Maximizing Your Truck’s Fuel Efficiency

Whether you’re hauling huge cargo with your semi or doing a utility run, your truck makes your work possible. But like all large vehicles, trucks tend to consume a lot of fuel, and it can be expensive to refill the tank. One way to cut down on those expenses is to maximize your fuel efficiency with good maintenance and careful planning.

We here at Tri-County Truck & Equipment know how hard you work, so we’ve put together a few tips for improving your fuel economy to help you with your bottom line. If you want more advice, or you’re hoping to browse through the trucks we have for sale, contact our store in Pompano Beach, Florida. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff will help you find what you need at the prices you want!

Visual Inspection

Your first step here is to do a thorough inspection of the truck in question. There are a number of maintenance issues that can negatively impact your fuel efficiency, many of which you can find just by looking in the right place. Catching and resolving these issues can drastically reduce the amount of fuel your truck consumes!

Tire Check

One of the easiest things to check is your tires. The air pressure, for instance, needs to be kept at or around the psi recommended in your owner’s manual. Under- or over-inflated tires aren’t just dangerous, they’re inefficient, causing skidding or drag that increases the amount of fuel needed per trip. Measure the psi during a cold morning for the most accurate readings.

Your tires will also need to be properly aligned with the right amount of tread, both for safety and fuel efficiency. These two issues are often connected, as misaligned tires cause the tread on one side or one tire to wear down significantly faster than the others. Make sure the tread is worn evenly on all tires, then make sure the tread levels are still optimal. 

Engine Fan

This fan will run any time your engine is on, but if there’s an issue it will run faster than normal. The faster it goes, the more horsepower the engine is expending per mile, the more fuel your truck is using per mile. Check on the engine fan’s health to avoid this headache.

Battery Cables

Your battery is vital to engine operations, but the cables hooking it into the system can get corroded over time. If this happens, the alternator has to work harder to get the same amount of juice. Luckily, this is easy enough to find and fix. Just look over your cables and the connectors to ensure there’s no corrosion, and clean any you find—just make sure to unplug everything first!

Strategic Loading

Next, you’re going to want to reevaluate how you pack up your cargo. Whether you’re just bringing tools to your next worksite or hauling cargo cross-country, the load needs to be evenly distributed across the cargo space, both from front to back and from left to right. Overloading one side can put more pressure on the tires on one side, causing them to work harder and causing the other tires to skid a bit. 

Also make sure not to overload your truck. Bringing along unnecessary extras can weigh you down and cost you precious fuel. 

Strategic Routing

What you’re hauling and the condition of your truck aren’t everything. The routes you take also have a significant impact on your fuel consumption. You’ll want to keep to the shortest, most direct route possible in order to avoid wasting time and fuel. You should then try to modify the route to get to the gas stations with the lowest fuel prices, which you can find with trucking-specific GPS apps or other phone apps. 

Finally, try to minimize the number of stops you’ll have to make. Shutting down and starting up the engine uses up a lot of fuel, so if you have to stop for one reason, like fueling up, make it a multi-purpose stop and grab snacks, stretch your legs, and take care of other needs.

Strategic Driving

The way you drive will also impact fuel economy. Here are a few tips for fuel-efficient driving:

• Stick to the speed limit; high speeds consume more fuel
• Minimize idling
• Reduce braking, as speeding back up consumes more fuel; leaving lots of room between you and other motorists should compensate for this
• Drive in high gear when possible
• Minimize other system usage like AC and radio
• Use cruise control when possible

We hope these tips save you time, gas, and money! If you have any questions, or you’re on the market for a new truck, contact us at Tri-County Truck & Equipment. We proudly serve the people of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and the Tri-County area—let us serve you today!