Follow These Fuel Saving Tips All the Way to the Bank
RVers are feeling the pinch at the fuel pump these days and it doesn’t seem likely the pain will vanish anytime soon. So, for the prudent RVers out there I have a few fuel saving tips I’d like to pass on. There really isn’t much you can do in the area of aerodynamics because that decision has mostly been made for you in advance by the manufacturer. Computational Fluid Dynamics and wind tunnel testing prove a deflector shield can give meaningful fuel savings if it is close to the towed trailer (the closer the better). A big fuel saver is proper tire inflation which also improves steering, stopping, traction, and load carrying capability. 
Tire rolling resistance accounts for one-third of your RV fuel consumption so make sure your tires are properly inflated. Advanced technology such as a good tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) and a good GPS will more than pay for themselves in fuel cost savings. Another fuel saving tip is to plan your trip through high traffic areas when traffic is less congested. Stop and go driving seriously eats into your fuel economy. Driver habits are another area where you can achieve fuel savings. Don’t drive with your foot on the brake pedal (enough said). Drum roll please…. Reduce your freeway speed and eliminate all non-essential stops. A general rule of thumb is that every one mile per hour over 50 cuts fuel mileage by 0.1 miles per gallon. Slow down a bit and enjoy the scenery more. Proper vehicle maintenance is also very important to overall fuel economy. Keeping your tires properly aligned, replacing air and fuel filters, servicing your transmission and changing your oil at manufacturer recommended intervals all contribute to your fuel efficiency. 
To prevent getting dirty fuel try to purchase fuel (especially diesel) from vendors that sell high volumes of fuel such as busy truck stops and high volume gas stations. 
If you have more ideas that will help us squeeze more mileage out of our dollars please click on the “comments” section below and tell us. Helping you get more bang for your buck - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing
posted by Jim Twamley at
12/10/2007 11:30:00 PM
13 Comments:
Professor, we save money by filling our 2006 Dodge Ram 2500 4x4 diesel pickup with biodiesel.
Not only have we found that biodiesel is typically less expensive than regular diesel, but our truck gets better mileage when we use it (up to 14.5 mpg while towing a 25' fifth wheel).
By
LiveWorkDream.com, at December 10, 2007 11:44:00 AM PST
In addition to reducing speed, it may be a good idea to set the cruise control, if so equipped. It has to do a better job the my inattentive right foot. Also, I just completed a 1,000 mile trip in my diesel pusher, but forgot to engage the "Economy" mode on my Allison transmission. That may have garnered another .2 or so MPG by optimizing the downshift mode.
One last thought. Don't write off aerodynamics. Think about the "stuff" sticking out of your rig. It may be the old satellite dish or batwing TV antennae on the roof. It could be awnings or radio antennaes. All of these produce parasitic drag and fractionally reduce the fuel efficiency as you move down the highway.
By
Robert, at December 10, 2007 5:01:00 PM PST
Fill up in the morning fuel is more dense then so you get more for your buck
By
Anonymous, at December 22, 2007 4:54:00 AM PST
I would like to add something to aerodynamics. I only have a pop up but the out come is the same.We traveled 13,500 miles last April&May 5 weeks total. A lot of miles in a short time.Well,back to the point.I usually get about 28 miles to the gallon gas.And pulling my pop up is about 17 to 18 miles a gallon.Good but 10 miles a gallon less. On the interstate highways you just pull in behind a big rig,not to close.you can leave about the length of the big rig open.I did this sometimes for 200 to 300 miles on end,lots of times. My mileage went from the 17 M.P.G.to 28-32 M.P.G.Even where the M.P.H.is 75 to 80 M.P.H.I got the same Gas millage. I have an electronic gas monitoring Devices,That's how I can tell On the spot where to save on gas usage.I love that little device in my vehicle.And again cruise control and keep your M.P.H. down.Happy RVing,And keep the winds on your stern.HAVE A HAPPY HOLIDAY
By
Kodiak, at December 22, 2007 7:04:00 AM PST
Adding an after market chip to my diesel pickup increased the power and fuel mileage by 2-3 mpg. I put on allot of miles and at $3.35 or more a gallon, it paid for itself quite fast. The increase in power was dramatic and I can now power up may long hills that I used to have to shift on.
By
Bobwhite, at December 22, 2007 10:56:00 AM PST
Many credit cards offer gas cash back cards. Discover gives 5% on gas purchases, although they recently changed the amount to $100a month, $1200 year maximum. That's $60. You get 1% after that including the rest of your purchases. Remember to pay off the credit card monthly or it defeats the purpose. Also, for diesels if you use the Flying J rewards card you get cash price (even with credit card) which is usually 5 cents cheaper and a 1 cent RV discount. Use your Discover card and save more.
Dutchstar Princess San Jose CA
By
Anonymous, at December 22, 2007 11:36:00 AM PST
I have a '88 Airstream 325 with a GM 454. I knew the carb needed adjustment, cleaning or replacement. Before doing so I tried my own fuel system cleaning additive. I added 4 gallons of 100% toluene and 2 quarts of acetone to 75 gallons of premium gas. After driving about 160 miles, my mileage increased from just under 7 mpg to over 11 mpg! The increase probably will not be seen in a newer electronically controlled engine. But if you have a carb on your rig and your rig sits for months during the winter, year after year, deposits accumulate and decrease carb efficiency. The toluene and acetone are very good solvents and should clean out the carb and intake manifold after 150 miles or so.
By
GASCPA, at December 22, 2007 1:04:00 PM PST
Tracking behind a tractor trailer really does work. But evidently the truckers aren't too happy when you do it. We had a trucker start deliberately applying his brakes when he realized what we were up to. We have a 36 ft class A and I guess he could tell that he was pulling us along behind him.
Question: can anyone tell me whether the truckers can indeed tell when you are drafting behind them?
By
ShaRon, at December 22, 2007 2:34:00 PM PST
I'm not sure about them feeling you drafting them. However, if I saw someone just fifty or sixty feet behind me at highway speeds, I'd slow down and let them or make them pass me. At sixty miles per hour, the two second recommended interval is 176 feet(88fps x 2). Drafting to increase mileage is very, very dangerous. Not worth the money you'll save on gas to pay for the "accident looking for a place to happen!
By
BLUERIBBON, at December 22, 2007 11:14:00 PM PST
It's highly unlikley. More like the fellow you were behind was just being a jerk. (there are some). While We don't generally do this we do notice that they have no problem pushing our 29ft Class C around as they pass doing 75MPH here in New Mexico. If they make the airwaves, then why not use them? "I'm not following to close, I'm drafting"....;-)
By
RedRyder, at December 23, 2007 6:02:00 AM PST
Now is a good time to go through your rig and take out all that stuff you thought you would use on a trip but never do. Reduce the weight as much as you can. Empty your holding tanks before you take off, and run with a third of a tank of water.
As to drafting truckers, you are in a vortex behind the truck that is there because of his poor aerodynamics. That vortex actually pulls him backwards. So, breaking that vortex up by drafting is as much of a help as anything. The real issue is safety; keeping a safe distance between you and the truck. I use the wind deflector on the hood of my truck to tell when I have entered the back draft - it actually stands up and even bends forward a bit in a good draft. If I do that, I can stay at the far end of the back draft, keeping a safe distance behind the truck.
Cruise control: I find that I can actually beat that automatic control with my foot by anticipating hills. Cruise control only pours on the power after your vehicle has started losing speed up a hill. By anticipating, you can keep your power up, thereby not having to drop into a lower gear as quickly.
By
Rocky, at December 23, 2007 6:28:00 AM PST
Ah yes, the old drafting thing. Please don't---consider the braking distance for one. No closer than 6 to 10 seconds behind anyone. This allows a comfortable distance for emergencies like swerving to avoid his tire casing coming off one of his trailer tires!
Anyway, for gas rigs, consider changing your mufflers to some after-market performance units like Flowmasters or Dyna-max. (Any performance unit) Really helps the exhaust. (Back pressure) Then a Cold air kit will really work wonders for the engine intake. I've done these things to all the vehicles I own. Depending upon the engine and the vehicle, gains of anywhere from 2 mpg to 6 mpg can be realized along with a increase in horse power. I'm also looking at a front axle conversion for my Jeep Wrangler. This puts hubs back on the front end. Warn Industries and Mile-Marker both offer kits for the Jeep. A little research can bring lots of ideas one can do fairly cheap. Use your imagination and the cruise control.
Jon
By
Anonymous, at January 11, 2008 12:59:00 PM PST
I was a loves yesterday and couldn't get into the consumer diesel pumps, so I went to the big-rig side. (sometimes at this station north of Kileen I can get into them after 2am) Unbeknown to me they tack on 4cents for credit cards on the big-rig side. So be sure to make sure you aren't paying more than the advertised price for Diesel and go to the consumer pumps if you can wing it. That's all I have...
By
Joshua Konkle, at January 26, 2008 10:56:00 PM PST
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