I make an effort to drive in a way to get the best possible gas mileage. It's kind of like when I'm on a road trip, I'm on a mission. I've got the 3.73 gears as well. When I cruise on mostly flat highway at 70-75mph, I regularly get 20-20.5mpg. No magic required, just go easy on the throttle when accelerating. Apparantly extra weight in the bed doesn't have much effect, but towing does. When I tow 4000lbs, I only get around 12mpg.
But i found out this little bit of info:
A 4WD truck gets worse gas mileage for several reasons:
1. 4WD components add about 500 lbs to the weight of a full size truck: front differential and axles, transfer case, front driveshaft, skid plates and heavier shocks/springs, and larger tires.
2. 4WD trucks generally have higher ground clearance, which means they sit higher and have less favorable aerodynamics. For example, a stock 4WD Z71 Silverado sits about 2.5 inches higher than a 2WD version of the same truck
3. Most of the time 4WD trucks will have lower gearing to compensate for the added weight, and additional power losses through the drivetrain (when in 4WD)
4. For some compact pickups, 4 WD versions will come with substantially heavier frames, and suspension components. This was the case with my '95 Nissan 4X4 V6 extended cab pickup, which came with much lower gearing, much bigger tires, heavier frame, and heavier springs than the 2WD version of the same truck. Lately manufacturers have been offering 2WD trucks with 4WD chassis clearance on most models. They have the additional clearance, but do not have the 4WD components, which means less weight. Also, they typically will not have the low gears associated with 4WD trucks. My Nissan had something like 4.23:1 differential gears. I could not get better than 17-18 MPG out of this vehicle. This MPG figure was confirmed by many other owners I talked to.
5. In the past, when fuel prices were of little concern some 4WD vehicles came without front end locking hubs. The front differential and axles would turn all the time, even when the vehicle was in the 2WD mode. For example, I drove a 1976 Chevy Blazer (full size) with a 350 engine and it would get about 8 MPG in 2 WD! In 4WD the mileage would not drop much. And it did not even have air conditioning.
Compared to these vehicles, new Chevy 4WD trucks actually get decent fuel economy. New Nissan Titan 4WD gets about 13-14 MPG, new Dodge 4WD with a 5.7 liter Hemi gets about 11-12 MPG. I do not know about Ford F150, but I suspect that the mileage is not that great either.
But i found out this little bit of info:
A 4WD truck gets worse gas mileage for several reasons:
1. 4WD components add about 500 lbs to the weight of a full size truck: front differential and axles, transfer case, front driveshaft, skid plates and heavier shocks/springs, and larger tires.
2. 4WD trucks generally have higher ground clearance, which means they sit higher and have less favorable aerodynamics. For example, a stock 4WD Z71 Silverado sits about 2.5 inches higher than a 2WD version of the same truck
3. Most of the time 4WD trucks will have lower gearing to compensate for the added weight, and additional power losses through the drivetrain (when in 4WD)
4. For some compact pickups, 4 WD versions will come with substantially heavier frames, and suspension components. This was the case with my '95 Nissan 4X4 V6 extended cab pickup, which came with much lower gearing, much bigger tires, heavier frame, and heavier springs than the 2WD version of the same truck. Lately manufacturers have been offering 2WD trucks with 4WD chassis clearance on most models. They have the additional clearance, but do not have the 4WD components, which means less weight. Also, they typically will not have the low gears associated with 4WD trucks. My Nissan had something like 4.23:1 differential gears. I could not get better than 17-18 MPG out of this vehicle. This MPG figure was confirmed by many other owners I talked to.
5. In the past, when fuel prices were of little concern some 4WD vehicles came without front end locking hubs. The front differential and axles would turn all the time, even when the vehicle was in the 2WD mode. For example, I drove a 1976 Chevy Blazer (full size) with a 350 engine and it would get about 8 MPG in 2 WD! In 4WD the mileage would not drop much. And it did not even have air conditioning.
Compared to these vehicles, new Chevy 4WD trucks actually get decent fuel economy. New Nissan Titan 4WD gets about 13-14 MPG, new Dodge 4WD with a 5.7 liter Hemi gets about 11-12 MPG. I do not know about Ford F150, but I suspect that the mileage is not that great either.
