Last week, my brother and I went to pick up a 1977 JD 4230 tractor in Ardmore, TN/AL. Its right on the TN/AL line off of I-65. The trip started in Johnson City, TN. It was about 365 miles each way. On a daily basis, I run my truck on Smarty SW7. For this adventure, I toned it down to SW3. On the way there, I got 15.4 mpg with the gooseneck empty. Hand calculated, I thought that was pretty good. We were doing 75mph with the A/C running. Not sure if you know the grades between Knoxville, TN and Nashville, TN, but they are pretty crazy. After getting the tractor loaded up, we started back to JC. About 50 miles later, we filled up at a truck stop in Columbia, TN. From there to Knoxville, TN, I got 9 mpg. Considering that the tractor weighs 12000lbs, the trailer weighs 5000lbs, and then the truck weight, again I thought that was pretty good. I could do 75mph on the flats, 70mpg on the slight grades and then down to 60mph in 5th on the crazy steep grades. Again, I was impressed. This is the first time this truck has towed heavy (70,000 miles) and it runs like new money now. I ran a bottle of Howes Meaner Cleaner through the truck between Columbia and Knoxville. The EGT's never got above 700 (post-turbo) the entire way back. The exhaust brake came in handy too. I love my Cummins!

 

700 EGT's? Very low compared to your MPG

 

That's a nice looking setup! Kinda cool to have something that works the way you want it to ain't it?

 

Post turbo. I bet he was closer to 900 on a hot cylinder in the manifold.

 

You could have improved the mileage quite a it by slowing down 10 to 20 mpg. And then youj could have stopped safely in a mile or so.

 

He could stop safely in way less than a mile...good brakes, and exhaust brake, and a trailer rated for the load....no problem.


But the mileage could have been a bit better loaded slowing down, I agree....but 9 isn't terrible in a newer truck

Chris

 

Almost.... 12k tractor on a 5k trailer rated for 14k...

Truck doesn't look like it has 3k of pin weight.... I'm guessing overloaded overall.

Not that I have not been there many many times before.... Course now I have a 20k and 24k trailer and somehow I can overload those as well??

I would say you are lucky the tires held out at that speed though. My bet is the tires are holding you back from the 14k cap on the axles. Only a few tires out there for a 16" rim actually carry the needed 3500lb cap.