Gary Lewis Posted July 17, 2023 Author Share Posted July 17, 2023 Just saw this Gary. That looks incredible! Guessing the texture will give it a little more traction as well? I removed mine and did a textured powdercoat with the goal of improving traction but this a much quicker/easier solution. Don't like seeing that the 2015 F150 left you stranded since I have one as well. But glad it was an easy fix. As for the rear bumper, I really wasn't worried about traction as I don't step there since the rear camera is so close. It was just a "that looks tacky" reaction, and I grabbed a handy can of paint and coated it. But thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickelplate Posted July 17, 2023 Share Posted July 17, 2023 Don't like seeing that the 2015 F150 left you stranded since I have one as well. But glad it was an easy fix. As for the rear bumper, I really wasn't worried about traction as I don't step there since the rear camera is so close. It was just a "that looks tacky" reaction, and I grabbed a handy can of paint and coated it. But thanks! We just got back from our honeymoon road trip in the 86 Bronco. As usual, I tracked all the gas mileage. So here are the comparisons: In 2018, we took a trip from Missouri into Arizona and Colorado. The bronco at the time had mud tires on the old cyclone wheels, OEM ford EFI, and an AOD transmission. Average MPG: 10.717 Lowest MPG segment: 7.750 Highest MPG segment: 15.076. But this was coasting down out of the mountains and barely using gas. The next highest was more indicative of the real values at 12.956. that was also a lot of downhill, but with significant use of the accelerator. In 2022, we took a trip from Missouri to Wyoming. The bronco had the same wheels and tires, had the same AOD transmission, but was using the Edelbrock Pro-Flo 4 EFI system instead of the OEM Ford system. Average MPG: 11.848 Lowest MPG Segment: 8.357 Highest MPG Segment: 14.389 In 2023, we took a trip from Missouri up to the Upper Peninsula in Michigan. The bronco had the OEM wheels, AT tires instead of aggressive mud tires, Edelbrock EFI, and the transmission was changed from the AOD to a 4r70w controlled by a USshift Quick4 Gen2 controller. Average MPG: 12.763 Lowest MPG segment: 11.573 Highest MPG Segment: 13.966 Going by the averages from these trips, the upgrades got me 2.046MPG more. That is a 19.09% improvement from the initial 10.717. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted July 17, 2023 Author Share Posted July 17, 2023 We just got back from our honeymoon road trip in the 86 Bronco. As usual, I tracked all the gas mileage. So here are the comparisons: In 2018, we took a trip from Missouri into Arizona and Colorado. The bronco at the time had mud tires on the old cyclone wheels, OEM ford EFI, and an AOD transmission. Average MPG: 10.717 Lowest MPG segment: 7.750 Highest MPG segment: 15.076. But this was coasting down out of the mountains and barely using gas. The next highest was more indicative of the real values at 12.956. that was also a lot of downhill, but with significant use of the accelerator. In 2022, we took a trip from Missouri to Wyoming. The bronco had the same wheels and tires, had the same AOD transmission, but was using the Edelbrock Pro-Flo 4 EFI system instead of the OEM Ford system. Average MPG: 11.848 Lowest MPG Segment: 8.357 Highest MPG Segment: 14.389 In 2023, we took a trip from Missouri up to the Upper Peninsula in Michigan. The bronco had the OEM wheels, AT tires instead of aggressive mud tires, Edelbrock EFI, and the transmission was changed from the AOD to a 4r70w controlled by a USshift Quick4 Gen2 controller. Average MPG: 12.763 Lowest MPG segment: 11.573 Highest MPG Segment: 13.966 Going by the averages from these trips, the upgrades got me 2.046MPG more. That is a 19.09% improvement from the initial 10.717. Those are interesting #'s. I wouldn't have expected a ~10% increase with the Pro-Flo EFI, but it is pretty obvious that was the difference. But for the change this year, do you think it was mostly tires or transmission? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickelplate Posted July 17, 2023 Share Posted July 17, 2023 Those are interesting #'s. I wouldn't have expected a ~10% increase with the Pro-Flo EFI, but it is pretty obvious that was the difference. But for the change this year, do you think it was mostly tires or transmission? I think it must be a combination of both, but a lot of it is probably the tires. I have a brief 215 mile test where I had the new transmission but still had the old wheels and tires. The mileage there was 11.703mpg. It's not purely scientific because during that time I was also tweaking settings in both the pro-flo and the quick 4. Those might also have caused changes. The new tires are the same width and diameter of the old ones but with way less knobby tread. Edit: I have noticed rpm is way lower with the new transmission. 1700 instead of like 2300 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gsmblue Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 I think it must be a combination of both, but a lot of it is probably the tires. I have a brief 215 mile test where I had the new transmission but still had the old wheels and tires. The mileage there was 11.703mpg. It's not purely scientific because during that time I was also tweaking settings in both the pro-flo and the quick 4. Those might also have caused changes. The new tires are the same width and diameter of the old ones but with way less knobby tread. Edit: I have noticed rpm is way lower with the new transmission. 1700 instead of like 2300 Posted on my project thread, but a major milestone today. Passanger side balljoints, radius arm bushing, caliper and pads, rotor, hub and new manual lockers, Bilsteins and spring, caster/camber nut. Bleed the caliper too. Felt so good to get the lug nuts torqued down! Started the strip down on the drivers side too. Big day!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olRed Posted July 20, 2023 Share Posted July 20, 2023 In reading in the forum about bullnose truck fires and the fact I tend to start ol'Red half in my shop and half out. Which my shop is in my basement, I installed a fire extinguisher today ... but first... some custom bracketry was in order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kramttocs Posted July 21, 2023 Share Posted July 21, 2023 In reading in the forum about bullnose truck fires and the fact I tend to start ol'Red half in my shop and half out. Which my shop is in my basement, I installed a fire extinguisher today ... but first... some custom bracketry was in order. Looks good! At the current deal price for these, I put a few more around the house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted July 21, 2023 Author Share Posted July 21, 2023 In reading in the forum about bullnose truck fires and the fact I tend to start ol'Red half in my shop and half out. Which my shop is in my basement, I installed a fire extinguisher today ... but first... some custom bracketry was in order. Wow! Love the bracket! And having a fire extinguisher is really a good idea on these trucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salans7 Posted July 24, 2023 Share Posted July 24, 2023 Wow! Love the bracket! And having a fire extinguisher is really a good idea on these trucks. I'm taking a break on my F350 to focus on my daily/parts runner. I'm likely going to retire the truck (from daily status) within the next few years, so I'm putting some love into the truck. I really miss the way it looked in 2014 or so, and I'm not really sure why I changed it, but I'm working on changing it back. I just need to find the right hood and paint the OEM grille I bought and then I can get to work on finishing this truck up and get back onto the F350. Recently I picked up a set of color matched fender flares to replace the factory ones I sprayed with bedliner. Just today I dropped her off at the tire shop for some new treads and I always forget how much of difference new tires make on a vehicle's ride. I got my money's worth out of the old tires as they were down to the wear bars and have been on the truck for four years which is the longest I've ever had a set of tires on this truck. I went with the same ones since they lasted me longer than any of the Goodyears I used to put on the truck. 2014: Yesterday: New tread shot: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted July 25, 2023 Author Share Posted July 25, 2023 I'm taking a break on my F350 to focus on my daily/parts runner. I'm likely going to retire the truck (from daily status) within the next few years, so I'm putting some love into the truck. I really miss the way it looked in 2014 or so, and I'm not really sure why I changed it, but I'm working on changing it back. I just need to find the right hood and paint the OEM grille I bought and then I can get to work on finishing this truck up and get back onto the F350. Recently I picked up a set of color matched fender flares to replace the factory ones I sprayed with bedliner. Just today I dropped her off at the tire shop for some new treads and I always forget how much of difference new tires make on a vehicle's ride. I got my money's worth out of the old tires as they were down to the wear bars and have been on the truck for four years which is the longest I've ever had a set of tires on this truck. I went with the same ones since they lasted me longer than any of the Goodyears I used to put on the truck. 2014: Yesterday: New tread shot: Looking good, Shaun. But those are serious tires. Are they noisy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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