LJ unlimited...just got 18mpg on a trip

[kodiak1232003]

used mostly cruise control on a trip from san diego to disneyland.

1. filled up all the way
2. drove to D-land and back
3. topped off before we went to our house, in san diego.

divided miles traveled (set odo to 0.0 when we left la mesa) by the fuel used...came out to 17.9 mpg.

this was with 4 people, a couple bags, and running on stock 30's. (as you know I'm not gonna go above a 31-32, so this is a good thing!)

AND this was with my congo cage installed.


regards
brian

 

[kodiak1232003]

also, we just went to the socal meet and greet over in Borrego springs on saturday.

we traveled 90 miles from la mesa to borrego, and topped off when we got into town...

miles travelled: 90
gas used- 1/4 tank (4.75-5 gallons)

mpg....18.0-18.9....

 

[ExpoMike]

Cool. Driving down to Borrego Saturday, from filling up in Mira Mesa, driving up to Escondido, then out to Borrego Springs, I was quite happy to find I got 20.44 MPG. That's on 31's with 4.10 gears on a 3" lift.

We might have been the smallest rig but I bet we could have driven the furthest without filling up. :victory:

Glad to have met you guys. :jumping:

 

[kodiak1232003]

Cool. Driving down to Borrego Saturday, from filling up in Mira Mesa, driving up to Escondido, then out to Borrego Springs, I was quite happy to find I got 20.44 MPG. That's on 31's with 4.10 gears on a 3" lift.

We might have been the smallest rig but I bet we could have driven the furthest without filling up. :victory:

Glad to have met you guys. :jumping:

hey Mike,
great to meet you, too! I didn't really give myself a chance to check out your rig further. Looked VERY clean and well built so far.

and, Hey, this site is all about the adventure and the fun of travelling, not the biggest, baddest rig. My wife actually commented that it seemed like the smaller rigs (yours, mine, SWR's, maybe some of the others, too) might be having more fun on that trail since the bigger rigs could just drive over the obstacles we had to take our time with.

Not to say where they've gone with their rigs is bad, at all...I just like the feeling that my bone stock rig did exactly what I needed it to without a bunch of mods the magazines and offroad parts stores say I need, while returning 18+mpg and retaining the factory warranty...lol.

Regards, and let me know when you want to go wheelin' and we'll get a group together.

I'd love to spend some time up in Big Bear exploring around.

 

[ExpoMike]

hey Mike,
great to meet you, too! I didn't really give myself a chance to check out your rig further. Looked VERY clean and well built so far.

and, Hey, this site is all about the adventure and the fun of travelling, not the biggest, baddest rig. My wife actually commented that it seemed like the smaller rigs (yours, mine, SWR's, maybe some of the others, too) might be having more fun on that trail since the bigger rigs could just drive over the obstacles we had to take our time with.

Not to say where they've gone with their rigs is bad, at all...I just like the feeling that my bone stock rig did exactly what I needed it to without a bunch of mods the magazines and offroad parts stores say I need, while returning 18+mpg and retaining the factory warranty...lol.

Regards, and let me know when you want to go wheelin' and we'll get a group together.

I'd love to spend some time up in Big Bear exploring around.

Yep, I agree. The right combination for its intended use works better then just putting every bolt on you can. Not saying the group we were out with was part of that crowd. They were well built for the use.

I did find it interesting that following some of the larger rigs, they would have to go through things I could end up manuevering around. This was helpful when there were some big rocks or holes we came up against.

Definitely will need to hook up for Big Bear. I also want to do the Calico area. Suppose to be some awesome wheeling out there. :gunt:

 

[computeruser]

This thread made me quite envious - I want to get 18-20mpg out of my Wrangler TJ. It is substantially stock but for tires and some front-end leveling, and it struggles to get 14mpg. Drats.

 

[2500Adventures]

WOW...18mpg???

Congrats to you sir, I do so wish I could get that very same mileage. But with a roof basket, large tires on heavy American Eagle Wheels and a constant state of gear in my cargo area I barely stay at 14mpg. Keep up the good work!!

 

[Haggis]

My LJ gets 18 mpg also, that's the average even after I put the lift on it. I'm still running the 31s (no sense in buying new 33s when these have some life in them) and have added a SRC front bumber and Warn 8000 winch. Last spring I took my wife to the Eastern Shore of Maryland for our anniversary, and I averaged 21mpg on the freeway. Of course in Maryland it's all flat ground, not like the hill country we have here.

 

[grahamfitter]

Its funny, everywhere else on the planet 18 MPG is considered criminal but here in the USA its an achievement!

My TJ averages 17 MPG. I can average 20 MPG mixed/highway if I keep it to 55 MPH on the highway and I'm gentle in town. Its stock except for 31 inch tires and Kongo Cage noise maker.

Cheers,
Graham

 

[computeruser]

Its funny, everywhere else on the planet 18 MPG is considered criminal but here in the USA its an achievement!

My TJ averages 17 MPG. I can average 20 MPG mixed/highway if I keep it to 55 MPH on the highway and I'm gentle in town. Its stock except for 31 inch tires and Kongo Cage noise maker.

Cheers,
Graham

Yup, but the rest of the world gets torquey little diesels backed up with a manual gearbox. The old 4.0 + 3spd slushbox is not a terribly economical creature!



Incidentally, I pulled my M/Ts today in favor of a set of Yokohama Geolandar I/T winter tires. My only driving on them so far was from the tire shop home and then out to dinner and back. But DAMN there is a difference in terms of perceived rolling resistance and in terms of how far I was into the throttle at a given speed. And so much quieter, too. It will be interesting to see how these tires change the MPG when we take the Jeep to visit my parents for Thanksgiving...

 

[kodiak1232003]

Yup, but the rest of the world gets torquey little diesels backed up with a manual gearbox. The old 4.0 + 3spd slushbox is not a terribly economical creature!



Incidentally, I pulled my M/Ts today in favor of a set of Yokohama Geolandar I/T winter tires. My only driving on them so far was from the tire shop home and then out to dinner and back. But DAMN there is a difference in terms of perceived rolling resistance and in terms of how far I was into the throttle at a given speed. And so much quieter, too. It will be interesting to see how these tires change the MPG when we take the Jeep to visit my parents for Thanksgiving...

yup, i've had that experience, too. I've got my sights set on a set of BFG AT's in a 30-31" flavor. Seems like one of the better compromises between durability, tough sidewalls, traction, and low noise that i've seen.

geolanders are a good tire from what i've heard, too.

I didn't know it at the time but my old first generation 4runner had a set of
BFG's on it, when i had it...

I remember a trip up to mammoth that my sister and i took to meet my dad and some of his work buddies. We got into town after a total whiteout and
found that we had to traverse a super steep hill to get to his vacation/rental
condo.

Well, I put it in 4hi, and motored up the 200+ ft ramp and parked nice and snug in a carport next to the condo. Lo and Behold, in the morning when we went skiing, everyone else (who had arrived before us) had to walk/slide down the driveway to their cars/4x4's cuz no-one else could make it up the hill, 4x4 or 4x2....lol...nice!!

ok...thread hijack of my own thread is complete

 

[computeruser]

yup, i've had that experience, too. I've got my sights set on a set of BFG AT's in a 30-31" flavor. Seems like one of the better compromises between durability, tough sidewalls, traction, and low noise that i've seen.

geolanders are a good tire from what i've heard, too.

I didn't know it at the time but my old first generation 4runner had a set of
BFG's on it, when i had it...

I remember a trip up to mammoth that my sister and i took to meet my dad and some of his work buddies. We got into town after a total whiteout and
found that we had to traverse a super steep hill to get to his vacation/rental
condo.

Well, I put it in 4hi, and motored up the 200+ ft ramp and parked nice and snug in a carport next to the condo. Lo and Behold, in the morning when we went skiing, everyone else (who had arrived before us) had to walk/slide down the driveway to their cars/4x4's cuz no-one else could make it up the hill, 4x4 or 4x2....lol...nice!!

ok...thread hijack of my own thread is complete

I agree - I ran 31-10.50-15 BFG A/Ts on my last Jeep and they were great year-round except on slippery icy stuff. The M/Ts are on Craigslist right now and A/Ts will be going on in the spring. I just wish they sold a 31-9.50-15 A/T. Might have to go to 16" rims with 235-85-16 and a slight little lift...

 

[kodiak1232003]

i'm on the update warpath on all my old threads...

just checked my mileage since putting the roofrack on and adding a bit of weight

14mpg..oof!!. it was like a kick in the heehaws when i did the math. i ran the numbers on two tanks of gas with a mix of city and highway as usual.


one thing that may have effected it is my tires they have all been around 20psi lately with one down to 15 due to a slow leak. (its since been swapped for the spare, relegating the leaker to spare duty)

might have to reconsider my plan, as this goes direclty against my philosophy of a expo vehicle. (Mods are acceptable only if they add reliability/durability)

 

[Trail Monkey]

im getting 13mpg but running 35's with 5.13 gear. im thinking of doing an engine swap for some more power and increased mileage.. big bucks though..

 

[roadkill]

im getting 13mpg but running 35's with 5.13 gear. im thinking of doing an engine swap for some more power and increased mileage.. big bucks though..

I've been getting 11.5-12mpg pulling my M416 in a mix of city/rural highway moving stuff to my new house and usually get 12.5-14 in the city and maybe 14-15 on the highway. this is all with an LJ Rubi with lots of added weight (skid plates, winch, bumpers etc) and an auto tranny, 5.13s on 33s