Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) 4.5 inch lift, big tires and mpg

[drrhoades]

I was just wondering what kinda of mpg you guys with lifts and big tires were getting. Also did the mpg drop when you got the lift and tires put on. I am thinkin about a 4. 5 in lift once I finally get a truck and I am trying to figure out what I want to put on it. Also how do the lift and the tires handle on the highway and well towing. By big tires I mean somewhere around 35s or so maybe a little bigger.



Thanks

Doug

 

[Glen Pratt]

See my signature. I get about 13 MPG back and forth to work. That is combined highway/city traffic. If I can keep my foot out of it I can get 16 MPG on the highway. -Glen

 

[CWeidenkeller]

I do somewhere between 15-18 HWY with 37"s, depending on whether or not I can keep my foot out of it.....

 

[drrhoades]

Thanks for the replys. Do towing charateristics change at all with the lift? Also have any of you guys had any problems with the spring starting to sag on your lifts?



Doug

 

[CWeidenkeller]

The towing problems I had, which were fairly minimal, were more related to the trans I can't afford to upgrade yet than anything else. Air bags can help with rear end sag. My front springs have settled about 3/4". I have some Superlift 3/4" weld in spacers that are going to take care of that. Skyjacker wanted me to pull them and measure the unloaded height before they would talk about replacing them... ... yeah, right.



National Spring will twist up a new set of coils for about $350 last time I checked. My next step is to have them twist up some 5 1/2" springs... .

 

[illflem]

Generally speaking the bigger the tires the better the mpgs after you get them rolling, getting them rolling is where your mileage will suffer. Highway mpgs will increase while city miles will go down.

The vehicles that get the best mpgs are lower to the ground, turbulence under the rig causes drag.

 

[dlange]

mileage

13-16 depending on stop and go or interstate

 

[sam616g]

I have a question for the guys running the big tires. How does it affect your brakes. Are you guys upgrading your brakes at all or do they perform ok.

The reason I ask is because when I switched from 245/75-16 on my 96 1500 to 265/75-16 the braking power went from so so to barely enough.

I'm currently running 235/85-16 and it stops great but I'd like to go to something taller as long as it doesn't affect the brakes to bad.



Thanks.

 

[CWeidenkeller]

To be honest, I've been running at least a 36" for so long I can't remember. Dodge ain't got the greatest brakes, but as long as I keep the rears adjusted it stops okay. I just remember that I'm trying to stop an 8000lb truck on 37's with Dodge brakes.



Next time I do brakes I'm going to look at composite pads and gas slotted rotors for the front, and swap in the 1 ton wheel cylinders in back.