MPG in the Real World

Apology accepted.

About Henry Albert's blog, the 1/10ths mpg are real easy to get when you are in the 5s and 6s mpg, but when you get in the 8s and 9s it is real hard to gain another 1/10th and real easy to lose fuel mileage over the smallest change in weather or mechanical problems.

I try to align my truck with a 3 axle alignment around every 6 months and run the overhead on the motor evey 100K miles with both need to be done in shop with a good reputation for doing it right. My alignments are done now at my regular shop with Hunter Lazer equipment and believe me that needs to be done right. I have found the 2 different tire shops I used that had in ground racks were the worst I have used that i thought the tire shops would be the best.

 

Yes but in Albert's blog he comments in his worst tankful at 7.763. That's not a reduction in his overall average that's just a tankful standing on its own and he attributes the outcome to "wind, heavy rain and snow" and a 70,000 GCW. Well geez if didn't run in at least 2 of those 3 conditions 6 months of the year, I'd be parked. In that load in the picture. I actually held the steering wheel towards the left so I could go straight. All freaking day. Banff AB to Moose Jaw SK, 500 miles.

As for the 70,000#, I haven't been under 75,000 since the start of the year.

And that's kinda my point in this thread. Real world can mean so many different things. Just what exactly does "power only" mean anyways?

 

Power only means he pulls someone else's trailers.

 

That is right and it varies alot from Oversize permitted loads to delivering brand new empty trailers and yes I do bobtail some too.




Even delivered this oil field super heater from Texas up to Provost, AB in Canada that I was permitted for 90K Gross.



Alot of my OS moves pick up during the last 2 quarters of the year that usually drag my overall average down. Aerodynamics make a huge difference because step decks and flats that I pull get the worse fuel mileage.

 

Yes I understand what power only means in that sense. I want to know how many empty or bobtail miles expressed in percentage.
I get a consistent 9.25 pulling my empty flat and bobtail about 4 blocks a month to the mechanic and back, from where I park when I'm home.

Do did you bobtail back from Alberta?

 

I would love to see what everyone is doing to hit these numbers. Pulling a dry van Averaging 76k I might hit 6mpg at 65mph with good weather. 2007 century Detroit s60 515hp

 

I am not much better than that. With a reefer. At 73K coming across WI with the wind, I was at 6.15 when I filled up. I set the cruise on 65 and just pointed it north.

When I went to ILL from MN, I was at 7.24 for the trip. But I was also only 55K.

 

07 Century with 14L D60 pulling acid tanker - 6.07mpg

I'm grossing close to 80k 50% of the time. I run 65mph most of the time in the Western states. The trailers are not streamlined...



sent from my EVO4gLTE
OCed and MEANbean

 

Fellas , we are not picking on any one. Some jobs are not going to get very good mileage! But a tenth , is still more cash in the wallet. My fleet back then , had best case built in . Light , dry box , flat interstate . Build that fleet just around that job. Looks like dice has done a fine job coming close to those numbers in "real world" . My contract , I would not call real world , it was to controlled ! That said a 86 frieghtliners like we had looked like lunch boxes. No computer . If the EPA had left us alone , I feel today every truck could have been getting mileage as good us people like dice ( no disrespect !) . Know a lot of hard work and home work goes in to your numbers! But the aero, computer engine control systems , and low R/R tires all a Great Leap Forward since 86!
And in one of my earlier post on here , I was talking bout pulling a 5.2 up to 6 mpg. May be done? But that is almost 20% improvement ! Picture 20% of your fuel bill in your wallet. Good thing bout numbers that low to start with is very small improvements are huge % change. Shows up quicker!
We want every body to do better! Best of luck !

 

Got a line on a 2007 ftl 515 hp with autoshift 482k miles opions ?