I have a 99 Suburban on 33" tires - with the 6.5 turbo diesel. i get 18 mpg . thats good enough for me, calculate hotels at 100 bucks a night , and its a cheap option even at big gas prices. if i want to get way back into the wild, I pull a trailer with a yamaha wolverine SXS on it. I don't use it as my daily driver though, got a hybrid Corolla (53 mpg) and a hybrid ford maverick (40 mpg) for our daily drivers.
Why HD vehicles should NOT be discounted as overlanding rigs strictly because of MPG...
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Advocate II
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Agreed, while mine is the 454 I use an electric vehicle for daily driver use. Anything on pavement that doesn’t require towing or large loads i use the bolt. For overlanding use i have a nice comfy 99 K2500. Use the right tool for the right job. In my case we looked at the monthly cost of ownership total for a gasser we had and the EV ended up cheaper even as a new car.
I am thinking of going with 33” (255/85R16) pizza cutters, instead of the 285/75R16 (which i don’t run, i currently run 265/75R16) I’ve had a few people tell me there’s no way they will fit without putting a lift on her, what’s your experience and size/set up etc…? Thanks.
I am thinking of going with 33” (255/85R16) pizza cutters, instead of the 285/75R16 (which i don’t run, i currently run 265/75R16) I’ve had a few people tell me there’s no way they will fit without putting a lift on her, what’s your experience and size/set up etc…? Thanks.
2 " lift, coils and new torsion keys. rights a slight bit stiff - but I prefer that to the cadillac wallow! travels very comfortably on the roads. i actually have a suboverlander vehicle. SUBOVERLAND | 4X4 Camper Conversion | United States
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I bought a new Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 SWB single cab in 1996 (still got it). 5.2 V8/Auto trans, and nicely equipped. Came with solid axles front & rear. It was my daily driver for years getting about 12 MPG +/- (a little more before I lifted it 2", 4.10 gears, 285/75/16" [33"] tires). In 2008 I was transferred to WA, and at the time gas was $4.50 (in 2008!) and I was going to have a 45 mile round-trip commute to work. So I bought a new 2008 Toyota Yaris (basic 5-speed) as a daily driver. Still got it too. Figure MPG low to mid 30's. I think I've got about 65,000 problem-free miles on the Yaris now. Driving it helps keep the miles off my truck and Jeep (Jeep - 98 TJ 2.5/five-speed, 4.88 gears, 285/75/16" [33"] tires, 3.5" lift, locked front & rear). Jeep gets about 15 MPG +/-.
Truck has 225,000 miles on it. 3rd repaint job (never any rust or dents really). ARE top. True-tracs front & rear. Looks about new. Very easy and comfortable to drive.
So saying all that....
I would love to have a new 3/4 ton Dodge Ram 4x4 with the hemi and the Power Wagon option. Would probably get a few more MPGs... a few more. Would probably ride nicer than what I've got now too. But that new truck would cost me what... $50,000? $60,000? Or more(?). New trucks depreciate, and I could think of better things to do with that much money (like let it earn interest). Technically I could go out right now and pay cash for a new one (wife wouldn't be happy though).
However, I'll just keep my current long-ago paid-off truck (which I've taken on a couple overlanding trips; my Jeep is my primary overlanding vehicle although the truck rides nicer), and not worry about the 12 +/- MPG it gets. I would never recoup the money I would save on a new vehicle with a few more MPG. Load up a Toyota 4-runner and you're not going to get that much better MPG than what I'm currently getting.
So my recommendation (did anyone ask?) is to get a full-size 4x4 on the cheap (a couple thousand dollars), go through it and make sure it is dependable, and use that as your overlanding vehicle. Spend under $10,000 total for the vehicle and prepping it, and enjoy it. And don't worry that your MPG isn't the greatest; the tens of thousands of dollars you save over the price of a new(er) vehicle will make up for the slight difference you're getting in MPG. I mean really... is it smart to spend tens of thousands of dollars on a new(er) vehicle to go (for example) from 12 MPG to 18 mpg?
Truck has 225,000 miles on it. 3rd repaint job (never any rust or dents really). ARE top. True-tracs front & rear. Looks about new. Very easy and comfortable to drive.
So saying all that....
I would love to have a new 3/4 ton Dodge Ram 4x4 with the hemi and the Power Wagon option. Would probably get a few more MPGs... a few more. Would probably ride nicer than what I've got now too. But that new truck would cost me what... $50,000? $60,000? Or more(?). New trucks depreciate, and I could think of better things to do with that much money (like let it earn interest). Technically I could go out right now and pay cash for a new one (wife wouldn't be happy though).
However, I'll just keep my current long-ago paid-off truck (which I've taken on a couple overlanding trips; my Jeep is my primary overlanding vehicle although the truck rides nicer), and not worry about the 12 +/- MPG it gets. I would never recoup the money I would save on a new vehicle with a few more MPG. Load up a Toyota 4-runner and you're not going to get that much better MPG than what I'm currently getting.
So my recommendation (did anyone ask?) is to get a full-size 4x4 on the cheap (a couple thousand dollars), go through it and make sure it is dependable, and use that as your overlanding vehicle. Spend under $10,000 total for the vehicle and prepping it, and enjoy it. And don't worry that your MPG isn't the greatest; the tens of thousands of dollars you save over the price of a new(er) vehicle will make up for the slight difference you're getting in MPG. I mean really... is it smart to spend tens of thousands of dollars on a new(er) vehicle to go (for example) from 12 MPG to 18 mpg?
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Expedition Master III
My long story short,..........I had a 2001 2500HD with the 6.0 engine. I never got anything over 11.5 Hwy with up sized 285x75x16 tires, over the 245x75x16 OEM's. That was basically running empty. When I traded it in for my 2003 HD Duramax 2500, I saw 14.3 city. After break in, combined city/ Hwy was 15.2......this is uncorrected for a 2x tire size upgrade. The same 285x75x16 tires, as the 2001HD. This is by the dash, not hand calculated. Putting on the ARB bumper and 17.5K winch has not affected the MPG.
From looking at conversion charts, I probably ame getting closer to 17.0 city. This last Sunday I went trail driving.. Filled up at a local station, and did the hand calculation road trip. City, short hwy, and off road 4H and 4L, for a total 39 miles, I got 12.7. This included idling time when I was doing trail cleanup. I can not complain. My buddy was insisting that I would get something like 7.0 combined, and I was hoping for 12, but expecting around 10 mpg. He was pretty quiet after that, as his Nissan 6 cyl only managed 17.9 Hwy unloaded.
I plan on a hwy trip, where I can do the hand calculation method, as I think 20 MPG might be possible. No DEF, no ERG (non CA model), Even with this spike in fuel costs, the torque and MPG allows me to be satisfied with this HD, as gassers are not achieving to much of a advantage to make me look at another vehicle, with reduced capacity. It is not a rock crawler, so it checks the boxes I need.
PS..............That little trip was with MT"s on the truck!
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2003 ford f250 diesel. I get 16.5 daily driving 40 miles a day. mixed in town and out. Loaded with family and camping gear for 10 days and a steady speed on highway it will get close to 18.5. We averaged 18 on a 2200 mile trip through South Dakota, Wyoming, And into western Colorado then back. Good mix of 700+ miles of gravel and trails the rest paved highway. With a 9000 lb tall trailer and a 40 mph head wind I'm down to 14.
I feel like I can weigh in on this a little bit. I’ve been doing off-roading and overlanding long-distance travel for many years
After watching many videos from overseas where they use midsize vehicles for overlanding and they get 10-17mpg I think there’s some things to think about with this question for sure!
Having had four-wheel-drive 1 ton diesel Vans and trucks,Ford Rangers ,Jeep Wranglers stock and modified.
Technology makes a big difference as things progress over the years. My 2020 F150 factory 10 speed gets 21mpg it’s currently on 34 inch tires and gets 18 to 20 miles to the gallon. It weighs 4800lbs has a bed cover to protect gear.. when I tow my enclosed camper cargo trailer that’s 5x8 6ft tall inside that weighs 1200lbs the truck gets 15-16
It replaced my 2012 jeep wrangler four-door manual 6spd transmission that on stock tires got 18 and switching to a more aggressive tread got 16mpg it weighed 5200lbs loaded for camp and would tow an open deck overland trailer with ladder rack they weighed 800lbs and got 14-16
My 2003 Ford 7.3 power-stroke diesel Econoline long body van 4x4 on 33 inch tires with a four-speed automatic transmission gets 16 to 18 but it’s diesel. And it weighs 10,000lbs loaded for camp.. if I put the above mentioned 5 x 8 cargo trailer behind it it gets 15 mpg
My 92 crew cab 4 x 4 F3 50 with the 460 gas motor got 11 mpg and eight mpg towing any trailer whether it was empty or full
All of my Ford rangers once they got a 31 inch tire would get 16-18mpg
Wife’s Jeep cherokees 4.0l 6cyl got 15-18mpg
Unless you’re wheeling an ultralight Subaru or Toyota Prius, you’re always going to see fuel economy averages in the high teens once you have it equipped for mild trails and camping equipment. I see it across the board with all of my friends some folks get just barely above single digits some folks get into the 20s..
You have to look at vehicle durability a light quality vehicle is not going to be is durable as a heavy duty quality vehicle. The ability to add things without going over your rated payload and the safety factor of a larger vehicle all have to be taken into account..
Also need to take into account the technology where we get better fuel mileage and more power out of smaller lighter engines. It’s not just an apples to apples comparison, there’s a lot of dynamic changes when comparing vehicles. The gas versus diesel debate was finally settled years ago that per mile it’s almost the same amount of cost, at that point it depends on what your preferences in inevitably what you were actually going to use the vehicle for.
Everything we drive converts money into adventure. So find something fun to drive!
After watching many videos from overseas where they use midsize vehicles for overlanding and they get 10-17mpg I think there’s some things to think about with this question for sure!
Having had four-wheel-drive 1 ton diesel Vans and trucks,Ford Rangers ,Jeep Wranglers stock and modified.
Technology makes a big difference as things progress over the years. My 2020 F150 factory 10 speed gets 21mpg it’s currently on 34 inch tires and gets 18 to 20 miles to the gallon. It weighs 4800lbs has a bed cover to protect gear.. when I tow my enclosed camper cargo trailer that’s 5x8 6ft tall inside that weighs 1200lbs the truck gets 15-16
It replaced my 2012 jeep wrangler four-door manual 6spd transmission that on stock tires got 18 and switching to a more aggressive tread got 16mpg it weighed 5200lbs loaded for camp and would tow an open deck overland trailer with ladder rack they weighed 800lbs and got 14-16
My 2003 Ford 7.3 power-stroke diesel Econoline long body van 4x4 on 33 inch tires with a four-speed automatic transmission gets 16 to 18 but it’s diesel. And it weighs 10,000lbs loaded for camp.. if I put the above mentioned 5 x 8 cargo trailer behind it it gets 15 mpg
My 92 crew cab 4 x 4 F3 50 with the 460 gas motor got 11 mpg and eight mpg towing any trailer whether it was empty or full
All of my Ford rangers once they got a 31 inch tire would get 16-18mpg
Wife’s Jeep cherokees 4.0l 6cyl got 15-18mpg
Unless you’re wheeling an ultralight Subaru or Toyota Prius, you’re always going to see fuel economy averages in the high teens once you have it equipped for mild trails and camping equipment. I see it across the board with all of my friends some folks get just barely above single digits some folks get into the 20s..
You have to look at vehicle durability a light quality vehicle is not going to be is durable as a heavy duty quality vehicle. The ability to add things without going over your rated payload and the safety factor of a larger vehicle all have to be taken into account..
Also need to take into account the technology where we get better fuel mileage and more power out of smaller lighter engines. It’s not just an apples to apples comparison, there’s a lot of dynamic changes when comparing vehicles. The gas versus diesel debate was finally settled years ago that per mile it’s almost the same amount of cost, at that point it depends on what your preferences in inevitably what you were actually going to use the vehicle for.
Everything we drive converts money into adventure. So find something fun to drive!
It is impossible to tune an older vehicle without being able to see the Air/Fuel ratio. I keep mine right at 13.9. As soon as something comes up and the computer goes open loop, the ratio goes down do 11-12. I would venture a guess that 80% of the old XJs on the road are running open loop. Something as simple as a cracked vacuum hose or leaking exhaust header can cause it.
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Advocate II
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I have a 2020 Tacoma, but I didn’t look at full size pickup because MPG, for me it was about size and places I go or want to go.
I get about 16-22 mpg on the road, depending on winds, my speed and other stuff, so not great MPG and I know of some full size trucks that get similar MPG, like a Ram 1500 V6. But even if a full size, say an F250 or a Dodge 2500 get 13-16, they have a larger tank than my 21 gal tank, so the range could be equal or greater.
I get about 16-22 mpg on the road, depending on winds, my speed and other stuff, so not great MPG and I know of some full size trucks that get similar MPG, like a Ram 1500 V6. But even if a full size, say an F250 or a Dodge 2500 get 13-16, they have a larger tank than my 21 gal tank, so the range could be equal or greater.
