Truck Airfoil

[The_Works]

Does the cost of installing a airfoil on the cab roof of my truck offset any increase in gas mileage because of the aerodynamics? Does the airfoil effect handling of the truck while hauling a 35 foot 5th wheel? Thanks for your thoughts and input.

[tegu69]

jjj wrote:
Not worth the cost. I own one because my dad gave it to me when he got a class a. They are too far away from the trailer to be effective. You can see mine in my signature. It looks cool but that is about it.

I see what you mean. Not a lot that you can do with that front end. I just added picture of what I was talking about.

[jjj]

Not worth the cost. I own one because my dad gave it to me when he got a class a. They are too far away from the trailer to be effective. You can see mine in my signature. It looks cool but that is about it.

[tegu69]

For someone to say that they all work or all don't work in every situation on every fifth wheel is just nuts. I saw a fw the other day being towed by a long bed truck with an "air dam" mounted to the center of the cab that stood almost straight up in the air. He now had two obstructions for the air. I have a short bed truck and I made an "air deflector" that I attached to the bed rail. It almost touches the back of the cab. I used mostly materials that I had laying around. I spent about $30 on tinted plexiglass (matches my tinted windows). I added pieces to the sides as well. Some might say that .7 mpg is a negligible gain, but when you start out at 9mpg, I think it is significant. I could tell the difference the first time I got on the Interstate. I could get the truck to stay in overdrive on a flat roadway at 65+ mph. Without the deflector, the truck would not hold the speed without down shifting.

[restlesswind]

Now if here was a way to move the bug line down so I could reach all of them while staning in the ground,I would have installed it a long time ago.

I read somewhere that the ones that the big rigs use are closer to,and as wide or wider than the trailer.
My guess is that for an RVer pulling a fifth wheel trailer,it might look pretty cool,but not really all that usefull.

[AUWing]

If it's fuel mileage you're looking to improve, slow down 2 mph for the same savings x

Don't know the exact testing results but anything posted from real world suggests you gotta drive a lot of miles before the investment is paid back.

[sunnybrooktoyha]

I have one and use it. It doesn't do squat for fuel mileage but it took ALL the chucking away. I would recommend one.

[Old-Biscuit]

They work on semi tractor trailers.............because
They sit close to trailer
They are same height as top of trailer
Wind can move up and over the trailer front

Your truck & 5'vr are not set up the same
Sits lower
Sits farther back
Wind will just deflect slightly but still slam into front of trailer.


Just because something is available in the aftermarket doesn't mean it is worthwhile, better or needed. Marketing........plain and simple. A means of relieving you of your $$

And they just look ridiculous :B

[fj12ryder]

IMO if you could find/make one that fit far enough back to blend into the front of the 5er, then they would probably do some good. But most mount on top of the cab and are too far away to do any good.

The front of a semi-trailer is totally flat and any aerodynamic help you can get would be a plus, but a 5er is already tapered a bit, and the wing is so far away that I think any aerodynamic help would be negligible.

[Pipeman]

I have owned one for many years. I put it on my 1 ton dually long bed this year, after storing it for a few years, to see if I could get the air over the top of the 5er. My deflector is adjustable and it automatically settles back towards the 5er as you gain speed. It's set for the highest deflection but still by the bug line, it doesn't get over the top of the 5er. The bug line is a nice arc about a foot from the top of the 5er. I never looked at mileage with it as I bought it for a different use when we had the TT and that was 3 trailers ago. So IMHO don't get one unless you want to keep the bug line higher up on the front of your rig.

[Desert_Captain]

Yes they work but are more efficient the closer they are mounted to the trailer. I had a wind deflector mounted at the rear of my Leer Shell just a couple of feet forward of my 22' TT and saw a consistent 1.5 to 2.0 improvement in mileage, averaged 12.5 over a two years of towing all over the mountains of AZ, UT, and NM). These numbers were verified by the Scan Gauge and my calculator at the pump on every fill up. At just under $400 it took one year/6,000 miles of towing to break even (figuring $3.50 per gallon). The second year I saved about $400. Check out IconDirect.com

If you tow enough and can mount them at the ideal location they are worth the investment. If they don't work why does every 18 wheeler on the road have a one or a molded cab top that does the same thing? As to its impact on handling I could discern little to no difference but I have never towed a fiver.

For the record a Scan Gauge can save you 8 to 10% on fuel if you just pay attention to the mileage displays and let it educate your right foot.... Just one of the many good reasons to get one, but I digress. :C

[The_Works]

Sturgeon-Phish wrote:
In one report it did distribute the bugs on the camper differently
Jim

LOL!!

[BB_TX]

From what I have read they do not help. I think the problem is they are too far from and not as tall as the trailer. The ones I have seen mounted there was several feet of space between it and the trailer, unlike an OTR truck where it is within two feet or so and shaped to match the trailer.
Many of the newer 5ers are already contoured on the front for better aerodynamics.

[Sturgeon-Phish]

In one report it did distribute the bugs on the camper differently
Jim

[jdog]

Worthless gimmick!

[the_bear_II]

Tests have been conducted and from the posts I've seen over the years on the RV forums the gas mileage change is worse or very very small compared to no airfoil with the same driver/rig combination.

Better fuel mileage is constantly being chased by RV'ers. I've adopted the theory that when I'm out in my RV I'm not using the stuff in my home that runs up the electric bill. In addition, the pleasure and enjoyment of being out in nature or whatever the RV destination far out weighs any fuel costs.