How can I get better gas mileage for my truck? – Top 3 tips to save fuel

With ever-rising gas prices, the hardest-hit group is those of us who own trucks and large SUVs. Surprisingly, there isn’t a lot of information available specifically for truck owners, so this question remains for many of us: How can I get better fuel economy for my truck?

There is a lot of information available on improving fuel economy in general, but it applies most directly to cars. Most of the tips and tricks you’ll find for cars will also work for trucks, like avoiding idling, replacing the fuel filter, doing a tune-up, etc. Get the most out of your investment.

The biggest concern for you as a truck owner should be your tires. When someone asks me “How can I get better gas mileage for my truck?” this is exactly what I tell them. If you have oversized tires, they are having a hard time when it comes to refueling. Larger tires require more engine revolutions per minute (RPM) to rotate the tire the same distance. Smaller tires will do WONDERS for gas mileage, but you don’t have to completely change your big, rugged look. Even small changes make a big difference. Let’s say, for example, that you are traveling down the highway with your engine running at a constant speed of 2000 rpm. By the way, you’re using 40″ super swamper tires. At the same RPM, a 33″ tire moves you about 20% less distance per revolution, but you’re doing it at a rate that’s about 20% FASTER! ! The idea here is to go the same speed at a lower RPM, therefore using less gas.

After that, any weight reduction you can make can be beneficial to your fuel economy. The big diamond plate bumpers and huge chrome fenders may look good, but they weigh a ton and can only hurt gas mileage. You also want to make sure you don’t always drive with a lot of heavy items in the truck bed, as this obviously weighs down your truck and makes it less fuel efficient. I personally know some people who have a huge tool box in the bed of their truck, half of them keep it empty and the other half have it full of tools they NEVER use. You’d be surprised how much an entire toolbox can weigh.

And to put the final nail in the coffin, you can use an HHO conversion kit. These work by generating a fuel gas to supplement your fuel using only water and electricity from your truck’s battery. Improvements can range from 5-40% depending on the particular engine. These work just as well for diesel trucks as they do for gasoline trucks or cars and you can implement the same process on any other car you own.