profdant139
Southern California
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Joined: 11/14/2005
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There has to be a way to make a TT more aerodynamic -- I have searched (without success) for some sort of a lightweight add-on nose cone. This does not seem like an impossible accessory -- maybe something running from the front roofline to the hitch ball?
Engineers and tinkerers, the market awaits your brilliance!
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Hgarnerno1
Tyler, Texas USA
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Joined: 12/04/2002
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Unless you pull your trailer an awful lot, the expense and weight would probably not be worth it. I know myself no more than I pull my trailer, especially now with the gas prices the way they are l/10 of a mpg would not be worth the several hundreds of dollars one of these thing would probably cost... JMO..
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Quilter1333
Ohio
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Joined: 08/16/2006
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profdant139 wrote:There has to be a way to make a TT more aerodynamic -- I have searched (without success) for some sort of a lightweight add-on nose cone. This does not seem like an impossible accessory -- maybe something running from the front roofline to the hitch ball?
Engineers and tinkerers, the market awaits your brilliance!
I saw a post on here somewhere were someone had the Keystone VR1 I think it is called. It has the sharp nose and is supposed to save gas. This guy had two and said they did not do a thing for mileage.
Quilter1333
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skipnchar
Topeka Kansas USA
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Joined: 12/17/2003
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My truck has a hard tonneau cover on it's 8 foot long bed. With the cover left OPEN it becomes the largest air deflector you can imagine and does very little to effect fuel mileage. If you want less wind resistance the best way to achieve it is to slow down.
A friend has a VR-1 with the pointed nose and says his mileage isn't any better than it was with his last, more traditional, brick shaped trailer.
2004 F-150 HD 3,050 lb. payload
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campercajun
Central Texas Hill Country
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Quilter1333 wrote:profdant139 wrote:There has to be a way to make a TT more aerodynamic -- I have searched (without success) for some sort of a lightweight add-on nose cone. This does not seem like an impossible accessory -- maybe something running from the front roofline to the hitch ball?
Engineers and tinkerers, the market awaits your brilliance!
I saw a post on here somewhere were someone had the Keystone VR1 I think it is called. It has the sharp nose and is supposed to save gas. This guy had two and said they did not do a thing for mileage.
The costs of developing such a fairing would never be recuperated by savings on fuel. The Keystone VR1 would be a good idea if the trailer had an engine and could propel itself. But the problem is the drag created by the turbulence in the gap between the rear of the TV and the trailer. Once you put your steamlined trailer behind a tow vehicle, all bets are off.
A flexible, accordion-type fairing, connecting the TV to the trailer, similar to those seen on OTR tractor/trailer combinations, which allows turns, could probably be designed to decrease this drag, and marginally improve fuel mileage, but the cost would be high, no one I know would want to install and remove it twice a weekend, and the thing would undoubtedly rub and scratch both vehicles. I doubt it would ever be worth it to me to go to the expense and work of buying it and installing and removing it every time I hitched or unhitched the trailer. And to be really effective, this device would have to seal off the bottom of the TV and the trailer, also, or turbulence would still develop in this space.
2003 GMC Sierra Crew HD; 6.0L; Prodigy
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Jim & Gayle Bryant
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SteveRankin
Sequim, WA
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I'd guess that taking that roof rack pod off the TV would get you as much improvement as a nose cone and cost a bunch less. Of course, I understand why you need it, however.
If you really want a nose cone. maybe you could get one off an old semi-trailer and stick it on the front of the TT. It might push the TW over the top, though.
Steve & C. J.
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chevyman2
missouri
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actually "BACK IN THE DAY" when I towed across the countryside when possible, I had a wind deflecter -- sort of a rear spoiler/air dam looking gizmo that I strapped right on the rear of the roof on my campershell/trucktopper. Truthfully I dont remember if it really saved much gas, but I do remember it stopped alot of the push/pull effect that trailer towing gives off. I think it did save some fuel, since it throws air up over the TT instead of trapping air between the TV & TT.
Tim-DW(Kathy)-DS(KEN)
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Bumpyroad
Virginia
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Joined: 12/01/2005
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when I bought a UHaul type utility trailer, they sold a bubble that mounted on the front upper half that supposedly did what you propose. problem is that there are so many different configurations of TTs.
bumpy
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larrygranny1
el paso, tx
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check out www.nosecone.com
Larry and Linda, we are retired from the miltary and teaching,
F250, 6.4l, 2008 Jayco, 25 ft w/slide
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redwake
Visalia, CA
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Joined: 08/18/2008
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since you have an SUV as a TV I'd throw a spoiler on the rear but that cargo box on your roof may disrupt the air flow to the spoiler so it would have less of an impact. In the end though the spoiler wouldn't change much in terms of resistance it would just help channel so the MPG improvement wouldn't be real significant.
TT: 08 Monterey 27 PT by Extreme RV
TV: 06 Sierra K1500 SLE Crew - 3.73:1 4x4 w/5.3L
Hitched with a Husky WD & SC.
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