Looking at new GM trucks (3/4ton+), any opinions?

[Super Dave]

I go slower so that I don't have so much throttle and turbo happening.

I just can't affort a whole lot of fuel, but I couldn't affort the gas and power deficit fo the V8 gas motor.

20 foot trailer?  Might be narrower?  Might still be a light chassis?

[OmniGLH]

I doubt you'd get that.  

I've just never heard of it.  Only rumors.  If you can regularly get over 22, that would be great.  Anything above that is a bonus.

Nope.  It's been done.  It's what happens when a few guys on the calibration team own PSD's themselves and play around with the maps for awhile.  Several family friends of mine are getting over 25 empty.  The 26mpg figure is actually coming from a guy with a 2wd Excursion.

What kills the mileage on the stock factory maps are 1) EPA requirements and 2) noise requirements (cranking up the injection pressure increases efficiency but adds a LOT more noise.)

[Super Dave]

7.3 PS do run a bit quieter and smoother with a 203* thermostat.  Lots of things you can do to a diesel.  

Still, to get 25MPG with shorter towing gears...you'll be going slow.  

That can be the hard thing to do with a powerful diesel as they are so fun to drive with all the torque.    

[Jeff]

Dave, Hansen's rig is for sale??  What gives there?  Is he done or did he upgrade/downgrade??

[bweber]

I think you could certainly say what he did was an UPGRADE.  Have not seen it yet but I saw pictures of similar haulers.  All I can say is WOW!  Now he just needs to qualify! ;D

[Super Dave]

Oh, yeah, an upgrade.