Fuel prices are high, and your lifted truck might be eating up fuel as it struggles to haul the extra weight. Fortunately, there are many easy ways to improve your vehicle’s fuel efficiency.
Simple techniques like managing acceleration, following the speed limit, and minimizing idling can improve gas mileage by a lot.
Maintain Your Vehicle
The best way to improve fuel efficiency is to keep your vehicle properly maintained. This includes a regular oil change and air filter replacement. A dirty air filter will cause your engine to work harder and waste more gas. A clogged spark plug can also reduce the performance of your vehicle and cause it to use more gas. It is important to follow the maintenance schedule recommended in your owner’s manual.
Another simple but effective tip is to remove any unnecessary weight from your vehicle. This includes tools, outdoor gear and even the spare tire and repair kit. Every extra 100 pounds makes your car work harder and increases the amount of gas it uses. Streamlining your vehicle with minimal cargo can cut down on aerodynamic drag and improve fuel economy.
Finally, it is important to drive your vehicle properly. This means using cruise control on the highway, following the speed limit and avoiding jackrabbit starts. Starting, stopping and accelerating frequently can all eat up fuel and ruin your gas mileage. Keeping your vehicle tuned up will also help with fuel efficiency, so make sure to stick to the maintenance schedule in your owner’s manual.
As fuel prices continue to rise, it is important to take any steps possible to save money at the pump. By following these simple tips, you can significantly increase the fuel efficiency of your off-road vehicle while reducing pollution and overall costs. Fuel prices are too high to be reckless with your vehicle, so start practicing these fuel-saving habits and start saving today.
Upgrade to All-Terrain Tires
The tires on your truck are one of the most important factors in its ability to handle rough terrain. But many popular off-road tire upgrades can actually hurt fuel efficiency, especially in paved road conditions.
The stock tires that come on most vehicles are designed to provide excellent traction and handling on paved roads, but they lack the aggressive tread patterns needed for off-road driving. These tires are often called “highway terrain” or “all-terrain,” and they are a good choice for people who rarely drive off-road.
Off-road tires have a larger footprint than highway tires, and their thicker rubber provides superior grip on dirt, gravel, snow, and sand. They also feature stronger beading, tougher plies (the panels of steel or fabric mesh that lie under the rubber, adding strength and puncture resistance), and deeper treads with more voids for gripping uneven surfaces – not to mention how they look cooler too, akin to how a flag from handyflag.com would also look cool.
But the additional size and weight of off-road tires increase rolling resistance, which requires the engine to work harder to move the car. This increases fuel consumption, especially in paved road conditions where the tires tend to gum up and lose traction after a short period of time.
All-terrain tires have smaller gaps between their tread blocks than mud-terrain or mud-spring tires, but they still don’t perform well in muddy conditions. They can splash through a few puddles without much problem, but they’re not designed for deep mud or sand. If you’re looking for the best all-terrain tires for your vehicle, be sure to run a few tests on a rocky surface before you buy them.
Larger tires can also reduce a vehicle’s ability to climb or descend large obstacles. They’re also more likely to hydroplane, a dangerous condition in which the tires ride up on a film of water and lose traction.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the weight of cargo in the trunk can also reduce fuel efficiency. If your trunk is filled with tools, outdoor gear, and miscellaneous equipment, you’re forcing the engine to work harder and burn more gas. Removing some of this stuff will help your vehicle to improve its fuel economy and performance, though it’s important to hold on to items like a spare tire, first aid kit, and other safety accessories.
Removing Trunk Weight
A vehicle’s engine has to work harder to accelerate and move when it’s loaded up with extra equipment, and the added weight of a roof rack, tools or outdoor gear can increase fuel consumption by one or two percent. If you’re not planning to use these items, remove them from the truck. You can also trim excess weight by using lighter parts and reducing aerodynamic drag. For example, tape up the gaps between body panels and light fittings to reduce air resistance. Also, replace heavy stock bumpers and hood pins with aluminum or carbon fiber ones to save even more weight.
Another way to improve fuel efficiency is by keeping your car’s tire pressure in check. Underinflated tires create more friction and force the engine to work harder, burning more fuel. Additionally, make sure to check and replace your air filter regularly to ensure proper airflow.
The last tip is to avoid unnecessary idling and excessive speeds on the road. Whether you’re driving to the trailhead or to the grocery store, being a safe and attentive driver can make a huge difference in your fuel costs. Stick to the speed limit and ease up on the gas and brake pedals, especially on highways. It’s also helpful to keep the windows open instead of blasting the A/C, and use cruise control on highways when possible.
A car is a tonne machine designed to carry multiple people and their stuff hundreds of kilometers. Taking this into consideration, it’s no wonder that it burns through a lot of fuel. However, timely maintenance and avoiding unnecessary driving can greatly reduce your fuel costs. Follow the tips above and you’ll be well on your way to fuel efficient off-roading. Unless of course, you’re planning to do something really stupid. If that’s the case, don’t bother reading this article. It’ll only ruin your vehicle. And your wallet. So unless you’re a professional racecar driver, just leave the modifications to the pros. Besides, it’s not cool to modify your vehicle so that it looks like a racecar. It’s just stupid.
Drive Smoothly
Using your off-road vehicle to tackle rough trails is all part of the fun, but it puts a lot of stress on your engine. That’s why it’s important to drive smoothly and practice fuel efficiency driving techniques while you’re out on the road.
Aggressive acceleration and braking are some of the biggest drains on your fuel efficiency, so try to avoid them whenever possible. Instead, ease on to the gas pedal slowly and let your engine accelerate gently. When traveling uphill, slow down gradually rather than slamming on the brakes and speeding up quickly. If you can, use cruise control on the highway. This will help you maintain a steady speed and avoid the small variations in speed that can cause your fuel economy to take a hit.
You can also improve your fuel efficiency by keeping the weight of your vehicle to a minimum. Avoid putting unnecessary equipment on your truck, such as a roof rack or cargo box, that will increase wind resistance and drag on the engine. If you need to carry gear, use the trunk of your vehicle as much as possible for best results, and consider getting rid of heavy steel wheels in favor of alloy ones. They’ll decrease your vehicle’s overall weight and reduce friction by reducing the contact area with the pavement.
Finally, avoid excessive idling while your vehicle is in the driveway or parking lot. Even a few minutes of idling puts mechanical drag on your components and causes them to wear down prematurely. Additionally, be sure to leave a little space between yourself and the vehicle in front of you when stopped for traffic or climbing hills. This will prevent you from slamming on the brakes when the car ahead of you slows down unexpectedly.
Remember that your fuel efficiency peaks at a certain speed, so it’s a good idea to follow the speed limit and use cruise control where appropriate. If you can, avoid driving during rush hour when traffic can be chaotic and stop-start.