After reminiscing about ImportKiller's bad gas mileage, I started remembering how much my mileage suffered when I installed my monster lightbar. Since I never use it, I have decided to take it off for now. I am driving 100 miles a day to and from work, and it's not helping me to have that monster on there. So, for now, I have to say goodbye lightbar. You were a good friend, and blinded people when I needed you to (ya know, sleeping at a green light, talking on the phone, using your blackberry at a stop sign), but it's time to take a hiates (spelling?). I shrink-tubed the wiring and stuffed it under the platic molding, so when I get my next lightbar, or redesign the one I have, I can just pop it back on.

Why I decided to share? I'm not sure, BUT It's going to be interesting to see how it affects my gas mileage on the highway. More to come.....

 

How big a hit on MPG did you take?

Wow and ouch.....From a light bar or all things....

I noticed a 2 to 3 MPG hit when I leveled out the front end of my rig. I guess I went from being
a sloping /aerodynamic brick to just a regular brick. When I added the bigger tires and wheels, I saw maybe
a 1MPG hit (that is if I'm calculating the fudge factor correctly).

BTW: got any pics of that light bar ? for some reason I thought you had one of those low profile bars.

 

You really take a hit on MPG when you raise the front end? If that's the case, i'm going to de-crank it a turn or so. I didn't think that would affect it too much.

Here's a pic:



It's a universal light bar that I bought steel shims for, drilled them out, and used them for the light mounts. I couldnt mount them on the top of the bar because I would not have been able to fit into my work's parking garage. I did a quick wiring job. One of the reasons I wanted to take it off also was to re-wire the bar, but the wiring inside the bar, and put some 5" lights on it. Right now, they are 4".

I'm not sure if I'll put it back on. I would like to get a brush guard and put them on there, but who knows. We'll see if it solved the MPG issue.

I would say I lost between 1 to 2 MPG when I put it on. That's a rough estimate. I used to get to maybe between 110 to 120 miles when 1/4 tank was gone, and now it's about 100.

 

Ah.....Now I see why I thought it was low profile.

Yeah, at first I was surprised at the MPG hit I took after raising the truck but then it dawned on me
how much more wind resistance there was due to the lack of slope on the front.After that realization,
I started to notice a small difference in handling on windy days......Oh....and let's not forget that
lovely wind noise........However, I wouldnt go back now if you paid me....I like the truck so much
more in it's current configuration.

BTW: I've got a 60 mile commute myself, so BROTHER I FEEL YOUR PAIN.............

 

Well I like driving, even though people think I'm crazy. I can work more hours (which equals more money) if I drive, and don't have to depend on a train schedule. I tried the train and liked it, but missed the freedom of coming and going as I please (and since the parking garage is inside my building I work in, you don't have to freeze your a$$ off during the winter).

Do you drive your H3 also?

 

Yes, I commute in the H3.

I put between60 and 70 miles a day on it during the work week and more when I'm off.

One of these days I might have to break down and get a work car, but I'm diggin' this H3 Way too much now.

The middling MPG is a small price to pay for the security and sight lines this thing provides.

A tune is in my not to distant future.

 

BTW: Before you go and de-crank your torsion bars, let's see if anyone else experienced a loss in MPG for that reason.

Most folks seem to crank the bars and then immediately put the bigger tires on. Due to vendor issues, I had to wait
a bit before installing my tires and wheels and therefore went through a few tanks of gas with that being the only mod.
I'm pretty **** about MPG so I check at each fill up.....

I'd hate to see you make a change based on my SINGLE experience, that would cause youto spend bucks on another alignment.

Maybe someone else who has had the same experience will pipe in as well...........

 

I agree with Gunner..A 3/4" to a 1' raise in the front ends attitude, ain't gonna cause any major aerodynamic changes, at least enough that you can measure it in MPG...

 

I must be the only H3 owner in the world who doesn't think the original stance of the H3 needs to be messed with (unless it's for bigger tires).

 

While the numbers below seem insignificant numerically, they did make a difference aesthetically
and do appear to have had some effect on my mileage. The only other mod I had done at the
time, was to add that big 'ol honkin' SMA cow catcher on the front. The larger/heavier tires
and wheels we not added until some time later.

Before measurments are in black, after measurments are in red.

DSF 21.75” 24.00” PSF 22.75” 24.00”


DSR 24.50” 25.00” PSR 25.50” 25.25”