Impoving MPG

Wear lighter shoes is about all I can think of or check with the weather service and make sure your trips are all down wind...

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Jeepster wrote:

Trade it for a Corolla.

Jeeps are bricks, about as non-aerodynamic as it gets. All three I've owned seemed to get the same mileage regardless of speed, load, etc...

If it's got good plugs, a clean air filter, properly inflated tires, and synthetic lubes, you're getting as good as it gets.

Barry

Don't mash on the pedals with so much gusto. Roll on to and off of the gas, coast to the lights - especially the red ones - and anticipate the traffic in front of you, coasting when it slows.

By coasting, I mean to lift your foot off of the gas, not depress the clutch or shift into N.

Dunno about the 4-banger but I've discovered an easy way to boost the TJ 6 cylinder mileage by 3-5 miles per gallon --> don't drive over

60mph on the highway! It means gettin' honked at a lot and spending all day in the right lane, though. If there's a big headwind, settle in behind a semi or RV that's doin' 50-55mph and have them act as a windbreak.

a good coat of wax lets the wind glide over the Jeep better ;)

I guess It's all relevent. My 02 TJ Safari 4.0L (auto) gets 24 MPG (Imperial) = about 19 MPG US highway. My 22' GMC motorhome (400 small block) gets 7 MPG (Imperial). If the Jeep is like driving a brick through the wind- the motorhome is a cinder block.. If it's tuned up I guess there's probably not much you can do.

BM

... and the tighter into their slip stream the better your mileage. It may be illegal to 'draft' but it surely works well in the MPG department.

Rich Hampel did pass the time by typing:

It might save you a bit on gas but if you have ever seen a recap come off a semi you would stay well away from them. A recap can come off with enough force to rip the top off your jeep, rollbar included. Next is ice. Given the right conditions semi's can shed sheets of ice the size of your average 3/4" plywood. Then there are the rear twin wheels that can pick up and throw rocks the size of golfballs. (of course you hope the rock/mud flaps stop them but the little buggers sneak out every now and then)

Bill probably has some good stories on that. :)

I've seen treads blow and the carnage they leave behind. Your life your choice.

Never thought of it that way, Doug. I'm forever "drafting" behind big rigs and other large vehicles to either save on gas or be able to go the speed limit.

Eric

99 TJ SE

Cross the pond terminlogy question - what's a "recap" ? Cheers, Dave

Dave Milne, Scotland '91 Grand Wagoneer, '99 TJ

Dave- Also known as a "re-tread". Basically, they re-use the sidewall of a tire and glue new tread on. When it wears out, the old tread is cut off, and new tread is glued on. They "re-cap" the sidewall. Re-caps are unsafe because sometimes the glue doesnt hold and the tread can fly off. Very dangerous. Mostly big rigs use them, but sometimes people in a pinch will put them on a personal auto.

HTH

Carl

sidewall of a

Bandag is the main player in the US retread business. I'm not sure they do passenger car tires anymore, might (should?) be illegal, but my dad used 'em in the sixties.

Not so. There is nothing inherently dangerous about retread tires. Also, more of the big rig tire debris on the highways is from improperly maintained new tires than retreads. I used retreads a lot in the '60s and '70s on vehicles that used bias ply tires. Never had a problem, not even on hot desert highways in the summer. A good start for getting an education on retread tires is: