I understand it perfectly. What you are proposing is a road rage incident, not a case of self defense. You would have to have been run off the road first, then shot the person who ran you off the road when he stopped to "render assistance" then if he was not armed, you would be guilty of murder. Shooting at another vehicle when no contact was made is road rage. Don't try to explain otherwise, I've been driving professionally for 37 years, I KNOW what I'm talking about. And I KNOW what you are trying to justify. And it's not self defense if no contact was made. I've also dealt with drivers like yourself, many many times. You're the self declared vigilante who thinks he's a traffic cop. And who thinks it's his duty to disciplain other drivers, all you end up doing is cause a traffic accident. You drive too slow, then when someone ends up stuck behind you and cannot pass, you slow down some more, then accuse the person behind you of tailgating you. You're a danger to yourself and everyone around you.

 

Good gravy you two guys need to stop all this jawboning and pull out a ruler, measure up so we know who the REAL men are, right?

We've drifted from MPG's vs MPH's and now into shooting one another---way to derail an otherwise interesting thread with nothing but pure "who squirts the bigger stream" nonsense. What are we---still in grade school?

 

Gee, that's funny coming from the "cheering section" :-missing :-missing There's only one person talking about shooting someone else and it ain't me. Or did you miss that part ?

 

He can move on, I put up a scenario and gave my opinion, he doesn't know what he's talking about, because he doesn't know what I am saying, he's talking about road rage and I'm talking about vehicular homicide. Ah yes, call me a traffic cop, I don't care what people do to each other, I protect only myself! I drive the speedlimit, just STFU, trying to blame me for something that hasn't happened to get your point across.

See you make stuff up to instigate a further argument! (You drive too slow, then when someone ends up stuck behind you and cannot pass, you slow down some more, then accuse the person behind you of tailgating you. You're a danger to yourself and everyone around you.)
Troll someone else!

 

well I'll just unsubscribe now.

 

I didn't "make up" anything. I responded to your false accusations regarding truck drivers and how you threaten to respond to them, using guns and then stating that that somehow is "self defense". I know exactly what you're talking about, I've dealt with drivers like you, many, many times in the past 37 years. You don't even realize what "vehicular homicide" is. If someone commits vehicular homicide on you, I want to be around to see you come back to life and shoot the perpetrator. After all, it's not everyday that miracles happen.

 

No idea who or what this "cheering section" is but that's besides another point you bring up............. The parts I'm NOT missing is your own bickering with others for no reason other than disagreement. Sadly there seems to be the attitude wherein until/unless you have the last word you'll continue the nonsense until the entire thread becomes subject to being closed.

From your arrival here in the van forums this contentious nature has been on display, the idea there is no other valid opinion or experience other than your own is very much out of step with how smoothly things have been running for a long while. Having an opinion or disagreeing with something put forward is fine but when its nothing but an opinion being repeated or "discussed" it becomes just plain nonsense or BS.

No YOU may not be talking about shooting someone yet bickering about it certainly doesn't add a thing to this thread's original topic. Reasonable people would recognize they're dragging a thread down and step away from that topic---perhaps I'm giving too much credit assuming there are reasonable people here?

I predict those already bickering over meaningless off-topic crap will continue to do so, the "I'm right, you're wrong" nonsense still very much a part of what's wrong here.

 

I haven't done any MPG experimentation in my 96 E-350. And with the 460 and the 4.10's, I don't intend to. It's quite low, all the time, and that's fine with me. I totally understand that 'hull speed' comment earlier in the thread. There's a point, just above 65MPH, where it 'feels' like it begins to labor more. So I tend not to exceed that often as possible.

I have a 2007 Durango with the 5.7l HEMI. I did some experimenting with that and with very conservative driving techniques I was able to just hit 20MPG. But that required a lot of effort, with speed regulation and stop/start techniques, and ultimately I decided to just drive like I drive and not worry about the MPG. There are more fuel efficient options available if that's a huge concern. I average about 17 with it under my normal driving techniques. Wife averages about 14 in the same vehicle so she's a bit of a lead foot. And by now it needs a tune up so it will do a bit better after that by default.

I understand internet pi$$in contests happen all the time. It does distract from the OT and it's a shame the antagonists can't just move on and stop trying for the last word. No worries though; it happens all the time. Now, to attack JWA, that's taking it a bit far. He's a great resource here and has helped lots of folks with his knowledge, so at least keep the bickering amongst yourselves, please?

 

So what's your point ? You might want to go do a search on the meaningless comments you've made before accusing others of doing so.

 

Mines bigger than yours, Barney weighs 7000lbs with me and a half tank of fuel. ok ok, it has a couple chains and binders in the back and maybe a battery booster pack.



well .................maybe not bigger but its heavier


now everybody back on the topic and play nice


(and I did unsubscribe but it was getting interesting and had to come back)


on a more serious note: I'll be hauling home a 1988 E350 (ex/Ambulance) with a sleeper bunk and a 5th wheel deck on the back, pretty well the heaviest thing I've hauled on the trailer with Barney. should be interesting to see what kind of mileage I will get, I need to pull off the outer duals so you can see my signals on the back of the trailer fenders. how that for back on topic? what do you guys think of removing the bunk and using a shortened window van body on it and leave the flatdeck?

 

7k is has about 800lbs on mine. Mine weighs in at 6.2k with me and a full tank of fuel.

So what engine/trans etc is in the ambulance and whats in the tow vehicle.

I swear I saw a pic on my phone when you first posted. It was an 80's Ford van dually that had been converted to a flatbed and sleeper cab......

 

Okay so I'm driving an '03 E250 EB, 5.4 motor etc---standard configuration for a typical E-Series. Weighing in at 7,600# as a daily driver that almost never increases by more than 200# at most for no longer than 2-3 hours. Much of that time it sits parked, engine not running except in temps below 30*---need to keep my parts and materials warm prior to installation.

The typical trip is maybe 50 miles round trip, speed is set at 65 or 70 MPH depending on posted limits. While I don't really calculate my MPG's as closely as here 13 MPG's is about normal---that's not intolerable at all.

I do change plugs at 50K, Techron Concentrate every3-4K oil change and I'm sure without those steps I might not fare as well. My own personal philosophy leans towards there's no choice but to drive to work so it is what it is, MPG-wise. It would seem though from casual calculations fuel costs me about $10-12 per average trip which is factored into my invoices even though not directly stated or reflected in the final bill.

 

"ambulance is an idi 7.3 > C6> hypermax turboed.
I'm guessing in the 8000lbs range, might be less but only if the deck is aluminum(never looked at the deck as I really didn't care)


trailer is 3000lbs empty tandem 7000lb axles 8bolt wheels 215/85/r16 10ply bridgestone rib treads .


towing vehicle is a 2003 E350 clubwagon Ext, 7.3/4R100 , same tires as the trailer. 460,000km and no sign of weakness.


taking it down to the shop at work and go over my trailer brakes this afternoon. couldn't hurt right.


1st pic: one of Barney's many burnt scrap loads(96 F350 7.3 4x4 6500lbs burnt!)
2nd pic: Barney in his unloaded glory (23-25mpg summer trim)
3rd pic: the next load victim LOL
putting a NAPA gold oil filter and 10w30 synthetic diesel into it today. its going to work its *** off tomorrow I'll treat it right!

I'll get a pic Sunday when I'm hauling it home.

 

I hate you a little bit right now......only cause it hase a hypermax turbo. I have been keeping an eye out, but used van kits are few and far between. If you get it and decide to part it out etc I call dibs on the turbo kit!!!

I am seriouly considering just biting th bullet and dropping the $2k for a new kit.......

 

2011 E350 12-passenger
5.4L with 4R75E transmission and 3.73 rear end.
Usually averages 14.3 mpg with lots of idling, city driving and regular towing.
I took it easy on a 57 mile trip. 8 miles stop and go city traffic and 49 miles rural and flat highway driving at 57 mph put me at "19.7." Only 6 people in the van and the temps were in the mid 50s. I don't trust the computer mileage completely, but I know it's pretty close.