Hypermiling Truckers

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Jul 17, 2008 | 04:38 PM

#11

Brawn

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Joined: Jun 2008

Posts: 53

Re: Hypermiling Truckers

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnc73

I heard the major thing with FAS (shutting the engine off) you have to watch out for is that your transmission might overheat depending on how it is designed. Since you're driving a manual you should be fine, usually it is the automatics where the fluid pump is engine driven are the problems (basically if your owner's manual says you can tow with four on the ground you're safe for FAS). If your truck has the fuel cut feature then you're probably only saving the parasitic loss of your power steering pump by shutting off. A Scangauge should be able to tell you if you have fuel cut (if it works on semi's).

Are liquid haulers different? On one trip down to Houston I followed one going a flat 58mph while we were both being passed by normal semi's and even doubles. I got wonderful gas mileage because of him (don't worry I was almost 3 seconds behind him). He was driving a truck owned by the orangish company, dunno the name, maybe Schneider. The container looked like heavy duty plastic but not transparent enough to let me see the liquid sloshing inside (or he was hauling something clear). Don't remember seeing a diamond hazard thingie.

I just tried it this one time to see how much of a difference it made. There was a little gain but not enough to continue to do it. Especially when you consider the amount of concentration it takes plus the clutch takes about 40 lbs of weight to push and hold down, which is tiring after 600 miles. Also without power steering the truck is about 2000% harder to turn which is also tiring. So basically it's more stressful and I'm more fatigued than an aggressive style driver running 75 or 80. I've pretty much decided to continue to run between 60 and 65 mph and I'm looking into adding some aerodynamics to my truck and trailer to cut down on drag. Also there are a few things I can add to my motor that are claiming .05 to 1 mpg increases in fuel mileage that I'm looking into.
And there is this HHO craze. I haven't gotten on board with that yet. I was to see true results from someone I trust first. I can't afford a new $15,000 motor. I looked at some on E-bay that looked like some junk with a few hoses. I'm going to hold out on that right now.

Some companies have there their trucks governed down to 60 or 62 mph. If you were on the Interstate I'm sure he was doing 58 for his fuel bonus. Some companies are paying incentives to drivers in fuel bonuses to encourage them to slow down and to shut their trucks off when they can.

Thanks for keeping a safe following distance. I don't worry about the cars as much as I worry about big trucks tailgating me. I will pull close to the white line and glare at them in my mirror till they get the clue to back off or go around. I worry about the cars following me too closely because if that same driver was behind the car and I had to stop suddenly he'd cram that car right into and under the back of my trailer. 3 seconds is good for a car. I keep 6 or 7 between myself and the truck or car in front of me. Of course it takes me way longer to stop. I used to count it out but now I can pretty much do it by site. Besides I'm doing 63 and they're doing 70, they are pulling away anyway.