[QUOTE=Externet;470913]In another trip from KY to NC. Route 460, pulling an utility trailer with a clotheswasher, a portable generator, a mower and many tools, hilly terrain, mostly at 55mph, airconditioner on.
I have no front wheel driveshaft nor wheelshafts , and all brakes are confirmed not dragging, 82C / 180F inline thermostat, running steady at that temperature.
Lowest octane fuel price in KY: $4. Fuel price in NC: $3.50 /gal

Without pulling a trailer and on flat freeway terrain, am confident will hit over 20mpg. Will tell whenever have real numbers.[

No way, you can't get 18mpg falling off a cliff. Why do people post this nonsense? Are they just incapable of figuring mpg or trying to get folks to respond. There was a dude on here a couple of years ago posting about 22 or 24, not possible in these trucks. Just be happy that these things crank in the morning.

 

I got 17 MPG from a tank a couple of days ago. I pulled the front shaft to take the load off my failing front diff till I have a chance of fix it, and my mileage increased by 1.5 MPG.

So it's not impossible.

 

I have often found that when towing a trailer the loss of economy due to the extra weight is actually more than offset by the improvement caused by travelling at slower speeds. I have used a 1400kg car to tow a 500kg trailer with an identical 1400kg car on it and by driving at the regulated 50mph I have got the same (or better) fuel consumption as achieved when driving the towcar alone at 75mph.

For example, you may well find that the engine will be running at a more efficient RPM (all engines have a sweet spot) - especially if you have a slightly low geared vehicle. You may well be driving more smoothly due to being aware of the extra weight. You may also be decelerating more progressively by using engine braking rather than the wheel brakes.

However, the biggest saving of all will almost certainly be the aerodynamic drag. If you double your speed you increase the drag by a factor of four - and the Discovery already starts from a pretty high drag condition. Therefore, increasing speed from 50mph to 70mph actually doubles your drag and therefore significantly increases how much fuel you burn to make progress against this air resistance. The trailer will mostly be hidden from the drag forces by the towcar, too.

 

has anyone seen any reports on Ashcroft's 4x2 kit? I dont know if they still offer it but it converts 4 wheel high to 2 wheel high.