JimK-NY
NY
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Joined: 05/12/2010
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HMS Beagle wrote:
Bottom of the overhang will be wet and is spattered with bugs. There is a line of bugs on the camper bulkhead and it will be wet in the rain. Opening the rear window resulted in a large wind through the cab. Air flow in the area is much different after installing the dam.
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I have always had a boot sealing the space between the rear cab window and the pass through in the front of the camper. Perhaps driving without a boot and leaving one or more of these windows open might break the dead air pocket and allow water and a splatter of bugs to hit the bulkhead of the camper.
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HMS Beagle
Napa, California
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Joined: 08/22/2003
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I almost never drive with the side window open. I used to have a boot for the cat crawl through, and left the rear window open, either way it made no difference on the bug pattern.
Bigfoot 10.4E, 2015 F350 6.7L DRW 2WD, Autoflex Ultra Air Ride rear suspension, Hellwig Bigwig sway bars front and rear
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Reisender
NA
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Looks kinda funky. I like it from the aesthetics point of view.
Cheers.
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notsobigjoe
southeast
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Joined: 09/15/2016
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Beagle, Perhaps a series of different size holes in the center and moving out to the side. Large to small to let some of the air through as to prevent the deformation?
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HMS Beagle
Napa, California
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Joined: 08/22/2003
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Well I think the first fix will be to stiffen it to prevent the distortion. It is quite stiff out towards the ends, but pretty floppy in the middle.
Hard to know what holes will do, where to put them, how big, how many. I note that some previous efforts feature holes. But I don't know of any comparisons with and without.
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Johnnybgood
Illinois
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Joined: 01/23/2011
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I have thought of doing something like this for our Host Cascade. But instead of just a valence it would have an insulating pad that fits in between the camper and cab to help with the temp in the bed area. We to have a line of bugs at the bulkhead.
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JimK-NY
NY
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I am not sure if an insulating pad between the cab and camper would do much. In addition to the built in insulation, I sleep on 8" of a highly insulating foam mattress.
If cold is an issue, I have found two really significant improvements. I improved the gaskets on camper door and hung a curtain not above it. A heavy blackout curtain does wonders for privacy and to retain heat and stop the drafts. Indoor/outdoor carpeting on the floor made a huge difference. I thought it would be too difficult to keep clean but that has not been an issue. Next I put rigid foam insulation between the rails of the truck bed and the camper. That sealed the base between the truck and the base area of the camper. Any or all of these would be easier than trying to insulate over the truck cab area.
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HMS Beagle
Napa, California
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Joined: 08/22/2003
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Wtih anything between overhang and cab, you must be very careful. The cab roof isn't very strong and even soft foam at a couple of PSI might well cave it in (2 PSI on a cab roof 4'x6' is about 3 1/2 tons).
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HMS Beagle
Napa, California
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Update:
I added a stiffener to the lip of the valence, 1/4 x 3/4 aluminum fit behind the molded lip nicely, just bent it to shape screwed through to some tapped holes.
Second 900 mile trip from home to Anacortes, WA, about 900 miles, this time with the wife. She immediately noticed the reduction in wind noise. The valence held its shape. From the rain pattern, it seems to be different when it stays in shape. The camper bulkhead is dry, even in fairly heavy rain. There is an arc of wet about 12 - 18" behind the valence on the overhang, this seems to be where the jet of air squeezes between the windshield and the valence. The V of water from there back where the valence folded is gone. I should have cleaned the bugs from the bulkhead before I started this trip, can't tell if that is different because the old bugs are still there.
Fuel mileage last trip was reported as 12.0 mpg last time, 13.8 mpg this time, but I think most or all of that can be accounted for by better weather conditions. Last time persistent headwinds, sometimes quite strong, this time more even handed and not all that strong. I don't think mileage has been affected significantly either way.
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notsobigjoe
southeast
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Joined: 09/15/2016
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https://www.truckcampermagazine.com/camper-mods/contests/aerofoil-wind-deflector/
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