2006 Freightliner M2 poor MPG

In my experience, Airtabs work. Use the search feature on this website, they're subjects of a couple threads.

 

OK First I would keep all of those other suggestions in mind but you have to answer more than just an M2 with a cat. what engine does it have in it, cat means a lot of things. Then what trans and rear axle. Penske should have also given you a maintaince list of things done to the truck, you can also go to FL and have them run the vin to get the build sheet and that will tell you a lot too.

There are a lot of these straight trucks setup for city hauling and have the wrong drive train combination for highway use. I had one that was a dog on the highway, topped out at 65 but when I learned how to dig into the build of the truck, I found out who originally ordered it and why it was a dog.

 

I'm looking at a 2005 M2 106 road tractor with less than 200,000 original miles. CAT C7, 3.73 rear end and 9 speed transmission. Plan on pulling a step deck trailer. How decent fuel mileage might I expect driving moderate speeds. (Obviously, varying payload weights will be a significant factor.)

 

2005 M2106 road tractor is not a common truck. The M2 112 is a more common tractor. The Cat C7 will be underpowered. It is probably 300 hp.

My best guess is that this truck will average 6 to 7 mpg.

 

Wow...thought that rear end and tranny combination might do better than that! But hey, thanks for the input. The company that spec'd these trucks out uses them to pull 4-car trailers regionally, to build whole loads for the big rigs to pull cross country.

 

Nottoway;3229744]Wow...thought that rear end and tranny combination might do better than that! But hey, thanks for the input. The company that spec'd these trucks out uses them to pull 4-car trailers regionally, to build whole loads for the big rigs to pull cross country.


If you keep the loads light it will help with the mpg. I had a M2 112 with a 450hp. Mercedes motor with 3.58 rears and

a 10 speed trans. I hauled 25,000lbs. in a dry van and was lucky to get 7mpg.

My fear with your truck is the C7 motor. I am afraid that if you put much of a load on it the motor will have to work

too hard.

 

This truck gets 9 mpg pulling these loads, 02 sterling acterra 3126 250 up cat/allison trans.



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I assumed the truck he is asking about is a tandem axle. He is also, going to pull a step deck.

I hope I am a little low on my guess of the mpg. If he keeps the loads light it will help.

You have a nice truck. Looks like a nice set-up for haul-ing automobiles.

 

Sorry I wasn't clear, but these trucks are single axle, 275 HP CAT C7, 9 speed Eaton Fuller RT-8709B, 3.73 rear end ratio, 12k/21k axle ratings, air ride suspension, dual 80 gal tanks. It had my attention in that I thought it would be a good alternative/upgrade to a dually pick up setup for hotshot/LTL freight.

Should I just forget the medium-duty tractor idea if I'm trying to get durability AND decent fuel mileage? Or maybe look for another model like the M2 112 with larger motor? (But they seem harder to find.)

Thanks for everyone's input! Didn't mean to hijack the OPs thread

 

I think you are on the right train of thought. You should gain in durability with a midium duty truck. That being said you are going

lose fuel mileage.

My M2 112 never got better than 7.5 mpg. I pulled a 53 ft. van. It was not areodynamic at all.

I think I am probably low on my 6 to 7 mpg guess.