By. Suzzanne Nickell

Everyone has their own stragies and ideas on how to save gas these days, but the biggest question is, is it working?! But then for off road enthusiasts, saving gas is an entirely different animal due to the nature of our vehicles.

General Overview

Truck, #Jeep and #SUV owners need to adopt a certain mindset. Our vehicles aren’t some bubble-shaped #hybrid (thankfully), and so it’s unrealistic to expect to match these cars in fuel efficiency.

Also, there is no magical way of boosting gas mileage by exorbitant numbers, and even if there were, it would likely require huge modifications so expensive that the savings wouldn’t be worth it.

Instead, we like to approach saving gas with the perspective of improving #efficiency and making the most out of what is available.

Power vs. Efficiency

Ok I know that it sounds a bit confusing to say that parts like a custom #exhaust, computer chip, or #airintakesystem that are built to add speed and power can actually improve gas mileage. But Consider the follow examples:

Case 1: A truck with large off road tires and a suspension lift is driving 60 mph on the highway. No engine modifications have been made.

Case 2: The same truck is driving 60 mph on the highway, but sports a custom intake, #exhaust, and a computer module.

Naturally, Case 2 will get better gas mileage since it expends less effort to reach and maintain a speed of 60 mph given the upgraded tires and lift kits.

Tire and Suspension-Related Gas Saving Tips

Tires and suspension-related components have more of an indirect impact upon fuel economy. While there is very little you can modify to increase gas mileage, there’s a lot that can hurt it.

Being smart in lift kit upgrades and tire choices can save you gas mileage without much performance loss. Consider these factors to ensure you aren’t losing precious MPG:

Helpful Tips

• Did you know that a dirty air filter can result in as much as a 10% loss in gas mileage? By having a clean air filter it can save you up to 20 cents a gallon!
• If you have something heavy within your car (and you’re not using it), then it may be smart to remove it because it is probably causing your fuel efficiency to decrease. Although the decrease in fuel efficiency might not be significant in one trip, it is very possible that you are losing gallons of gas each month because of this extra unnecessary weight.
• Having your windows down increases the air drag of the car substantially. This causes gas mileage to decrease as well, some say by up to 15%.