350s and up I can average 6.5 mpg to 6.75 mpg, and that would be running all 48 states. I am not the best driver but I can save fuel better than most.