Gas mileage/50" LED???

kebel01

kebel01

New member
Just installed a 50" LED light bar on my rig last week. I drove it down from PA to NC and was averaging like 60 mph. I calculated my MPG and it was around 11.5. Is this what I going to be seeing if I have a light bar on?? Seems really low to me. I was getting around 15 before the light bar.
 
kebel01 said:
Just installed a 50" LED light bar on my rig last week. I drove it down from PA to NC and was averaging like 60 mph. I calculated my MPG and it was around 11.5. Is this what I going to be seeing if I have a light bar on?? Seems really low to me. I was getting around 15 before the light bar.
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My husband swears that many mods, especially light bars if mounted away from the jeep instead of with the slope of the vehicle effects mpg. I saw your post and decided to look it up...turns out it does.

http://www.4wheelparts.com/buyers-guide-reviews/fuel-economy-save-gas-mpg.aspx

You may want to try a reinstall that is slightly more subtle/lighter..maybe mount them to the front like this so Drag isn't as bad...

light bar.jpg


I'm no expert though and if you've already done something like this I'm not sure what the issue is :(
 
I know when put ski racks on my wife Subaru I loss a couple mpg.

Sent from my LG-LS970 using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
Anything protruding from the jeep will make wind drag and decrease fuel economy.


Sent from my phone?
 
TBH.......I haven't seen a difference in my mpg since adding my 50"........nor did I see a difference when I had my tube doors on for a year straight.......we all know our rigs are aerodynamically challenged a rectangular box with big tires at each corner.......so don't expect much in the mpg department.....The factory claim of 16/21 is feasible for a stock equipped Jeep driving in perfect conditions (flat pavement, clear skies, optimal temperature and humidity, tire pressure, and selected speeds for testing, etc) but the majority of us myself included have given in to the fact that we're not going to see that kind of gas mileage......your 11.5 mpg average is somewhat low to me compared to what I've seen in person and read on the MPG threads on here......Some of the bigger rigs may get that on average but they're hauling around 3 tons + so that's a given.....As for the rest of us....I weighed my rig Monday and it weighed in at 4932lbs by itself.....5140lbs with me in it.....it's an automatic with 3.73 gears...I live in South Florida where everything is flat for miles.....the drive to work is 25 miles on the highway.......driving at 65 and keeping my rpms at 1900-2000 I've been able to get anywhere from 17.5 to 18.5 depending on conditions.......I think my average over 4 weeks was 17.9........now driving at the speed everyone else in my area drives 75-80 mph I wouldn't even want to guess what my mileage would be........no matter....I didn't by my Jeep to save gas mileage I bought it and continue to build it to take me ANYWHERE I want to go.......If I have to spend more $ on fuel so be it......If I didn't have to do that I'd end up spending it on something else to keep me happy.......okay I'm done.......All that in one breathe do you believe that?!

~Woodrow~
 
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The topography of the route you drove i'm guessing was not at all flat even on the highway.......Pa to Carolina seems like it would have a few hundred miles of varying degrees of incline.......using that route as a benchmark maybe misleading.....but if this is a route you have taken repeatedly in the past and have averaged 15 mpg over the same exact conditions then it may be the light.....3.5 mpg drop off seems a bit much for a light........I'm thinking the constant rpm changes and steep grades have more to do with the difference in mpg than the addition of the light.......or if anything maybe the combination of both.....

~Woodrow~
 
Fir-na-tine said:
we all know our rigs are aerodynamically challenged a rectangular box with big tires at each corner.......so don't expect much in the mpg department.....The factory claim of 16/21 is feasible for a stock equipped Jeep driving in perfect conditions (flat pavement, clear skies, optimal temperature and humidity, tire pressure, and selected speeds for testing, etc) but the majority of us myself included have given in to the fact that we're not going to see that kind of gas mileage......~
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X2. My stock JK wasnt getting the claimed 21mpg with my driving miss daisy peddle nurturing attempts. Most with lightly modded JKs and not too much weight added see 15-18mpg while heavily modded usually see 11-15mpg with a lot of weight added. Mines not heavily modded at all and I see 14 on average and max of 16
 
The roads in pa even the highways are a massive pain in the ass with the constant elevation and grade changes, i average around 17 mpg driving around my area, long trips 18-19, my brother is about the same, he lost 1 mpg with his light bar.
 
Thanks mates!
It still seems way too much for a light bar, when most people don't see any change. All I have is a 2 door automatic with a lift 35's bumper and winch....Anddd a light bar. I would assume that I'd be getting at least 13mpg! Maybe something else is the culprit?? Maybe it's from the freezing cold lately. Any scientist in her?? Haha. I know I have a Jeep, but crap!!!
 
On your way home throw the light in the trunk and calculate the mpg again. That's really the only true test
 
I didn't notice any change when I put my 40" on the lower windshield. I mean a Jeep is about aerodynamic as a brick anyways. I'm running 5.13's with 35's and get about 14-15 mpg hand calculated on trips.
 
super stroked said:
I didn't notice any change when I put my 40" on the lower windshield. I mean a Jeep is about aerodynamic as a brick anyways. I'm running 5.13's with 35's and get about 14-15 mpg hand calculated on trips.
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What's your RPM's at 75/80? I'm looking to re gear mine to that same set up and curious to know what it's going to do.

Sent from my XT1080 using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
Say what?! Are you suggesting you lost 4mpg highway from a lightbar....

My 2014 auto JKUR, with a 50", 800lbs in armor, 35s, a sound system, etc etc etc, lost 1mpg on the highway. There is no way you would notice anything with just a 50" bar. I was getting around 19 or so highway when it was bone stock and now get around 17.5-18 depending on highway.
 
StrizzyChris said:
X2. My stock JK wasnt getting the claimed 21mpg with my driving miss daisy peddle nurturing attempts. Most with lightly modded JKs and not too much weight added see 15-18mpg while heavily modded usually see 11-15mpg with a lot of weight added. Mines not heavily modded at all and I see 14 on average and max of 16
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I will be so happy if I get 15mpg
 
NFRs2000NYC said:
Say what?! Are you suggesting you lost 4mpg highway from a lightbar....

My 2014 auto JKUR, with a 50", 800lbs in armor, 35s, a sound system, etc etc etc, lost 1mpg on the highway. There is no way you would notice anything with just a 50" bar. I was getting around 19 or so highway when it was bone stock and now get around 17.5-18 depending on highway.
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Lucky you have a 2014 gives you much better mpg than my 3.8L
 
super stroked said:
around 2200-2400 rpm or so if I recall.
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A little off topic...But I noticed your avatar in your profile with the Deer......Today on the way to work there was a guy trying to put a "roadkill" HUGE deer in his trunk of a sedan...freaking nasty!:icon_crazy:
 
I think that the JKU's get better gas mileage. More aerodynamic than a the short wheel base of a 2d. Both of my buddies have JKU's and they get like 18mpg, with armor and everything. Maybe something is wrong somewhere else??
 
kebel01 said:
I think that the JKU's get better gas mileage. More aerodynamic than a the short wheel base of a 2d. Both of my buddies have JKU's and they get like 18mpg, with armor and everything. Maybe something is wrong somewhere else??
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Highly doubt that. JKUs are much heavier and have the wind resistance of a barn.
 
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