Yeah Im in the ongoing process of trying to get more MPG's our of my rig also. BUUUT if I end up being stuck around the 11mpg mark, than so be it. I love my 20s so there staying, I like the height of my truck so its not getting lowered. I cant stand ( in my homble opion ) the look of any type of cover for the bed, so thats staying off. Anyway I guess what Im saying is if you cant improve your MPG any more than dont fret, sit back and enjoy your rig for what it is. A truck.

 

I get 17 mpg driving semi-nice highway/city mix for at least an hour. Typically I get about 12 with shorter trips and more throttle.

MPG Mods to look up on this site- Intake, exhaust (mainly muffler and Y-pipe), e-fan, tires, cover for your bed/tailgate net, etc.

There's a bazillion threads just like yours you'll have to wade through, but you'll find results soon enough.
For short words like CAI or EFAN that won't go into the site's search, you google and type in 'dodgeforum.com e-fan 3rd gen ram' and click on 'more results from dodgeforum'

 

So does the bed cover really work? I have been thinking about this

 

It amazes me at how many guys come on here, complain about mileage they are getting and spouting off about how GMs and Fords get so much better gas mileage. I've owned two full size Chevy 4x4s and two full size Fords (although one was a diesel) plus a 2nd Gen Ram and next to the diesel (which was maybe 2-3 mpg better) I get the best gas mileage on my Hemi Ram, despite having 4+ inches of lift, 35" tires and a ton of extra weight (although to be accurate, all of my trucks got at least a 3" body lift and ran 33" tires minimum). I owned an '02 Chevy Z71, 5.3L V8 and it got WORSE gas mileage than my Hemi does, not to mention couldn't get out of it's own way with 33" tires.

And for the "I had a Chevy **** and it got SO MUCH better gas mileage than my current Ram" guys, SHOVE IT! Go to the Ford and GM truck sites (I'm still a member on both) and read all the "My gas mileage sucks on my Chevy 6.0L 4x4, and my friend with a Dodge Ram gets ** MPG better" posts.

Played golf today as a matter of fact with a guy who owns an '08 Nissan Titan, bought new, extra cab (not the four door model) 4x2 and he bi*ched that he gets 11-12 mpg, most driving is commute on interstate 40 miles each way with some city driving mixed in. Dealer maintained 100% on book schedule, bone stock except for a tonneau cover. Never got any better, never got any worse and he swears guys on his forum claim 18 mpg from the full size, 4 door, 4 wheel drive version.

A lot of guys like to compare the Ford 5.4 to the Hemi, now the Triton may get a mpg or two better, but let's just remember, it also gets about 100 HP lower output! Now if the Echo Boost passes the test of time, Ford may have something here that'll force GM and Dodge play catch up.

I don't think anybody is bashing the OP, but mainly pointing out that his fuel economy goal is unrealistic...

 

Your logic on MPG increases are skewed. I get 16.4~17 in my truck and it's a 4X4 with 20" wheels. The only "fuel saver" that I have is the tonneau and my superchips on 91 tune, but you would be hard pressed to prove any tonneau provides fuel savings.

By your calculations your lowered, RCSB should be getting significantly better mileage than my truck, but it isn't the case. This all goes to show that you can bolt on and remove as much crap as you want, but aren't going to get significant MPG gains.

Just as a quick comparison (all data gathered from MSN auto's webpage):

using 2007 models 4X4 with the larger V8 engine size, quad/super/crew cab trucks

Power:
Dodge:
345 HP/ 375 TQ

Ford:
300 HP/ 365 TQ

Chevy:
315 HP/ 338TQ

WINNER = DODGE, more HP more torque. So strike one on your comment that Chevy and Ford have just as much power.

Weight:

Dodge:
5486 lb

Ford:
5530 lb

Chevy:
5371 lb

all the weights are pretty close here, but These are the bone dry weights, as you will find most people here on DF weigh in at closer to 6k lbs.

WINNER = for weight we will call it a draw, because they are all within 160 lbs of each other and that doesn't account for the driver.

Lastly, I don't know where you see fords and chevy's getting that much better mileage. I got a coworker that sits right next to me with a Ford, leveled, with cat-back magnaflow and a hard tonneau and he averages 12-13 MPG?

We are not trying to bash on anyone that wants to increase their MPG, we just have to be realistic about it. It's a truck, it was never intended to get good MPG's, it's made to haul and tow and work.

nateroach

 

Geez...like mentioned and beat to death, IT'S A TRUCK. You want MPG'S, get a prius. You don't like the mileage? Sell it.

 

DON'T BUY ANY TOYOTA!!!

That said, easy acceleration, a good tune-up, is about the best you can do. I average about 18mpg in mixed driving if I'm easy on the throttle. I have 20" wheels and 3.92 gears.
I run a Diablosport 93 octane tune with the MDS turned off, a K&N drop-in filter with an Airaid MIT intake pipe, Magnaflow cat-back and a TruXedo bed cover.

 

Wow this was helpful in odd ways. It's a love/hate relationship with the truck.

I LOVE

1) Being able to move things with it.

2) Dump hauls

3) Towing things.

4) Off-roading to shooting spots.



The only thing I can barely stand with it is

1) The gas mileage.
2) Certain people are convinced it’s a dump truck.

The good news is after the reprogramming and a K&N air filter it’s now getting 15 in the city and 18 on the highway. I’m finding that punching the throttle really nosedives the MPG. So now the MPG is to me more in the realistic realm of things. Before I just couldn’t justify 10-12 MPG on a good day.

I think next I need a bed cover or camper shell for it to see if it reduces gas mileage. It’s also irritating to find people loading up your bed with garbage so you can take it to the dump for them. I even had one guy put a bag of trash in back while I was sitting in it. Which lead to a WTF conversation.