Driving for fuel mileage

Both of my trucks get better fuel mileage the slower I go. I've tested it all the way down to 60 mph and I can't really go any slower than that without causing an accident. One truck has a 3.90 rear and the other has a 4.33. They're just not geared for speed.

All do respect Danny, what I was saying in my earlier reply was, there is just no way a truck should get worse mileage going slower. If it does, it's because you're lugging it and that means you've got the wrong rear gear. If you drop a gear you will get better mileage going slower. It's this way because of the wind you're pushing.

I can't think of a scenario where an object to uses less energy to go faster.

 

From my experience, the assumption for driver A earnings are not realistic, if both drive a truck 2008 or newer;

I was fast driver A style , until June 2007, when I sold my old(Volvo 770/2001/D60) truck and got a new Volvo 780 2008 D13 with DPF; and first few months I wasted days and 1000s of $ in shops with sensors DPF EGR cooler clogged; and I learned through my pocket to slow down and became close to driver B ;( I don't run below 60mph; I keep 62-65 mph)

This motors after 2008 are choked with emission control crap, and limited capacity of processing exhaust gases, faster you drive more $$ you'll spend in downtime towing and emission repairs;

 

I see. There are those that say their trucks get better mileage at 75 than they do at 60. I thought you were in that camp.

As for your point about whether or not it makes financial sense, well, uhh, yah. That would be determined by a load by load basis as many others have said.

 

I didn't even think about elevation. Uugh.

A question I often pose to other drivers is if I'm doin 62 and their doin 65, how much time and miles am I actually losing? 30 miles in a day. Are you really gonna miss 30 miles? Probably not. Now this argument is totally worthless if the limit is 75 or 80. You will notice 130 miles in a day.

But I also concede that this whole mileage thing is clearly not a one size fits all thing. What works well for one, may or may not work well for another.

 

Whats your problem? I posted that I drive a company truck,not my own, more miles and more rest time is more important for me than mpg. What dont I get??

 

BASARAB


Light Load Member Member SinceSep 2014LocationWarren, miTrucker?
0-1 Year

You're gonna wreck.

Take a good long look at the next accident you see because that's gonna be you sooner or later.

What don't you get?

What you don't get is this; You can make over 2 million bucks in a career driving a truck for a top notch company or you can drive like an idiot trying to make an extra $35 a day before taxes. And for this you get bounced out of the industry or get limited to a life working for sub standard companies. This is not a sprint. It's a marathon.

You will never make 1 million miles accident free with your attitude, And I suppose you don't care about that either.

 

The fly in the ointment is usually traffic. If someone is running 70, they are usually speeding up and slowing down more frequently due to general traffic pattern than someone running, say, 60 mph. And that will have a more detrimental effect on fuel economy than the speed itself. And given that, a person running 70 rarely ever averages anything close to 70 for the trip. Same can be said of all speeds, but the spread between running speed and average speed increases the faster one runs. A person running 60 is better able to average darn close to 60 as opposed to someone keeping the difference between running 70 and averaging 70 tight.

And as real estate is all about location, location, location, optimum for any truck at given speeds is all about gearing, gearing, gearing. One has to determine what they are going to run and spec the truck to be optimum at that general speed. There is an optimum rpm range for any motor, now match that with the road speed and tires one is running, the trans gear ratios, and make it all work with the right rear ratio. And there is nothing I have ever seen on a dealer lot that works of me.

Blanket statements about slowing down and improving mpg fit many applications, but not all. Sometimes it has a negative affect. Depends on load, terrain, gearing, motor, etc. I have mine spec'd to do it's best work at around 62 mph. That is the speed I like to run most places. But I don't lose a lot by kicking it up to 65 or down to 58 occasionally. And I will not be hurting if the gooberment mandates some speed limiter stuff down the road.

 

If speed limit is 70 or 75 down south, why would I drive 65 if I am not trying to save fuel or wear and tear on the truck? In fear of a wreck? With this mindset I might as well not do any sports, cause I will break my leg playing soccer.
If it was not safe driving 70 on that piece of freeway, it would have had a speed limit of 55. This a stupid debate really. Without common sense you can get in a wreck doing 45 or 75