Hypermilers thread
Zombie Survivalist
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 14,809
Likes: 3
From: Rock Springs, WY, USA
heres a thought: OBS, 2wd, single wheel, supercab, long bed truck with a topper. lowering kit. full skirts, fender flaring on the front, full "caddy" style skirts on the back, stiff, fully inflated highway tires on over-sized aluminum wheels, with flat, smooth hubcaps, low pro mirrors, bug deflector, and the little grille caps that block the gaps to help keep diesels warm in the winter. cummins 4bt conversion, electric fan, water pump, and power steering, with eaton fuller double over drive 7 speed, electric assist motor with regen, aluminum drive shaft and 3.08 gears. roof of topper replaced with 12v solar panels, bed floor and inner fenders removed in favor of aluminum, and 12 optima yellow top batteries. anything that can be, traded for lighter materials: custom fiberglass dash and door panels, racing seats, ect. save any weight where you can, add efficiency where you cant.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 20,375
Likes: 841
From: Mi'kma'ki
heres a thought: OBS, 2wd, single wheel, supercab, long bed truck with a topper. lowering kit. full skirts, fender flaring on the front, full "caddy" style skirts on the back, stiff, fully inflated highway tires on over-sized aluminum wheels, with flat, smooth hubcaps, low pro mirrors, bug deflector, and the little grille caps that block the gaps to help keep diesels warm in the winter. cummins 4bt conversion, electric fan, water pump, and power steering, with eaton fuller double over drive 7 speed, electric assist motor with regen, aluminum drive shaft and 3.08 gears. roof of topper replaced with 12v solar panels, bed floor and inner fenders removed in favor of aluminum, and 12 optima yellow top batteries. anything that can be, traded for lighter materials: custom fiberglass dash and door panels, racing seats, ect. save any weight where you can, add efficiency where you cant.
you'd want to ditch the power steering all together on this hwy cruiser,as that wouldn't be needed at all really.
Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 2,123
Likes: 5
From: Fort Worth, TX
I wonder if you could put a clutch on the P/S pump like the one on the A/C compressor so you can turn it on when you need it.
Thread Starter
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Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 6,900
Likes: 3
From: Campbell River, B.C.
The japanese were among the first to install electric power steering pumps in their cars back in the late 80s. The subaru XT was one of them.
The way they set it up, faster the car goes, the lower the power boost. There's no reason such a setup couldn't be installed on a truck like ours.
I'd be all over a set of fiberglass body panels for my truck if such a thing was available (Basically only the cab is salvagable on my truck - everything else is scrap). Mainly for corrosion resistance than anything else, but also for some weight savings.
I'm also still not sold on a cummins being superior for fuel economy to an IDI. I've seen what tall geared IDIs can do in trucks like mine and in small F150s that use them.
The way they set it up, faster the car goes, the lower the power boost. There's no reason such a setup couldn't be installed on a truck like ours.
I'd be all over a set of fiberglass body panels for my truck if such a thing was available (Basically only the cab is salvagable on my truck - everything else is scrap). Mainly for corrosion resistance than anything else, but also for some weight savings.
I'm also still not sold on a cummins being superior for fuel economy to an IDI. I've seen what tall geared IDIs can do in trucks like mine and in small F150s that use them.
Zombie Survivalist
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 14,809
Likes: 3
From: Rock Springs, WY, USA
well, its not an IDI, but it is a ford. solely in the name of mileage, i have added a 22inch tall valence to my explorer, from the bottom of the grille to a mere 7 inches off the ground.
Before:
After:
you cant really see it, but 6 inches on either side is tapered back to follow the fenders. ive only driven three miles so far, but what ive noticed immediately, is that it takes less time to reach highway speed, less throttle to maintain that speed, and is much, much, MUCH quieter.
Before:
After:
you cant really see it, but 6 inches on either side is tapered back to follow the fenders. ive only driven three miles so far, but what ive noticed immediately, is that it takes less time to reach highway speed, less throttle to maintain that speed, and is much, much, MUCH quieter.
Elder User
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 589
Likes: 2
From: Nutter Fort,West Virginia
do you recommend side skirts as well? (i don't imagine that a rear would be necessary)
i was thinking about making a bolt/snap on set that would sit about that far off the ground
i was thinking about making a bolt/snap on set that would sit about that far off the ground
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Senior User
Joined: Sep 2008
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From: Portage Des Sioux, Mo
A university (don't remember which) did a test several years ago on aerodynamic treatments on rear of pick-up truck. They used a dodge but should still apply. Opening tailgate improved mileage, removeing tailgate actually hurt mileage. A tonneau cover helps. A normal topper really hurt mileage. They did however make a special aerodynamic topper that really helped. Sealing the topper to the back of the cab help also.
Newer pick-ups actually do better with tailgate up, better designed.
Here is an aerodynamic topper that would work.
Newer pick-ups actually do better with tailgate up, better designed.
Here is an aerodynamic topper that would work.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 20,375
Likes: 841
From: Mi'kma'ki
looking it at it marked out in red,i suppose that won't look bad at all if i fill in the whole area with a diamond plate sheet.
the trick will be mounting it.the front toolbox is mounted to the frame,the rear goes up with the bed cus i didn't have a place to mount it back there due to the spring mount directly behind where i needed my bracket.can just screw it to the bed i guess and let that go up too..........yeah id kinda have to if i want to get a tire off without removing it.
i have to address the air cracks above the boxes too with some more aluminumized sheet like i have over the wheels for rust prevention.don't want air flow going up in there.
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,554
Likes: 7
From: Northern Arizona
well, its not an IDI, but it is a ford. solely in the name of mileage, i have added a 22inch tall valence to my explorer, from the bottom of the grille to a mere 7 inches off the ground....
you cant really see it, but 6 inches on either side is tapered back to follow the fenders. ive only driven three miles so far, but what ive noticed immediately, is that it takes less time to reach highway speed, less throttle to maintain that speed, and is much, much, MUCH quieter.
you cant really see it, but 6 inches on either side is tapered back to follow the fenders. ive only driven three miles so far, but what ive noticed immediately, is that it takes less time to reach highway speed, less throttle to maintain that speed, and is much, much, MUCH quieter.
Won't want to go tooooo low, as it is a 4x4 and I don't want to bash in my IC, but with a stout skid plate I should be able to add enough weight to reverse the benefit of the valence...
David85, on your first page of this thread, modification #6 was: remove canopy.... excuse my ignorance, what is that??? Worth 2 mpg huh? I'm interested!
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 20,375
Likes: 841
From: Mi'kma'ki
the frontal aera is already there.all he's doing is making the frontal aera all in one nice clean spot.now instead of the air flowing over the dirty trucks under side,where nothing is aerodynamic at all,the air will flow less restricted to the side of the truck.
it looks as if you plowing wind,but fact is,you already are anyway.push it to the side instead of under and economy goes up.pretty darn nice gains too.though it sure does look bass akwards lol.
i don't think he was joking cus his description of what the truck goes like now with less road noise matches just what i found too.
these fuel prices will make a man do funny things.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 6,900
Likes: 3
From: Campbell River, B.C.
It was a topper (big ugly square one, not like the F150 shown above).
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 20,375
Likes: 841
From: Mi'kma'ki
well ideally you'd just build it to look like that pic of complete slant down.
in reality however, odds are you need the bed space,or you'd be driving a car anyway lol.
to mimic some of that however,when driving empty, envision if you will a shorter rear gate.about half as high....imagine for example a lift gate.
i'll then install a rear section of roof that slants down to sit on top of the gate........or no.just a thick hd tarp like material i guess i was thinking for this.
it should help air flow more streamlined off the back of the bed instead of a big square box whenever i don't need full room back there.
maybe them tommy gates are not all that shorter than the swinging gate i have now.in which case the idea gets scraped lol.
in reality however, odds are you need the bed space,or you'd be driving a car anyway lol.
to mimic some of that however,when driving empty, envision if you will a shorter rear gate.about half as high....imagine for example a lift gate.
i'll then install a rear section of roof that slants down to sit on top of the gate........or no.just a thick hd tarp like material i guess i was thinking for this.
it should help air flow more streamlined off the back of the bed instead of a big square box whenever i don't need full room back there.
maybe them tommy gates are not all that shorter than the swinging gate i have now.in which case the idea gets scraped lol.