New Fuel #

[up@12]

I have a 2006 LLY and was getting 14 - 15 MPG on the hwy and around town and it sucked. The other day I adjusted the ride high in the front a little did an oil change and went from 65psi back to 80psi. in the tires and am now getting 20MPG and I also was stuck in rush hour trafic for 1/3 of the trip. Does tire pressure make that big of difference? or is it something else? Thanks

[Mark Rinker]

Yes it does. Also, your ride height change may have cleaned up the airflow somehow. Drag and wind resistance are huge factors in fuel consumption, based on my findings pulling various trailers with various loads.

[up@12]

That's crazy

[More Power]

I have a Yamaha BW-350 motorcycle that I bought new in 1987. For those who don't know what a BW is, it is an off-road MC with fat low-pressure ATV type tires. Works great in the mountains... Each spring I get a refresher course in rolling resistance when I push it out of the garage for the first time.

The tires slowly lose pressure over the winter, and are about 1/3 flat by spring. That bike pushes hard with low tires - actually feels like a 100-lb sand bag is dragging behind the bike. Pump the tires up, and the BW pushes easily. It's a good demonstration of rolling resistance produced by soft tires. To one degree or another, the same is true for your truck.

I run at least 70-psi in my 2500HD's front tires, then adjust air pressure in the rear to match the tire squat in the front (usually about 60-psi). I add pressure to the rear when towing or hauling.

Jim

[RdTxTd]

I used to keep about 80 psi in my rear tires all the time, towing or not. I haven't rotated the tires like as much as I should have either. The rear tires wore out much quicker than the fronts. Much of the wear was from overinflation. The tires were pretty much down to the wear bars in the center of the tread, but not near the sides, after about 23000 miles.

Tires will get rotated more regularly now and aired down after towing (which I haven't done as much of lately, anyway).

Dave

[BlackMaxx212]

I too have seen this on my 03 LB7. I run 70 in the front and 72 in the rear tires when not towing. I see a lot of over-the-road driving, and I've found this mix happens to fit the Great Lakes environment (mostly flat, some hills, but nothing like the mountains out West) well. In the snow and ice, I tend to drop this to between 55 and 60psi all the way around (more if towing) to keep more rubber on the road (or snow). Mileage is directly effected in the winter - I see about a 3 MPG drop when I lower the pressure.