I drive back and forth from Gainesville to Orlando often, i run between 85 and 90 on the turnpike(basically full throttle) and the old cummins never misses a lick. can still average around 16-17 mpg at that speed.

wayne

 

I usually run 65-70mph on the freeway, have had her up to 85mph a couple of times and it's not teh speed that freaks me out, it's the trying to stop quickly that gets me.

 

I drove up the Alask Highway this summer from eastern sask.canada to haines Alaska and back 3days after I got my 90 Dodge 250 2wd at 75-80mls and it handled like a dream and got 32mpg and that was straight thru for over 36 hours other than to stop for fuel put 12000mls on it that trip.

 

I have a Borgeson and fairly new steering box, and mine feels safe at high speed. Before I grenaded my turbo and before I switched to the piston pump I could only make 99mph and it was defueling like crazy at that.
I need to go see if my latest mods have bought me any headroom (and fix my darn Gear Vendors!).

 

32 mpg's? you mean 23!

 

My odometer and speedo don't read correct but two years ago I went up I 40 in N.C. passing mile markers every 37 seconds for about 25 miles. The looks on the other drivers faces was priceless! Rich

 

Time for an oversized front bumper just incase.

 

Last August I drove with my wife and son from Hemet Ca. to Klamath Falls Or. up the I-5. Average speed all day was 80mph, and it was a 13 hour day. That truck ran like a top and never faltered. With the sound proofing I did my wife and I were able to talk with out raising our voices. I love my truck and it drives well on long distance drives.

 

With the high idle screw turned up my 1991 4x4 auto runs 80 - 85 effortlessly on interstate. Run it from Pierre to Sioux Falls at that speed more than once. Needs better sound proofing though.

 

With my original 411 rear and the stock gov spring, my old dear topped out at an indicated 85 mph (an actual 78). Now it cruises at any speed I want to go. I seldom run much above normal interstate speeds mainly for fuel economy reasons. Makes a big difference over thousands of miles.

I did give it a go and chickened out at an indicated 95, actual 100 mph. (did not change the speedo when I converted to taller gears) The truck was by no means topped out but I kept thinking of the ugly consequences of a breakdown at that speed and settled down to a saner speed. My guess is that it can hit 110.

What I like is the speed with which the old darling will accelerate from 65 to 90 mph. I still feel comfy when cruising at 80 mph. Vibration is not bad. Feels stable. My brakes are fine........ must keep those rear shoes adjusted frequently to get full braking on the fronts. Something unpleasant happens to all of the brakes when the rears get low.


I had experienced a lot of noise and vibration which I traced to a severly worn inner wheel bearing. I replaced it and the old truck settled down to some nice higher speed cruising. I suspect that when I change the inner bearing on the other side it will get even smoother.