What have you done to your Tacoma today? 1st Gen Edition

Thats how it is in my 99 too. I think it has to do with some of the big hills between Cruces and Albuquerque.

 

This. Where I live, we have one highway that goes through town. And you can get from one end to the other in 10 miles or so. The rest of the roads are 45mph or less roads. So unless I'm camping or fishing in the summer, it's almost all city miles. Summer time I make a lot camping or fishing trips which are 90% highway. But even then my average is 18 mpg.

I do have 265/75 tires though, which will reduce my mileage a little.

 

265/75 should actually give you better gas mileage if anything. The extra inch in in tire size, being the final drive gear, lowers your engine RPM for a give mph (only about 100 RPM @65 mph though, not a big change). I have same size tire and my gas mileage definitely didn't go down when I switched.

 

^^^This.


And keep in mind, If you have larger then stock tires, your odometer is showing you less miles then you actually traveled. (Unless you've had it adjusted for your tire size).

 

Are those 31x10.5 tires?

 

Is that rattle can or professional? I like how it looks three dimensional

 

Does your seat still go down without ruining your sub? thanks...

 

it's rattled, but not from a can! it's all about how you spray it

 

Hmm I just assumed a larger tire with an E load range would be heavier, hence the lower mileage. And I have an ultra gauge so I understand the odometer difference.

 

You're correct. The factor they're referring to is height alone. and that alone, with all things equal and no other variables would, in theory, net you great FE.

But there is width, weight, tread pattern, and on and on. Even your tires sticking out of your wheel wells rather than tucked in can hurt FE. So typically speaking, going taller is outweighed by all the other factors and people lose a few mpg. However, if done right, you can get a gain from going taller with a tire. My wheel and tire combined only weigh 58 lbs. That's about as much as some people's tire alone. That helps a lot.

 

It wasn't today but I greased up the driveshaft and did the linear spring clutch mod. It's a bit tougher pedal effort but liveable. I have also finally decided on my lift to be 881, 5100's and AAL with 255/85/16's.

 

I never though about how much the tire sticking out killing mpgs...but it does make sense..damn and mine stick out 3inches from the fender

 

Each of those is a small factor, but added up, they equal a lot.

sticking out just makes for a greater frontal surface area to push against those highway headwinds oh joy


The way people choose to drive effects things equally or more as well.

My high tank was 24.03 and my low was 16.76 or something in the 16 range. Just goes to show what a difference driving style and conditions alone can make.

 

Being lifted also creates more drag/resistance on the front tires (the bumper/valence doesn't cover as much of the tires anymore).

Also if you have a tube bumper it adds weight plus creates even more drag/resistance.

 

Yeah i gotcha on that...I drive the same all the time, I dont have a v6 so i take off and shift at 3k all the time first and second and the rest i can cruise farely well depending on the roads but now I usually only.get like 260 on the odo
But my ultra gauge says im averaging 20mpgs? If that were the case id be able to get like 300..but then again i never risk going all the way to E or below at least not anymore

 

Yup, not related is that being lifted more than necessary is silly as well haha kids at my college ask me, "When are you going to lift it?" I say, why? My tires fit don't they?

That's one perk to these old Pickups, you can just about fit 35s with some pounding and trimming, kind of like 33s with the newer trucks.

 

You can also just crank up the torsion bars for more lift

 

I don't like when people do that haha I'd rather throw in a bj spacer and loosen them so it still rides like it should.

That said, I don't plan on lifting this truck, ever.

33s is the highest I'll go while it's still a DD. IF I ever went to 35s I know I could make em fit

 

Quick question... it there supposed to be some back and forth play in the UCA, are the bushings shot or could the bolt be loose?

 

Yeah everywhere is like that here. Can't stand the flat land.