[i8godzilla]

I plan on flying Sunday and had to go get my hang gliders. I left them at our club's hanger about 90 miles away. On the way there I filled up the tank and reset the MPG computer in my truck. When I arrived the fuel mileage read 18.9 MPG. Not bad for my truck. I decided to reset the computer for the return trip. Can you believe it dropped to 14.3?

The truck is an 06 Chevy 2500 6.6L diesel, Allison 6-SP automatic, crew cab and long bed with a shell. I have two racks on the shell and one on the cab. I have noticed that when we have the camper (38' / 10K lbs.), the mileage does not change with or without the wings on top. I stays right around 10 MPG. I never thought the hang gliders alone would cost me over 4.5 MPG.

Has anyone else compared fuel consumption with and without HGs on top?

[Jason]

well, i have a tube permanently affixed to the top of my rodeo(1997)
I average 17.5
3.2L V6(with 245k on it)
4 speed 4wd auto

when i went snowboarding and sat in the snow for 5 hrs to go 5 miles, that dropped to 12.9
best ive seen is just over 20

I drive like a grandma, at 60 on the freeway, occasionally up to 65, but usually at 55-60, at 70, i get about 16 mpg

I much perfer my motorcycle at 46

[Nibs]

Where I live, unless you drive 80 on the highway, you'll get run off the road. Driving 80 most of the way to the mountain, I get about 21mpg in my 4cylinder VW Passat with two ladders and 1-2 wings on the roof. Without rack or gliders, I get more like 27 to 28.

[gerg]

Maybe you had a headwind on the way back?

[sg]

Dont know what my MPG is when the gliders are on top, but man, you can REALLY FEEL IT. I drive extra slow when im loaded up with gliders. They are like a giant air dam on the front of my truck.

[CHassan]

My Stratus would lose 2mpg with my one glider/tube on top of it. With just the glider it is only slightly noticeable. Unless I'm driving in a stiff crosswing!

[DocSoc]

heavy has a 2002 ford 4x4 7.3 desiel and gets great milage... He got 20-22 all day with both glider and payload in the bed.

Maybe you need to get a chip and flash it to best specs?

[Lobido]

I have a Toyota Tundra. It sucks the gas down at 14 mpg. My V-8 Forerunner gets around 15 mpg. I want a Prius.

[JDyer]

I've never checked what my 92 chev extended cab longbox 350 gets but trust me it eats up the larger portion of my flying money. I put on quite a few miles with my tent trailer in tow, and glider on the roof. It doesn't leave the driveway all winter.

[axo]

I think this is just for regular gasoline engines, not diesel.

Do a Google search for acetone + gas.
With the right mixture of gas and acetone you get like a 10% saving and a cleaner engine burn.

I think this article is on the "very optimistic" side about 15 to 35% increase in better fuel consumption and savings.

http://www.pureenergysystems.com/news/2005/03/17/6900069_Acetone/

Long time ago i read someone doing it and getting around 10%, real life stuff.
May be some engines get better results. I got yet to try this myself.

Are my sentences very wrong?... im drunk, sorry... LOL

[HeavyPilot]

Should have bought a FORD!

[DocSoc]

heavy and I will be running grease this year! 80cents a gallon!

[LaunchPotato]

One thing for sure, you are gona be burnin a lot more gas with your gliders on the truck than if they are in the air, so for the sake of the environment, let try and keep them in the air as much as possible, OK guys…?


How do you like your environment, regular, or extra crispy?
Stop global warming

[Lobido]

Launch Potato. Great avatar! Tell us about yourself!

[LaunchPotato]

Drat!, I was hoping I could slip that post in there without any formal introductions.
I am usually more of a lurker type, but was reading this thread with interest and thinking how much gas I have burned over the years going back and forth from here to there all for the sake of trying to get some airtime.
Thanks for the welcome Lobido, I am a semi-retired hang glider pilot, meaning I have been so busy working and spending time with family that I haven’t flown hang gliders now in over a year, so I sort of retired my old WW HP AT. I was kind of pointed to this forum by one of the local pilots (Pecofly) who posted a video I made last March at the old Wolf Creek site they may reopen and maybe have a fly-in at next spring.

Anyway, just to try and keep this thread on track I will comment on a gas mileage theory about gliders on trucks that I believe might be worth considering. I have always felt that when designing rack mounts it is good to have a rack that leaves airspace above the roof of the vehicle to allow air to flow through this space. Glider rack designs that have the gliders sitting right on top of the hood are going to trap more air as it flows over the windshield and dams up against the air pocket created by the gliders sitting on the hood.
Of course this is only going to be significant at highway speeds where air drag forces start to multiply.

[HGXC]

[red]

Campers,

My 4x4 Blazer gets 17 mpg clean, and 14 mpg with a glider rack and glider. Short of brewing your own fuel (which looks a little better to me every year), there are still a few things that you can do, to get better fuel mileage.

Engine tuning is the best place to start. You need to track the best mileage you get with a good tune-up, and take action when that number drops off. Driving a vehicle with a stock engine that is rough-running, or won't pass emission testing, is like leaving a trail of pennies behind you as you drive. Cruise control is also much nicer to your wallet, than your right foot can ever be; it might even save you from a speeding ticket, now and then.

Tire inflation is important to good fuel mileage, as well as tire lifespan, and good handling. Wheel alignment is also important for even tire wear, fuel mileage, and tire lifespan.

Synthetic oils will improve your mileage. Forget the ridiculous claims, but a few percent here and there will add up. You can get synthetic lubes for engine, transmission, differentials, and wheel bearings. Synthetic engine oil costs more per oil change, but each oil change lasts much longer, and so will the engine. My Trans Am (350/LT-1) has almost 200,000 miles on it, and it gets 28 mpg at 75 mph (8,4 L/100k at 120kph), with all-synthetic lubes. Hey, you *can* catch me, just bring a Corvette or better.

Drag is a drag. Car wax is not just a good look; it will let your vehicle slip through air easier. Exterior mirrors are the biggest drag, on most vehicles. Don't carry big blocky mirrors, or more mirrors than needed, such as trailer mirrors with no trailer. Sport mirrors can be more than good looks, too. You might find air dams or deflectors available for certain vehicles, but don't go by looks. If it will improve mileage, the maker will certainly tell you that. These things also have to survive in the real world of driveways, dips, and car washes.

These guys got an instant 10%-20% gain, with some well-placed turbulator tape.

http://sinhatech.com/SAE-APAC-2007-Sinha-%2008-06-2007.pdf

http://www.sinhatech.com/
or Google for other sources.

Cheers,
Red

[Lobido]

[i8godzilla]

[spekkinout]