Going on a big road trip soon

[_@_]

I see you have a 4.0 like me... The sweet spot for my ranger is 80mph... honestly. Came back from Colorado to Omaha and I got an average 20mpg... no shitting you.

Daaaaamn. What gears and tires do you have?

 

[02RangerXLT]

Daaaaamn. What gears and tires do you have?

4.10's and 245/75/16's... I was pleasantly surprised. In the normal 60mphish driving I do around home, I typically get between 16 and 17, and that's with driving maybe 10 miles at that same speed. So driving nearly 300 miles before stopping each time helped out alot.

 

[strvger]

Straykat- sounds like a good time. I wish i could get gas at 1985 prices!

Kolton- My a/c has been broken since I bought the truck haha. I think i'll skip that, but will check the other things.

rangerluver- will do.

02RangerXLT- Good Idea. I've got bad luck with flat tires so I'm gonna get some fixaflat and a 12v compressor as well.

Strvger- How do I check the bearings?

Mike- one of my best friends moved to Idaho and I might be going to a school out there so mardi gras will have to wait for the next trip lol.


Thanks for the tips guys, keep em coming!

checking the bearings is easy. just feel the hubs and wheels. they should be air temperature to just slightly warm to the touch after a few hundred miles. if they are hot, get them checked before you go any further. that's how i do it.

 

[Ruffinit]

I just did a run from the Mississippi River here in Iowa through Colorado to Salt Lake City and then back thru Wyoming and back in to Iowa. I'm running a 2003 2wd, 2.3L with 5 speed. Running 75-80 (most of the interstate speed limits are 75 except in Iowa) decreased my mileage from 32 to 30.2... not too bad. My 4.0L Ranger doesn't do that well though.
You need to run the Snake River Canyon in Idaho, Wolf Creek Pass, Glenwood Canyon (I70)and maybe Royal Gorge in Colorado. See at least some of the Grand Canyon.. Some of this is going to be on condition of weather (snow). Take tire chains as they're required at some points out there in the mountains depending upon the weather again. IF you don't have them and they're being required you WON'T be allowed to pass. You can pick them up out there for cheaper prices though.

 

[darkspork]

Some of this is going to be on condition of weather (snow). Take tire chains as they're required at some points out there in the mountains depending upon the weather again. IF you don't have them and they're being required you WON'T be allowed to pass. You can pick them up out there for cheaper prices though.

My understanding was that this doesn't apply to 4x4 trucks? Maybe this is only true in the Sierra-Nevada Mountains. But then again, that's just what a soccer mom told me when I asked her "We live in California, why have a Suburban with 4x4?". So it may be entirely false, but I'd imagine if snow chains are required regardless it nullifies any argument for having 4x4 to haul the kids around in the East Bay Area, CA. I'm not sure

Back on topic though, make sure all the fluids are clean. I drove my Ranger 3400 miles round trip (ND to CA) in the middle of August last year (very hot in NV) without problems. All I did was change my oil, transmission fluid, pcv valve, coolant flush, and air filter. Come to think of it, it may have been overkill, but I didn't have a single problem, and I drove back with 1000 lbs of extra stuff.

As for boosting mpg having your vehicle in good repair will obviously help. Cruise control only helps mpg if you don't have the self control to stay at a steady speed on your own. Don't believe me? While cruising at 70mph set the cruise control (do you feel the accelerator pedal drop to maintain the same speed?), it does use more gas. Also automatics with cruise control seem to drop down-shift more than they need to when using cruise. The only time I had to down-shift on the highway was going through Yellowstone (5th to 3rd to get around the people going 40), I didn't realize before we entered why people were passing as many people as possible doing 100 until we got into Yellowstone.

Seems like prep should be common sense though. Check all wear items, make sure they are in good shape, check all safety devices, check for leaks, look at your exhaust (is it white? blueish?), bring a roadside emergency kit, etc. You will stop for gas pretty often, I think the furthest I got before hitting the red line on the fuel gauge was 380 or 390 miles (so maybe 5 1/2 hours).

I hope you enjoy your trip and have a safe one. We live in a beautiful country and being on the road is my absolute favorite way to see it.

 

[strvger]

doing Donner Summit, if you have a 4x4 and the * snowflake/mountains stamped tires, you're good to go without chains. everyone else, chains. that's the way it was last time i drove it. never heard that it changed.

 

[Ruffinit]

Well, I wouldn't classify the Sierra Nevadas or the Wasatch ranges close to the Rockies for the passes except for possibly Loveland and it's almost 11,000 feet. I'm very sure that even 4x4s are restricted to chaining the rear wheels when chain law is in effect. I'll leave that to the Colorado folks on here. I used to live there and they didn't make a distinction. It could have changed. I'll tell you after living there for a good long time that I won't traverse the passes in the winter without the insurance of chains.

 

[Superman]

keep your windows up and your tailgate down, if that's a possibility. Also, if you have cruise control, us it ( just not in the rain ) and the biggest one would be to keeper under 105 kph ( 60 mph ) or wherever your sweet spot is. All basic stuff!

Last but not least, have fun and enjoy the ride!

tailgate down reduces mpg

 

[strvger]

tailgate down reduces mpg

actually it doesn't. they did some significant testing with tail gates up and down.
tail gate up did better. kept a "bubble" of air in the bed that the air around it flowed over and around more smoothly... less turbulence.
tail gate down created more air turbulence in the bed and, consequently, more drag. the air going over the cab would be sucked into the bed and swirl around.