Aerodynamic Devices/Researcch

We ran our Peterbilt 130,000/year, that's an average of 2500/week but pulled a flatbed. Time is money! You can run 60 MPH and make 600 miles a day, 70 and make 700. Now, at 70 it figured out to 30,000 miles more per year,thats averaging days off, and we were ahead of the 60 MPH truck by 4 years time our revenue was around 35 K more than the 60 MPH truck and our expenses were only about 7k more. The aerodynamic difference between a covered wagon which is a flat with 5 ft sides and bows with a tarp and a flat was not all that much except when going west in NE, KS, IA, WY, TX, NM, OK and CO which are the windy states with wind from the SW. I dont think anything but weight will help fuel mileage myself. Oh, I ran 75-80 out west adn 65-70 from Il to Baltimore, averaged 6.5 MPG West and 7 MPG east.(more downhill and down wind)

Mark Kovalsky wrote:
I'll bet they do save fuel. My son drives over the road and some of the trailers he hauls have this device. He has never checked fuel economy with and without this, but he has told me that side winds really affect him when his trailer has this device underneath.

I am sure they save fuel also, but it is a small amount, but at 1,000's of miles a year the savings add up to some BIG $$$$$ for the trucking company's

2oldman wrote:

Turtle n Peeps wrote:
You can save a lot more just by slowing down just 2 miles / hour.

Very true. All those devices are spit in a bucket compared to slowing down.

Truckers drive as fast as they can get away with. That's the real fuel-sucker.

Company truck drivers don't drive fast anymore.....at least not for long. The company GPS will snitch them off. Neighbors kid is a driver. If they have too many "alerts" they are fired.

We have GPS on our Government cars. If we get too many alerts we get a talking to. If we get way to many alerts we get a pink slip.

Also most companies turn their engines down now days for fuel savings. That is why you see more company trucks grinding up grades now days. 7 or so years ago they would be flying up those grades. Not so much anymore.

I still see a few private truckers hauling A, aaaaaa, going fast. :B

Turtle n Peeps wrote:
You can save a lot more just by slowing down just 2 miles / hour.

Very true. All those devices are spit in a bucket compared to slowing down.

Truckers drive as fast as they can get away with. That's the real fuel-sucker.

Do they save fuel? SURE!

At what expense? They are a PITA to deal with. Things break or fall off or rub or, or, or, or. Even my awning was ripped from my trailer while driving down the road. I really don't want to deal with this stuff while on vacation.

I race cars and aero is very important for us. BUT the lower we get the car the more problems we have to deal with.

Not only this but they just plain look goofy. Do you really wanted an aero package on the back of your trailer to save .001 MPG?

You can save a lot more just by slowing down just 2 miles / hour.

When you figure the cost to equip an RV with all the "fuel saving" gadgets, you MIGHT realize some savings in 10 or so years.

Jim

I'll bet they do save fuel. My son drives over the road and some of the trailers he hauls have this device. He has never checked fuel economy with and without this, but he has told me that side winds really affect him when his trailer has this device underneath.