Interesting note on gasoline consumption from Ford E-450 Owner's Manual

[OnTheGo]

... a 400 pound weight change will make a 1 mpg difference. That would add up real nice on a long trip.

Now, if I can just figure out how to get rid of 400 pounds. For those of you that want to offer a suggestion, you need to know to things: 1. DW is going, and 2. I'm not going on a diet.

[TeamFoxy]

From a practical standpoint, I find that extra windage hurts more than weight. I have a rack that allows putting a canoe over the cab and bed. Carrying a 60# canoe there costs about 1 MPG at highway speeds. I can put 60# of anything in the bed and the MPG doesn't change. Also, I get the about same MPG towing my 3000# boat as my 6000# TT. By your owner's manual, I should get about 7.5 MPG better with the boat.

My advise is to keep DW and your beer cooler. Chuck the manual.

[eldermike]

Slow down 5 mph and you will gain the 1mpg you seek.

[tinlizzie23]

X2 on the slow-down. And you will see more of the scenery you are passing.

[OnTheGo]

Originally Posted by eldermike

Slow down 5 mph and you will gain the 1mpg you seek.

... not the issue here; top speed for me is about 60.

[rog4kneer]

They make fiberglass propane tanks that are transparent and quite a bit lighter. You can actually see the propane level in the tank. Seen them but cannot attest as to the durability. However, those two tanks have to be one of the heaviest things that are luggged as part of the trailer.

[eldermike]

Originally Posted by OnTheGo

... not the issue here; top speed for me is about 60.

same here.

[mjlaupp]

Originally Posted by rog4kneer

They make fiberglass propane tanks that are transparent and quite a bit lighter. You can actually see the propane level in the tank. Seen them but cannot attest as to the durability. However, those two tanks have to be one of the heaviest things that are luggged as part of the trailer.

The fiberglass tanks have been recalled: http://www.propaneproducts.com/catal...nder-44-1.html

[Flyrotor]

Originally Posted by OnTheGo

... a 400 pound weight change will make a 1 mpg difference.

Don't believe it for a minute... Do the math, Hypothetically, if your truck originally got 20 MPG, and you decided to tow a 6500 pound trailer, and added 500 pounds of gear, then Ford is saying it will drop 1 mpg per 400 pounds, then you would loose 17.5 MPG, and you would average only 2.5 mpg.


As stated, throw out the manual