• Lodra@programming.dev
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    10 months ago

    I probably don’t represent most people very well. But my wife and I have a single vehicle, a gmc sierra 1500. We probably use the bed twice a week. Trash/recycling. Moving heavy things around our property. Makes for a great mobile workbench for projects outside. And most often of all, we buy hay and grain for horses. A smaller truck would be a problem for us. We would actually benefit from a larger truck! But I don’t want a bigger gas guzzler. We get great fuel efficiency given the size of the truck.

    Edit: I also don’t live in a city. It’s quite rural here

    • SendMePhotos@lemmy.world
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      10 months ago

      That, seems like a proper use.

      I see many trucks with huge mud tires that they use as a main vehicle to commute to and from work and to run errands. I think these are the target for most people.

      • Lodra@programming.dev
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        10 months ago

        Kinda funny how much the styles differ between USA and Europe 🙂. Looks like a great work truck. No space for a car seat in the back though so you would need a separate family vehicle. Which might be practical anyway!

        This would satisfy my regular truck needs. But a 2200lb hauling capacity doesn’t work well with horses. A single horse can easily weighs 1200 pounds.

        I could see this being great for many people here. But it’s also not a universal fit.

      • Sagifurius@lemm.ee
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        10 months ago

        won’t be. There’s federal legislation that basically says a vehicle has to be large to burn fuel like that, so you can’t make a small truck unless it makes small car mileage. The idea was that the auto manufacturers would improve mileage if forced, but you know how it usually goes when politicians try to direct engineers to make bullshit physics reality.

      • Lodra@programming.dev
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        10 months ago

        I consider it a hobby farm. We currently have 2 horses and 3 goats. But it’s not a business at all and doesn’t generate income.

    • Sagifurius@lemm.ee
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      10 months ago

      ? I’m sure you’re aware GM used the exact same gasoline motors in the half tons as it did in the 3500s. You can have pretty much the same gas mileage as the half ton as long as you make sure to find a 2500 or 3500 with the 3:73 or 4:10 rear axle ratio, not the 4:88 that shows up fairly often, but way more carrying capacity. If it’s throttle body era, the 3500s did have bigger injectors, just change them to the 1500 injectors.

      • Lodra@programming.dev
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        10 months ago

        I wasn’t aware but I’m also not surprised. I think there’s two things that give my truck decent fuel efficiency. First is it’s much lighter than a 2500 or 3500. Which means I can’t haul as much but oh well. Second is the feature where the engine only runs on 4 cylinders most of the time. I notice a big difference when it’s running all 8. This isn’t available on the larger trucks. Oh and I think mine has a 4:32 axel ratio but it’s been a while. If that’s the same engine, then the larger trucks should be able to run on 4 cylinders as well. Super lame if the just don’t enable it. Maybe it’s not effective with a heavier truck?

        • Sagifurius@lemm.ee
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          10 months ago

          Oh ok. I had the initial impression your truck was a bit older, but yeah, no, you’re not significantly lighter, than the gas powered 2500s and 3500s. You are significantly lighter than a diesel quad cab 4x4, but only if your a regular cab 2wd gas job. Your ratio would probable be 3:43, 3:08, 3:23, something like that, you don’t get lower than 4:10 in a half ton generally, and even that’s rare. The cylinder shut off was annoying joke, they quit doing that for a reason, it’s really problematic and it takes the same amount of energy to move a certain vehicle a certain distance at a certain speed, regardless of 4 or 8 cylinders. Engines of different manufacture do use different amounts of fuel to do the same thing, not denying that. GM set up a scenario where you could see in real time if the exact same specced vehicle would get better mileage with four or 8 cylinders working. they didn’t. I bet you get around 17-19 mpg, which is been the chevy v8 standard average milage for a roughly 5.5 liter v8 powered pickup with a rear end ratio somewhere around 3:40, since 1970. I know you do get better mileage than when the cylinders are fully activated, but, they only activate when they’re needed, so, its kinda more marketing than anything, you’d get good mileage all 8 activated and not working harder too. GM is famous for shit like this, their old 4 barrel carbs with the tiny primaries and massive secondaries just lead to the secondaries opening ALL THE TIME, which resulted in worse mileage than a big 2 barrel carb or a equal bore 4 barrel. nevermind they were at the same time putting 800 cfm carbs on motors did better with 500, raised vacuum is beneficial, because people saw “800 cfm” as “just like my drag racing heroes”. A significant part of corporate engineering is marketing driven. you never need bigger than 500 cfm unless you have an 8 liter ish motor exceeding 7000 rpm, or some sort of forced induction.