[SoCalJK2010]

I got my RK track bar relocation bracket welded last Wednesday. I have recently been noticing that the MPG on the dash is dropping. i reset it on the highway doing about 75 and i started dropping from 13.8 to 13.0 when i got off the highway. city driving will got me back up to 13.8. i was getting in the 15's on the higway and less in city for a general guesstament average of 14.8 i think.
Could this be an indication that my rear axle got warped during the welding process or should i be looking elsewhere?

 

[Goodysgotacuda]

The welded bracket is 100% -not- your problem. If this was Pirate, this thread would be much more entertaining.

 

[SoCalJK2010]

sorry i guess i should have provided a little more info. Its a 2010 2dr Rubicon with 4.10 gears. i put on a RK 2.5 Flex. it still has the stock LT255/75R17 BFG's on it.

 

[Demlockian]

A lift kit will always reduce fuel economy.

 

[Goodysgotacuda]

A lift kit will always reduce fuel economy.

Also going off of the dash display is inherently wrong and inaccurate.

Adding the lift alone should be enough to drop your mpg roughly what you've described. But somehow you're also managing to net the same, if not worse, mileage as my rig with ~5" of lift and 125lb 37s! :cwm13:

 

[SoCalJK2010]

i did notice a small drop when i installed the lift. i drove around for a couple of weeks with the track bar bracket only bolted on(procrastination is a bitch) so i dont think that drop is associated with the hight increase. would 2.5 in really affect it that much with the stock tires? aside from maybe wind and caster what really changed? I should be getting musch better MPG right? I dont want to think whats its going to do when i put on 35's

 

[bthomas]

here you go

 

[Tat2dfreak]

The welded bracket is 100% -not- your problem. If this was Pirate, this thread would be much more entertaining.

So true,lol.

 

[Tweak]

did you reset the dash display after the lift? it works by averages.

 

[JKCTAZ]

Hot water burn baby! Who gives a shit about fuel mileage when you buy a vehicle with the drag coefficient of a shipping container? Makes me laugh when people even bring this topic up when discussing any type of Jeep-esque platform....

 

[SoCalJK2010]

it's not that i really care about the MPG so much but that MPG decrease might be the result of a problem. its whatever is causing it that i am worried about. i experienced an almost 2 MPG drop and the only variable i can find is the bracket weld.

 

[Cavallini03]

There are many different things that can cause a drop in MPG. I really don't think the track bar being welded on is what caused it..
As Goody said, don't go by the dash, its not going to be accurate.
The MPG it shows you is also an average, so it could have just been dropping slowly since you got the lift put on and you just noticed it now.
I wouldn't worry if I were you

 

[JKCTAZ]

I'm not trying to harsh on you, man, but it is doubtful that your concern is the cause. Even if it was, what can you about it now? Modifying a Jeep will result in poor gas mileage.

 

[Quacktacular]

I agree with others that in modifying a jeep mileage should not be your primary concern.

However if you performed the proper steps in the welding process you would have disconnected the battery. If you have done this it, will reset the computer and could affect performance until it relearns some parameters.

Just a thought.

 

[SoCalJK2010]

didnt do that. dosent the current go back to the welder?

 

[Astrax]

I was always under the impression that if you don't disconnect the battery to weld on a vehicle you risk frying some of the computer components. I haven't done a lot of welding on vehicles though so I am only going by what I have been told in the past.

 

[SoCalJK2010]

that would suck! but i think it would have caused drastically more serious problems than shitty gas mileage. i guess what i would really like to know is: If the axle tube was warped would it result in decreased MPG and what would be any other indications of a warped axle tube. For all i know i just got a tank full of shit gas. if the tube was warped should i expect to fell major vibes or sounds of metal dying?

 

[JKCTAZ]

that would suck! but i think it would have caused drastically more serious problems than shitty gas mileage. i guess what i would really like to know is: If the axle tube was warped would it result in decreased MPG and what would be any other indications of a warped axle tube. For all i know i just got a tank full of shit gas. if the tube was warped should i expect to fell major vibes or sounds of metal dying?

A slightly warped tube wouldn't affect mileage or even be visible to the naked eye, the flange bearing and carrier bearing on each side would have to be under tremendous offset load (read severely bent housing and tubes) to reduce MPG 3-4 overnight. As far as welding on a vehicle, yes, you NEED to disconnect the battery completely or attach one of these.

http://www.keykingsupplies.co.uk/surge-protector-for-welding-12v24v-738-p.asp

 

[SoCalJK2010]

you would think the guy who welded it would have known that. but the ground was close to the weld site and far from the batt.

 

[Rubiconquered]

The term i like the most to describe any Wrangler is "a brick with wheels".

Going by the console won't get you anywhere, top find your true mpgs, fill up your tank fill of gas. Write down your mileage and then when you run threw that tank of gas and fill up the next time take the new mileage and how much fuel you added. Subtract Old mileage from new mileage and then divide the fuel gallons.


IE: 10 gallons of fuel got you 100 miles, 10 mpg.

Personally i get shit mileage in my jk and could care less. I drove the Jeep down to my in laws this weekend. Filled up on the way down, 79 mile trip, driving around Friday, filled up Sunday morning and I'm practically out of gas AGAIN! don't care what my mpgs are, don't wanna know.