Edmunds.com | Inside Line | Auto Observer Your Account | Help | Directory
You are here:
![[F]](http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/townhall/webxicons/site.gif){kind=small}
Forums
Pickups Dodge Ram Dodge Ram Real World MPG Numbers
284 messages, Last post on Nov 21, 2009 at 6:28 PM
You are in the Dodge Ram Forum. Your Host is kcram
This is the place to discuss (or even brag about) the mileage performance of your Ram pickup!
|
|
|---|---|
 Can anyone one tell me just how much mileage I lose and horse power when you go up one tire size on my truck. A dumb question perhaps, because I have lost mileage and some power or so it seems to me. I used to get as high as 24 miles to the gallon over the road now I do well if I get 17-18 and most of the time it is 14-17 over the road and I don't even want to talk about in town. If I go back will the mileage come back --- This is a 2004 dodge ram quade cab with 48000 mile on it Tinkerdolittle
|
|
|
Replying to: tinkerdolittle (Aug 25, 2007 2:25 pm) When you went "UP" in tire size, you "effectively" changed the gear ratio to a lower number. The larger the tire, the more change. The truck will not accelerate or "pull" as well with the larger tires. Example: If you have a 3.55 axle ratio, you might now "EFFECTIVELY" . have a 3.40 or lower. Each time the larger tire rotates you move farther than you did with the old ones. In reality you are moving farther down the road with each revolution of the entire drive train. Chances are good the speedometer sensor is reading something spinning, so at a given "spin" (RPM) it says you are going this fast and this distance. It thinks you are using the standard size tire it was calibrated to deal with. In reality you are going faster and farther than the gauges are showing. I don't know if there is a way to change or correct the speedometer. In days of yore, it was simply a small speedometer gear on the side of the transmission. You can check your speed/mileage with Expressway mile markers. At exactly 60 miles per hour, you should travel exactly 1 mile each minute. I generally do that for 10 miles. (A GPS works great and is much quicker). You most likely will find that the 10 mile markers test resulted in your gauges saying you went 9.? miles. Again...., "Effectively", you are getting better mileage than the math says. Mileage can also be affected in a negative way if the new tire is wider. More rubber on the ground equals more friction and resistance. You can find how much things have actually changed by measuring around the tread of the new tires vs the old ones. They both need to be inflated on a wheel. Do the math for the percentage of change. Something else to keep in mind is the spare, should be the same circumference as the other tires. If it is smaller, it is having to spin faster to go the same distance. That "could" result in weird things happening with "anti- spin", axles if the spare is installed on the rear. It could also possibly affect, ABS, and/or stability control in some way. Maybe not!  Kip
|
|
|
|
|
Replying to: kipk (Aug 26, 2007 1:49 am) Thank you for your reply. What I hear from what you have said is that my gas milage may not have suffered, but there has been a little power loss. Which I have noticed when I go up to the mountains. I live in Colorado. I have noticed an increase in shifting frequency and I have to excelorate more on the hills. I haven't towed anything up the hill lately, but from what you have said -- it will work a little harder. Will this add more stress to the drive train or perhaps I should say more than it was designed for? I did go to a wider tire for when I go off the road. I felt that perhaps I needed a better foot print, but after listening to your comments -- I question my wisdom. What do you think? I a not a hard core fourwheeler. but I like to find a dirt road even if it has some fourwheel driving to find that fishing hole or trail to hike. My truck has a overhead display available to me for milage and distance to empty and the like. I have been using it as my measuring stick. The owners manual tells me that it can calibrate all the data it get from the actual use it is getting on the road. I reset it after each tank full of gas to keep it acurate. Thank you for the reminder of the spare too. I really appriciate you taking the time to listen and help.
|
|
|
Replying to: tinkerdolittle (Aug 26, 2007 2:01 pm) Kip
|
|
|
|
|
Replying to: kipk (Aug 26, 2007 3:33 pm) I may go back to the factor size later because I don't like losing the power going up the hill. I will also do the road test for milage. I will be interested in seeing just what happens. The manual says it recalibreates mileage -- we will see |
|
| Hello I have a 06 2500 hemi 6 speed with 4.10 rears. I am only getting 10-11 mpg empty anybody with the same setup is this normal milage at 20000 miles.I am also displeased with the torque my 01 360 cid 4.10 rears 35's and 180000 miles out tows my hemi and gets better gas milage whats up is something wrong with this truck. | |
|
Replying to: nelsonsrick (Jun 20, 2007 5:51 am) |
|
|
Replying to: mrbill (Feb 28, 2005 5:45 am) |
|
|
Replying to: ky bob (Apr 29, 2005 12:02 am) |
|
|
Replying to: mrjjgittes (Nov 02, 2005 11:17 am)  70-73 mph. So far I've got about 15 if I cruise 75-80, and this engine wants to cruise fast. It jumps from 30-80 mph in a heartbeat.
|
|
You are here:
Forums
Pickups Dodge Ram Dodge Ram Real World MPG Numbers
New? Join Now!
Forum Tools
Search Forums
Browse by Vehicle
2010 Dodge Ram Pickup 1500
2010 Dodge Ram Pickup 2500
2010 Dodge Ram Pickup 3500
Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
Today's Chats
