How many are interested in discussing and optimizing fuel economy?

[Mike]

I am thinking about opening a forum here at FreightRelocators that is dedicated to discussing fuel economy.

I realize not all are going to be interested, and this is just one of a few ideas I have for a specialty category of the forum for those that want to get involved in various discussions in a more serious level.

Fuel economy is the first of the potential forums I have in mind because it is of special interest to me and one I can contribute to.

I want to set his up, not to only focus on super high mileage numbers, but to be able to categorize threads based on operating environment. In other words, a flatbedder wont get the same numbers with the same tractor as a van/reefer. Setting up a few thread prefixes for new threads will make this easy.

I'll do this if there is some interest, so answer in the poll.

Full disclosure: I posted in a fuel economy group on Facebook. I got one person actually contributing, and obviously plenty others that were not at all interested in the topic, but it was on a facebook group dedicated to fuel economy.

I'm sick of facebook groups and think we can do better here.

 

[Fast Freddy]

Well I’m a company driver and there is no fuel bonus where I’m at so it has no interest for me. Maybe if I was OO or had good fuel bonuses I may be interested in talking about it in a thread or 2. But a whole forum?

I guess I see it as a worthy topic to discuss, but not worthy of its own forum.

But that’s just one mans opinion.

 

[mndriver]

I’d be interested in it. That interest would end as soon as it becomes derailed or turns into a brand bash etc

 

[Hammer166]

It's always fun to argue discuss the benefits of various products intended to improve fuel mileage, especially with the snake oil peddlers.

The hardest part is getting folks to understand just how difficult obtaining quantifiable results can be. The car manufacturers use incredibly rigorous testing protocols to remove as much variability as possible, and they still do a huge number of repetitions to get decent averages. A small company can't afford the testing needed to put out real world numbers for their products.

 

[mndriver]

I have maintenance receipts for stuff like tires etc that corresponds to real time changes in tracked fuel economy.


But I’ve been told that’s not believable. So I discuss with some and let it pass with others.

 

[Electric Chicken]

I have maintenance receipts for stuff like tires etc that corresponds to real time changes in tracked fuel economy.


But I’ve been told that’s not believable. So I discuss with some and let it pass with others.

Did you change tire make/model or did you do something WRT to the same tires?

 

[mndriver]

Did you change tire make/model or did you do something WRT to the same tires?

Actually change tires.

Toyo M910 to Michelin Xline energy D to Roadmaster RM275 back to xlines.

This February I parked my flat with Bridgestone tires, pulled a POS Fontaine ( picked it up myself brand new in Alabama) with double coins and back to my flat with Bridgestone tires in March.

Every change showed a 0.7-0.8 mpg difference or better in fuel gauges or in my fuel records in Rand McNally.

 

[Hammer166]

I have maintenance receipts for stuff like tires etc that corresponds to real time changes in tracked fuel economy.


But I’ve been told that’s not believable. So I discuss with some and let it pass with others.

It is an easy thing to quantify that a change improved fuel mileage, but that doesn't begin to nail down exactly how much that improvement was due to that change, and how much was normal variability in averages. It is a more than trivial difference between the two, and the former is where most vendors overstate their case.

 

[mndriver]

It is an easy thing to quantify that a change improved fuel mileage, but that doesn't begin to nail down exactly how much that improvement was due to that change, and how much was normal variability in averages. It is a more than trivial difference between the two, and the former is where most vendors overstate their case.

So putting a line graph together of fillups and then flagging the days that the receipts show the service work done....


Is all anecdotal...

And the change from 5.3-5.4 back to 6.2-6.6 is....?

 

[Mike]

It is an easy thing to quantify that a change improved fuel mileage, but that doesn't begin to nail down exactly how much that improvement was due to that change, and how much was normal variability in averages. It is a more than trivial difference between the two, and the former is where most vendors overstate their case.

The main thing we would be doing here is simly trying to work together in a productive environment to simply improve fuel economy. Each niche is different, but each niche has areas where improvement can be made.

My reasoning for seeing if there is interest to pursue a forum dedicated to this is that only a few people are truly interested, and there would need to be a way to keep riff raff out of the mix. In other words, I wouldn't want people within this specific forum experimenting with something new (aero add on, additive, etc) and get the typical FaceBook attacks by people that are simply parroting what someone else told them.

I bought my truck without a some key features just to see what it was like without them, and with plans to add them on at a later date once I seen where the truck would be running on average.

 

[Hammer166]

So putting a line graph together of fillups and then flagging the days that the receipts show the service work done....


Is all anecdotal...

And the change from 5.3-5.4 back to 6.2-6.6 is....?

Just what I said. You can easily show an improvement. Nailing down the exact amount of that improvement due solely to the change you made is far more difficult. There are simply too many variables that effect economy.

 

[Mike]

Just what I said. You can easily show an improvement. Nailing down the exact amount of that improvement due solely to the change you made is far more difficult. There are simply too many variables that effect economy.

This is why, when it comes to aero products and such, I look for places like Mesilla Valley that run controlled tests and actually provide the results for all of us to see. I wish more places openly provided information like this.

I wouldn't even mind paying for it if the testing was worth it.

 

[Electric Chicken]

Actually change tires.

Toyo M910 to Michelin Xline energy D to Roadmaster RM275 back to xlines.

This February I parked my flat with Bridgestone tires, pulled a POS Fontaine ( picked it up myself brand new in Alabama) with double coins and back to my flat with Bridgestone tires in March.

Every change showed a 0.7-0.8 mpg difference or better in fuel gauges or in my fuel records in Rand McNally.

Yeah rubber compounds and tread patterns definitely make a difference.

 

[Electric Chicken]

This is why, when it comes to aero products and such, I look for places like Mesilla Valley that run controlled tests and actually provide the results for all of us to see. I wish more places openly provided information like this.

I wouldn't even mind paying for it if the testing was worth it.

If I get this truck tomorrow it already has Airtabs on it so I'll let y'all know if it's better than the Ford that doesn't have them.

 

[mndriver]

If I get this truck tomorrow it already has Airtabs on it so I'll let y'all know if it's better than the Ford that doesn't have them.

Cant even make that comparison.

 

[Electric Chicken]

Cant even make that comparison.

You're right because I didn't get the truck.

 

[Uncle Birchy]

I am thinking about opening a forum here at FreightRelocators that is dedicated to discussing fuel economy.

I realize not all are going to be interested, and this is just one of a few ideas I have for a specialty category of the forum for those that want to get involved in various discussions in a more serious level.

Fuel economy is the first of the potential forums I have in mind because it is of special interest to me and one I can contribute to.

I want to set his up, not to only focus on super high mileage numbers, but to be able to categorize threads based on operating environment. In other words, a flatbedder wont get the same numbers with the same tractor as a van/reefer. Setting up a few thread prefixes for new threads will make this easy.

I'll do this if there is some interest, so answer in the poll.

Full disclosure: I posted in a fuel economy group on Facebook. I got one person actually contributing, and obviously plenty others that were not at all interested in the topic, but it was on a facebook group dedicated to fuel economy.

I'm sick of facebook groups and think we can do better here.

I voted interested because these kind of threads almost always lead to colorful discussions.

 

[Electric Chicken]

I need a roof thing.

I'll have to call UPS and have them let me know when one of their drivers flips a Mack. Maybe the doohickey will survive.

 

[Uncle Birchy]

I need a roof thing.

I'll have to call UPS and have them let me know when one of their drivers flips a Mack. Maybe the doohickey will survive.

You talking about one of those aerodynamic roof tops..

Sure ya might get Xtra say 1/10th mpg.

But fiberglass and plastic more crap to break plus the upfront outlay to buy it..

Stay "Flat-Top"

 

[Uncle Birchy]

Here @Electric Chicken allow me 2 give ya a fine example.

On these "Crap Cadias" they put side fairings

Welp afew weeks ago tight ass place and Ive cracked afew brackets.

In the wind it shakes like heck I think somebody breaking into my truck

Less is better.