Project Built for Towing

[LT.]

I meant to say, you're going to want to gear it lower than what it would take to match the speedo to stock. so if 4.10's put the speedo at stock, think about going the next size lower. You're just factoring in the diameter of the tire, not the extra weight that it's turning. If you run 4.10s, it'll feel like you're pulling an empty trailer around everywhere due to the extra weight of turning these big tires. Not sure if that makes sense.

An excellent point. And one I have been thinking of quite a bit here lately. No body wants to re gear more than once so it really is important to get this right the first time out. What I think is going to happen is I will try and decide on a tire size first, order them up, install them on the truck, and see how the truck responds to the tires with the stock gears. I will hook up my heavy trailer and throw a couple of tractors on it and take it for an extended drive. Maybe even play with which gear the truck is pulling in and see how the corresponding rpm's handle the weight. Since we can figure out what the engine rpm's will be with a different set of gears this maybe the answer for the ring and pinion ratio.

On a side note, I was also trying to diagnose the small problem that seems to be developing on the truck. More than one individual stated that changing tires seemed to solve their issues. Since I need tires anyways this maybe where I start. The problem with most of the reading I have done on the internet it seems like most folks just throw money at the problem until it goes away. Few take the time to really look under the truck, or check the alignment. I got under the truck while it was on the 4 post alignment rack and started really looking at things. While I really did not see any signs of wear I did notice an issue with the 2" lift I put under the front end. When you just a simple spacer to gain added clearance (think leveling kit) there are no provisions to re-center the axle under the truck laterally. When the lift is put on it pulls the front axle to the drivers side about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch. This puts the locating links in a bit of a bind to the drivers side. Now, you can put on an adjustable track bar but, the issue with most aftermarket track bars is they use a heim joint. This translates into more road vibrations being sent to the steering wheel. Not something I want on my tow rig. So, the proper way to get the truck to match up to my big trailer is to lift it by using a quality suspension lift that has a track bar relocation bracket and all the necessary pieces to gain some altitude and keep everything in check. This is more of a goal towards the end of the year though.

LT.

 

[LT.]

I broke down last night and ordered a couple of parts for Project BFT (aka Rosie) on the credit card. I hate doing that but, I thought it would be an excellent way of seeing just what these parts do for fuel mileage. I ordered the S&B Filters cold air intake, and the cold air intake scoop. According to S&B the filter and box with the plug installed is good for 40% more flow, with the plug removed it is good for 50% more flow. I did not see anything about what the scoop does but, I figure it cannot hurt. The last couple of trips to Utah the truck was getting 20.4 empty. That was a trip I took to take my wife and baby to Utah to get out of the smoke here in New Mexico. This trip should be almost a mirror image of that one. We will be staying for a longer period of time so there will be more in town driving but, I will try and keep the numbers separate.

LT.

 

[LT.]

Here are the parts installed. Now, I have to re-write my custom tunes after the dealer messed them all up for me. Anyways, here are the pictures.

LT.

 

[sixstringsteve]

oooh, purdy

 

[ChestonScout]

may have to test it out by pulling a scout around....lol

 

[LT.]

oooh, purdy

Thank you!

may have to test it out by pulling a scout around....lol

Yep, maybe we should make it more of a test and pull the Scout, on my big flat bed, with Christine. That would be a heck of a load. That should weigh about 23,000 total or so.

Thus far I have not been able to test it out for any mileage increases but, I figure the trip to Utah next week will be a great test. I bet I put 2,000 miles on her next week. about 1,400 of that would be all highway to and from and then the other little bit would be a mixture of highway and in town. I have a few shops I am going to visit. Industrial Injection, Cabela's, Precision Body Line, and I want to hit up a few R.V. dealers as well. Of course I will be headed to ChestonScouts house to pry him away from work so we can go to the big boy toy stores!

Also, for some reason I have not done the usual test loop that I have done for Project Run Around. Most of the tests I have done have been between here and Utah. I did do one test loop before and after I deleted the emissions equipment off of the truck. Both while empty and towing a tractor on my equipment trailer (about 12,000 lbs). Funny, I thought I had done the same test loop.

LT.

 

[LT.]

We just got back from about a 1700+ mile round trip to the mother land of Utah. On the way there I was within about 5mph of the speed limit the whole way up and only averaged 20.7 mpg. When I figured it out by hand I had gone about 640 miles on 31 gallons of Diesel. This was confirmed by the on board trip computer. On the way home we went a different route to avoid the miserable roads here in New Mexico. We started out the same way but, in Cortez, Colorado we went on highway 160 all the way to Pagossa Springs and then turned South on highway 84. I also was doing the posted speed limit the whole way. This is the route that Map Quest says to take and if it was not for some road construction on 160 I believe it would be about the same time. On the return trip home I filled up at a Safeway fueling station between ChestonScout's house and Sprueitt's house. That was the last time I put fuel in the truck and it should be between Clinton and South Ogden. I drove all the way home on the same tank of fuel and have about 1/8 of a tank and the fuel tank is 34 or 35 gallons. What was really cool was I only filled the tank three times. Once to get there, once while driving around, and once to come home. I also used three bottles of Power Service Diesel fuel additive on this trip.

I will add up all the gallons and the miles traveled tomorrow.

LT.

 

[sixstringsteve]

is your speedometer/odometer accurate with the bigger tires?

 

[LT.]

is your speedometer/odometer accurate with the bigger tires?

I have not had the chance to put the bigger tires on it as of yet. When you have to buy 7 tires at once it gets a little expensive. Lol. So, to answer your question yep, the speedometer/odometer is accurate since I am still running the stock tires.

It looks like after hand figuring that I am still only at the 20.7 mpg mark. I drove the whole way home at 65 mph, with the engine twisting 1600 rpm's. I also ran the Power Service Diesel fuel additive. My on board trip computer said I had run as high as 23.1 mpg but, dropped to 22.2 mpg once I pulled into the drive. I was hoping for more with the additive and the addition of the new CAI with the scoop but, it is what it is.

Also, ChestonScout and I went on a tour of Industrial Injection while I was in the Mother land of Utah. When we first pulled up I think both of us were a little disappointed but, come to find out we had pulled up to the back of the building. We got a private tour of the facility and I left most impressed! I believe Cheston was nearly as impressed as I was (it is hard to tell with him. He is so quiet and reserved). We got to see first hand the trucks in the shop, engine building center, shipping warehouse, fuel injectors stations, fuel pump stations, turbo set ups, transmission warehouse, (Suncoast tranny here I come!), and all in all treated us like VIP's. What a cool feeling I had when we left for lunch. Because of their hospitality they will be adding a turbo to my Rosie.

I also got a private tour of Precision Body Line in North Salt Lake. The owner James treated me like royalty just as the folks at Industrial Injection did to Cheston and I. If I can ever find the money they will be cutting Rosie apart and adding two feet to her as well. James showed me the process (as he had a truck in the shop), the finished product (had another truck at the Rhino Liner dealer that was exactly like mine), and showed me the steps and the process step by step. It makes me feel a little bit more at ease to see the process in action and to see what it took to get there. When you spend as much money on these trucks as you have to do when new, it really goes a long ways to be treated so well and make me feel like a true VIP.

I can attest to these two shops really being top of the heap in their respective fields.

LT.

 

[LT.]

My wife is effin awesome! One of my Christmas presents was to have window tint put on to Project BFT. I had 15% put on all the windows and I also had a visor installed on the windshield. What a difference it makes! Now sunglasses inside the vehicle are optional. I have to wait a few days before I can roll down the windows but, that is not much of a problem since the vehicle does not get driven as a daily driver.

I have been doing a lot of thinking lately about tires for her. She has been in need of them for a while now and with snow on the ground it is getting to be more paramount. Still not sure which way to go but, tire research is in full swing here. Maybe in the next month or two she will be wearing new shoes.

LT.

 

[LT.]

Project BFT aka Rosie did not get very good mileage on this trip to utah. I only pulled about 19 mpg this trip. I suspect that the winter blend #2 Diesel and the snow covered roads (in New Mexico) are to blame. When i head back home i am going to pick up some diesel service fuel additive and run it on the way back home. Maybe that will help the fuel mileage.

LT.

 

[ID Bronco]

19 Sounds really good to me, with a dirtymax

 

[sixstringsteve]

x2. This project should be called "my obsession to get crazy good MPG"

 

[mbryson]

My "mileage truck" (555 motor--2004 Dodge 2500 QC shortbed) doesn't seem to get the kind of mileage others report. New trans or old trans. I'd imagine my truck would get 16-17 on a run from my house to Logan. I've hand calced before somewhere in that range. The overhead is pretty optimistic and says something cute like 24 mpg or something from the same trip.

 

[anderson750]

Ordered my mini maxx with auto trans tune, pyrometer and AFE cold air intake today. Figured I better hurry since the DPF delete models are going to be pretty scarce now.

 

[LT.]

I use mileage as a benchmark. Dyno jets, throttle response, and felt power are all too easily swayed for my tastes. You can run on two different dynos and get two different hp and torque readings. Throttle response is too subjective so, i prefef to use miles traveled versus gallons used. This gives me hard nubers to use as data.

For the trip home we were going about 70 mph most of the way. Reason was we think my little girl may have pink eye, sore throat, and a runny nose. It was not as plesant of a return trip as i would have hoped for. I averaged closer to what i wanted but still short. 19.3 and that was with the diesel service fuel additive.

Anyways, the trip went well, fast, and without problems.

LT.

 

[blznnp]

was this last trip with no trailer at all? hope your little girl gets better, no fun when the little ones get sick

 

[LT.]

was this last trip with no trailer at all? hope your little girl gets better, no fun when the little ones get sick

Yep, no trailer just the family and some wheels and tires. We are both feeling miserable today. Thank you for the get well wishes.

LT.

 

[blznnp]

The new emission crap on the diesels suck. Your numbers are nice to see, doesn't make me feel so bad with mine. All the older diesel guys without the new emission stuff saying 24-26mpg makes me sick, I have only towed a long distance once an I forgot to check my mpg an most of my driving is city, which is 11-12mpg. Our family has been battling the cold, sore throat.....winter time usually really gets to our family, especially here in Utah.

 

[Jesser04]

The new emission crap on the diesels suck. Your numbers are nice to see, doesn't make me feel so bad with mine. All the older diesel guys without the new emission stuff saying 24-26mpg makes me sick, I have only towed a long distance once an I forgot to check my mpg an most of my driving is city, which is 11-12mpg. Our family has been battling the cold, sore throat.....winter time usually really gets to our family, especially here in Utah.

Do you still have the dpf on your truck?