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Old 06-15-2018, 08:47 AM   #1
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Trailer Aerodynamic Mods?

Any body made modifications to their TV/Trailer combo to be more aerodynamic? I was thinking about do something to eliminate the space between truck and trailer and skirt under the trailer. No problems to fix but look to make it more efficient.
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Old 06-15-2018, 08:59 AM   #2
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You will spend more in time and materials than the effort is worth. Even something as simple as a cab mounted wind deflector takes hundreds of thousands of miles to recoup.
Keep your tires properly inflated, suspensions components properly greased, and drive between 55-60mph.
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Old 06-15-2018, 10:39 AM   #3
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As someone who knows something about aerodynamics, the RV industry could benefit from a "trailer tail" for RVs. The flat back end of a motor home or trailer is the biggest aerodynamic drag of the whole rig.

Trailer manufacturers keep making sloped front ends on trailers to "look" low drag. If they turned those trailers around on their frame they would achieve far more drag reduction.
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Old 06-15-2018, 10:53 AM   #4
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Only item we added was a vented tailgate for the truck.Had it 12 years nothing for the fiver!
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Old 06-17-2018, 03:02 PM   #5
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Only item we added was a vented tailgate for the truck.Had it 12 years nothing for the fiver!
You might want to check out this test data.
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Old 06-17-2018, 03:09 PM   #6
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I spoke with a guy a few years back that had a htt simular to ours, but one size smaller (discontinued now). He stated when he hauls his canoe on top of his truck, his fuel economy increased, I think he said by 3 mpg.
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Old 06-17-2018, 03:35 PM   #7
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I have a tonneau cover on my F150 because I wanted/needed locking storage for the items I carry all the time (just to keep from having to load/unload for a hobby of mine). I've often wondered if a camper shell would improve MPG's when towing, but it would take a long time/many miles to recoup the cost if it actually did help any.

We just got back from a 3700 trip (no TT this time) in my truck, and averaged 22+ mpg per the OEM mpg indicator. Actual MPG's is about 1.0 to 1.5mpg less than the factory indicator using the old miles traveled/# of gallons to fill it up. Low 20 mpg in the F150 is good for me, wish it was better but it is what it is.
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Old 06-21-2018, 05:17 AM   #8
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In my opinion David pretty much nailed it!!! The rear wall is the thing that hurts fuel mileage the worst. Not that towing a high walled rolling brick is going to result in great mileage, but an extra mile or two would be nice.

Our first rig was an ‘87 Yellowstone 425. It had the old school traditional sloped front down to about the top of the propane tanks, then actually angled towards the rear some the rest of the way down. The rear wall was about the same. Sloped down from the roof to about three feet or so above the floor, then angled back towards the front of the rig. With the same truck, at the same speed, traveling the same exact road I would get 1-2mpg more than when we bought our second rig, an ‘01 Dutchmen which had a darn near perfect vertical rear wall. The new trailer weighed maybe 5-700lbs more loaded, but that was the only difference. The front wall had the same basic shape, but the rear was different.

I’ve never looked into it, it does anyone know the difference in fuel mileage between towing one of our rigs vs an airstream? Same truck, roads, loaded trailer weight, etc. I bet it may be 2-3mpg, but could be high, or even low in that guess.
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Old 06-21-2018, 06:56 AM   #9
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In my opinion David pretty much nailed it!!! The rear wall is the thing that hurts fuel mileage the worst. Not that towing a high walled rolling brick is going to result in great mileage, but an extra mile or two would be nice.

Our first rig was an ‘87 Yellowstone 425. It had the old school traditional sloped front down to about the top of the propane tanks, then actually angled towards the rear some the rest of the way down. The rear wall was about the same. Sloped down from the roof to about three feet or so above the floor, then angled back towards the front of the rig. With the same truck, at the same speed, traveling the same exact road I would get 1-2mpg more than when we bought our second rig, an ‘01 Dutchmen which had a darn near perfect vertical rear wall. The new trailer weighed maybe 5-700lbs more loaded, but that was the only difference. The front wall had the same basic shape, but the rear was different.

I’ve never looked into it, it does anyone know the difference in fuel mileage between towing one of our rigs vs an airstream? Same truck, roads, loaded trailer weight, etc. I bet it may be 2-3mpg, but could be high, or even low in that guess.


My parents have an airstream I have towed several times. It’s the same length as my trailer and shorter, but about 1500 lbs heavier. I consistently get 2 mpg better than with mine. I had to go rescue my wife one time. Her transmission died on the way back from her sisters. Her Acadia on the car trailer is slightly heavier than my trailer loaded. I got 3 mpg better towing that over the same route as when we have camped with their family.
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Old 06-22-2018, 02:48 PM   #10
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I made a surprising discovery. Towing my trailer behind semi truck I was getting 9.6mpg going 60mph. Then when I was not following I was getting 7.4mpg according to the truck computer.
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Old 06-22-2018, 05:26 PM   #11
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I made a surprising discovery. Towing my trailer behind semi truck I was getting 9.6mpg going 60mph. Then when I was not following I was getting 7.4mpg according to the truck computer.
That's called drafting - just how close were you to that truck? lol
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Old 06-24-2018, 11:23 AM   #12
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Anyone have experience with the AirTab vortex generators?
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Old 06-25-2018, 03:35 PM   #13
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I have a cap on my truck and a canoe on the cap. Nothing I bought special just what I had and it helps (2MPG)
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Old 06-26-2018, 06:16 PM   #14
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Anyone have experience with the AirTab vortex generators?
I've seen a few tractor trailer trucks with them on the cab and the trailer. You wold think that if they worked well you would see lots of trucks with them. You sure see a lot of trucks with the under body skirts and folding tail devices. You are also starting to see more and more trucks with the extra wide single tires on the trailers.
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Old 06-30-2018, 08:22 PM   #15
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I made a surprising discovery. Towing my trailer behind semi truck I was getting 9.6mpg going 60mph. Then when I was not following I was getting 7.4mpg according to the truck computer.
Thats called drafting and it makes a huge savings but it’s illegal if you get too close. You can get the effect up to about 50ft.

Another thing to look at is AirTabs. It’s been reported they work very well.
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Old 07-01-2018, 08:29 AM   #16
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I made a surprising discovery. Towing my trailer behind semi truck I was getting 9.6mpg going 60mph. Then when I was not following I was getting 7.4mpg according to the truck computer.
Do you attribute the difference to draft effect? How close to the truck/trailer were you? Could you see truck's mirrors?
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Old 07-01-2018, 09:17 AM   #17
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We often tow with two kayaks on the roof of the TV, and I do notice a slight improvement in fuel economy (but have never tried to quantify). What I find more noticeable is that overall it doesn't feel so much as if there is a giant brick behind the back bumper. The handling and shifting do feel improved.

I would highly recommend a kayak or canoe as an effective and economical aerodynamic add on as it provides hours of enjoyment while camping as well.
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Old 07-01-2018, 04:45 PM   #18
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Do you attribute the difference to draft effect? How close to the truck/trailer were you? Could you see truck's mirrors?


No I didn’t see the truck mirrors. I don’t follow that close normally towing or no towing. I was about 30 feet behind truck. Fuel saving is worth while without doing anything else.
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Old 12-23-2018, 04:18 PM   #19
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I watched the video's on air tabs & in theory they make sense. The problem I see for me is that the rear of my TT has a awning arm right on the side wall right before the turn towards the backside wall. I would have to place air tabs in front of these arms (front side of awning & rear of awning) to get the effect. I don't think the air tabs are high enough to combat the turbulence that the awning arms would create.




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Old 12-23-2018, 08:10 PM   #20
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It would be interesting to know (but probably hard to measure, without a wind-tunnel) what impact the various aerodynamic mods have, on balance/handling of a TT.
For example, if you install a modification on the nose to reduce resistance, where does all that airflow go... up, possibly, which will create a down-force = increased tongue weight.
After all, they install wings on the back of cars for exactly that purpose...
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