Aerodynamics and fuel savings

[smacdonald]

Here is a picture of a nose cone (www.nosecone.com) attached to a travel trailer. Something like the picture here is about $728 plus shipping. You install it (DIY) or drive to California and have the company do it.

It can even be installed (for those with a window in front) with a hinge across the top of the nose cone with pressure gas shocks to lift it like a hatch and fastened at the bottom with those rubber hood latches found on tractor trailer fenders.

Just wanted everyone here to see that it is available for our units, even the 7' Swifts's Part Number NC58-RM2 (They will trim to 84")

Spoke with their service dept. Here is a snippit of our conversation:

"No more white knuckle driving" is the best comment! The comments always include, "less trailer sway when being passed by a big truck, I no longer have to watch my rear view mirror and grip the wheel tight when a big truck is coming from behind". Fuel economy improves by 10 up to 20% depending on gas or diesel power. The trailer is less affected by wind. Able to climb hills easier and with less downshifting. More power!!
Kathy Rose.

FYI
Scott MacDonald

[Bassdogs]

Don't see the need. My W Hawk pulls easy without any sway at all. Wondering why I would want to spend this amount of $$$'s to bet on a 10 0r 20 % fuel savings. Product looks like you bolted on one of my grandkid's plastic splash pool.

[Jmooney]

How did it work out for you?

[Threebutchers]

I might consider it if I was a snowbird who took my TT from Michigan to Florida every year. Even then, I would think it would take years to pay itself.

[Rustic Eagle]

Looks like the same product that is added on flat front semi-trailers, see them often going down the highway.

IMO the manufacture's claims may be a little on the aggressive side, but I'm sure it would improve on some wind resistance characteristics. After all most FW's and some TT's (i.e.; Eagle) have rounded front caps.

Bob

[greenenvy1]

Trucking fleets use items like these because they can realize the efficencies due to the volume of trucks in their fleet. Would take a few years to recoup the savings this may or may not produce. I seriously doubt an individual would see a 10-20% mpg increase using this item. At the end of the day you are till dragging a parachute behind you and the drag will always be present. SLowing down is still the most effective way to increase your mpgs.

[Jmooney]

I've often wondered how effective the spoilers are that you see on roof top of TVs ahead of the truck bed and TT

[Seann45]

You will not own the RV or drive far enough for that to ever pay for itself.. I have a highrise campershell on the back of my truck that does the same thing as this does (no I did not buy it for mileage gains but for storage security) It makes a difference in mileage but not enough to justify it as a fuel saving feature.

[smacdonald]

You guys are all correct. It will take time to pay itself back. But thats not the point. The point is this product reduces drag which pays back in fuel savings on every fill up. I am only showing other owners whats available. New owners who complain about fuel costs can realize savings with this install. Some new mfgs know the reality of aerodynamic and the proof is in the shapes of the fronts on many of the newest models on the market. I know, from experience, when i pull my trailer, my fuel economy is cut in half. That means $50 min on each fillup. If i travel to South Florida and back to Canada (Toronto) thats roughly 6 fillups down and 6 fillups. Saving 20% is huge, especially for Canadians with an $0.89 dollar exchange. If i can save $10 to $15 bucks each fill, my trip will save me one fillup.

Anyway, this was posted to show owners that there are options and that paying attention to aerodynamics is real.

What you choose to do with this info is up to you.

Cheers,
Scott

[Jmooney]

Let's us know how it goes over time Scott.

Thanks for the interesting post

[xkuzme1]

There are 3 different types of drag: form, parasite, and induced.

In this case, induced drag is measured by the drag coefficient (design and imperfections).

Parasite is the drag caused by the roughness of the surface.

Form drag is basically caused by the speed at which you are pulling. The faster you pull, the more drag you create. A certain form is designed to operate at a certain speed. It's been a long time, but I think the formula says that to: increase speed by 10% beyond you must square the horsepower.

Long story short, I am sure that fairing kit will work a little by proving upon the induced drag characteristics. I think you could get nearly the same results by slowing down to around 60 mph (normally the benchmark for designers), taking a tube of caulking and smoothing out all the corner sections and seams, waxing your trailer, and making sure your wheels are inflated properly.

I actually think that you could get more use out of a spoiler at the rear of the trailer that would counter act the vortices and suction behind the trailer.

I think it'll help, but I think you'd have to pull 200,000 miles to notice it. There are better places to start.

X

[smacdonald]

Here is the thing about this thread. There are a lot of folks who don't like that their fuel economy is cut in half or more when they pull their trailers. For those who only use their trailers for short caping excursions, whatever they do to improve aerodynamics is not going to gain them much in the form of payback through fuel savings. But, those who do haul long distances a couple of time a year, should see significant savings in fuel, if they improve their aerodynamics. Sorry, a wax job does virtually nothing, and what it does help improve is so insignificant it's only worth doing to make your rig look nice. Neither is smoothing out the seams with a caulking gun.
Everyone I have ever talked to uses the airstream as a benchmark for the ultimate in towing and efficiency, why? because of it's shape. In order to come close to that (If) your trailer is relatively flat, there are a few things an owner can do to improve the towability and improve fuel savings at the pump.

Realize that a flat front is essentially a parachute you are pulling along at 60 mph. hit a hill and watch your truck react. Not only does it have to contend with the hill, and the actual weight of your trailer, that parachute is still acting upon your tow vehicle as you climb. Horsepower can take care of the trailer weight, but aerodynamic improvements will help eliminate that parachute and the drag it creates.

For owners with a pickup as a tow vehicle, you have a couple of choices, add a cap over the bed and reduce the height difference between your truck and the campers roofline and also reduce the "gap" between which helps reduce turbulance and overall drag. If you add a wing to the rear of your cap, even better, move the air over the top of your trailer essentially punching a hole in the air. If you don't want the cap solution, or you have a lower roofline vehicle like an SUV or a Sedan car, your choices to improve aerodynamics is somewhat limited. The only real solution is to look at making your trailer more "wind friendly" - mimic the Airstreams lines as much as possible.

The nose cone essentially does this, yes there is a cost, but so is a truck cap, either way there is a cost involved. Or trade in your square tailer for one of those new factory rounded front trailers on the market today.

Hmmmm... wonder where the manufacturers got the brilliant idea to round the front of their new models. Probably has a lot to do with towability and fuel economy, but thats just a guess.

I want owners to know that there are options to improve fuel savings, and yes there is a cost to get there, but the way I see it, either you pay the manufacturer to improve aerodynamics and it is reflected in the retail price or you find other solution as suggested in this thread, but there is a cost - either way. I know how angry I was the first time I took a trip with our camper. I was not impressed to have to double my expected fuel budget for that trip.

Do what works best for you. If you are happy with your fuel economy, great - have a wonderful life, if not, you can do something about it.