gears, 4x4 and MPG
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Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2008
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gears, 4x4 and MPG
I may be going out on a limb here, but I am disgusted with the mileage from my 06 4x4. Here is the setup:
* 06 quad cab, 6' bed
* 4x4, 6 spd (daimler version, unfortunately not NV)
* completely stock
My average mpg is 16-19 range, and I drive almost exclusively hiway miles. I also drive VERY conservatively (light foot) at ~60 mph.
My Cummins powered Suburban (obviously custom) AVERAGED >22 mpg over a 150,000+ mile life span. One would think Chryser could have done as well or better. Here is where I think (IMHO) they dropped the ball:
* The 4x4 front axle is (for some stupid reason) a LIVE axle. No hubs. I suspect I'm losing one to two mpg with just that 300 lb friction load.
* The axles are 373. My burb had 310s. It is my beleif that if I had 3.10s - 3.23s - a common ratio (made of unobtanium, unfortunately) I'd gain 2-3 mpg.
Someone makes a front end kit to allow for hubs, but NO ONE makes a high ratio set of gears. No one (Chrysler or after market gear companies) seems interested in making them.
I beleive there are a lot of us who don't need to pull a big load very often and would be much happier with consistent higher fuel economy than load pulling capability.
Your support, contradictions and opinions requested.
Thanks
HiMiler
* 06 quad cab, 6' bed
* 4x4, 6 spd (daimler version, unfortunately not NV)
* completely stock
My average mpg is 16-19 range, and I drive almost exclusively hiway miles. I also drive VERY conservatively (light foot) at ~60 mph.
My Cummins powered Suburban (obviously custom) AVERAGED >22 mpg over a 150,000+ mile life span. One would think Chryser could have done as well or better. Here is where I think (IMHO) they dropped the ball:
* The 4x4 front axle is (for some stupid reason) a LIVE axle. No hubs. I suspect I'm losing one to two mpg with just that 300 lb friction load.
* The axles are 373. My burb had 310s. It is my beleif that if I had 3.10s - 3.23s - a common ratio (made of unobtanium, unfortunately) I'd gain 2-3 mpg.
Someone makes a front end kit to allow for hubs, but NO ONE makes a high ratio set of gears. No one (Chrysler or after market gear companies) seems interested in making them.
I beleive there are a lot of us who don't need to pull a big load very often and would be much happier with consistent higher fuel economy than load pulling capability.
Your support, contradictions and opinions requested.
Thanks
HiMiler
Record Breaker
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,498
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From: NC mountains
16 to 19mpg is pretty darn good for a 7000lbs truck. I don't think D/C build these truck with mileage in mind.
Hubs are a pain in the but. I'd rather shift the gears or even push a button to engage 4x than to have to get out ( in mud possibly ) to lock it in.
I'd have to say... if you are that concerned about mileage, you bought the wrong vehicle.
Hubs are a pain in the but. I'd rather shift the gears or even push a button to engage 4x than to have to get out ( in mud possibly ) to lock it in.
I'd have to say... if you are that concerned about mileage, you bought the wrong vehicle.
Professional
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 153
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From:
I agree that milage sounds pretty good. I get 17.5 mpg consistently pulling my 18ft trailer loaded with a car and the upwards of 20-21 unloaded interstate at 65mph and that's with a 6 spd. But the reason I bought this truck was to pull larger loads with ease and still spank the hemi at gas milage. For the people that drive these trucks with no hauling in mind, at least they still get a lot better than any 4x4 gasser i've seen. I would not buy this truck with anything less than 3.73 gears. DC built these trucks for a reason, and that reason is towing with acceptable fuel milage. By the way I filled up for 3.99 a gallon on my way to St. Louis yesterday.... never thought i'd be excited about that one!
Administrator
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 24,686
Likes: 21
From: South Georgia/East Florida
When I see the posts that start out with "I bought a Hemi QC 4x4 and am not happy with the gas mileage" or "what can I do to increase my MPG's in my Hemi?" or "why am I only getting 18 mpg's out of my Hemi, I bought it because it has MDS" I usually cringe and as bad as I want to give my 2 cents, I stay away.
But a post complaining about fuel economy on a diesel? I couldn't leave this one alone. Your mpg's are killing any decent sized gasser 4x4 truck as it is. WTF were you thinking when you bought it, did you used to own a diesel Isuzu P'up and think you were gonna get 30 mpg's out of this Heavy Duty pickup? These are called "Heavy Duty" for a reason. If Dodge built their diesel pickup trucks solely with MPG's in mind, they might sell one to you and maybe about a dozen other people, nationwide, who are looking at a Diesel pickup to take the kids to soccer practice and put a nice plant in the bed. The gearing you want to see would make this truck impractical for 98% of the people who buy a "Heavy Duty" truck.
If you are not happy with your '06 Heavy Duty, Diesel, 4x4 pickup because it gets "only" 16-19 mpg (I had a F*rd diesel years ago that I used to pull my bass boat all across the southeast for tourneys that got about 11 mpg on the interstate pulling just a 2200 lb. boat and trailer) then get rid of it....... and maybe pick up one of these:
But a post complaining about fuel economy on a diesel? I couldn't leave this one alone. Your mpg's are killing any decent sized gasser 4x4 truck as it is. WTF were you thinking when you bought it, did you used to own a diesel Isuzu P'up and think you were gonna get 30 mpg's out of this Heavy Duty pickup? These are called "Heavy Duty" for a reason. If Dodge built their diesel pickup trucks solely with MPG's in mind, they might sell one to you and maybe about a dozen other people, nationwide, who are looking at a Diesel pickup to take the kids to soccer practice and put a nice plant in the bed. The gearing you want to see would make this truck impractical for 98% of the people who buy a "Heavy Duty" truck.
If you are not happy with your '06 Heavy Duty, Diesel, 4x4 pickup because it gets "only" 16-19 mpg (I had a F*rd diesel years ago that I used to pull my bass boat all across the southeast for tourneys that got about 11 mpg on the interstate pulling just a 2200 lb. boat and trailer) then get rid of it....... and maybe pick up one of these:
Last edited by HammerZ71; Aug 13, 2008 at 11:02 AM.
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 439
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From:
get an intake, mbrp exhaust or bully dog or banks, and a tuner that comes with the dpf delete pipe or whatever its called and you will be gettin 20 plus...but thatll cost you some coin. but still...your killin my mileage ha
Hall Of Fame
Joined: Jan 2004
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yup, you bought the wrong truck... did the window sticker or epa sticker say it would get over 20 mpg? sell it and go get a 12v cummins motor'd truck. they easily get 22~25 mpg.
if not that, change your driving style. coast alot, keep the throttle steady on hills (you'll slow down) and let the torque take you to the top. it makes a difference in your overall mileage.
if not that, change your driving style. coast alot, keep the throttle steady on hills (you'll slow down) and let the torque take you to the top. it makes a difference in your overall mileage.