front design

[Ron Dickey]

almost all teardrops have front as a curve top to bottom. The Raindrop by camp inn goes left to right.

is there any one who has pulled both and could tell any difference.

I know with my present trailer the lower part is flat and I could feel a kinda (what I call Uhaul trail tug) to it until I added the boot in the front curved top to bottom.

I am looking at making a left to right curve in the front and before I commit to a build I must research those areas that are unfamiliar territory.

Ron

[rowerwet]

I haven't pulled a raindrop type front, but have pulled the same TD with three different vehicles. With my Ford Ranger I found the flat front starting to really pull above 60 mph, I planned on a tongue box that would match the height of the tailgate and sweep upward to the base of the curve in the front of the trailer. Pulling with my Ford Focus I never really felt the trailer drag unless I got behind a large truck, the disturbed air coming off the truck managed to hit the trailer enough to cause it to be felt, it also pushed it side to side and made me want to change lanes and get ahead of the truck.
Pulling the TD with my Dodge Grand Caravan I didn't feel the drag at all, even behind a large truck. I'm sure the higher back end of the van kept my TD in the "shadow", better than my small sedan. The truck with it's cab 6+ feet ahead of the tailgate didn't give the TD any real wind shadow and most likely had a draft sweeping down over the tailgate as I had a tonneau cover on the bed.
IMO a teardrop or a raindrop will "shed" the air about the same, just look at the number of cargo trailers with V-noses, I think it just comes down to looks, and what kind of TV you have.

[Ron Dickey]

[Ron Dickey]

At IRG 4.0 what this trailer

I tried to photograph all the tags on the trailers but missed this one.
The man who owns it said he got really good gas milage.
He like the Raindrop have a boot box as well.

[Ron Dickey]

I haven't pulled a raindrop type front, but have pulled the same TD with three different vehicles. With my Ford Ranger I found the flat front starting to really pull above 60 mph, I planned on a tongue box that would match the height of the tailgate and sweep upward to the base of the curve in the front of the trailer. Pulling with my Ford Focus I never really felt the trailer drag unless I got behind a large truck, the disturbed air coming off the truck managed to hit the trailer enough to cause it to be felt, it also pushed it side to side and made me want to change lanes and get ahead of the truck.
Pulling the TD with my Dodge Grand Caravan I didn't feel the drag at all, even behind a large truck. I'm sure the higher back end of the van kept my TD in the "shadow", better than my small sedan. The truck with it's cab 6+ feet ahead of the tailgate didn't give the TD any real wind shadow and most likely had a draft sweeping down over the tailgate as I had a tonneau cover on the bed.
IMO a teardrop or a raindrop will "shed" the air about the same, just look at the number of cargo trailers with V-noses, I think it just comes down to looks, and what kind of TV you have.

You will see a big difference when you add the box but be carful as to what you put in it. To much weight in it when pulling with the little car unless it is a wagon might pull it down, we pull with a carolla and The last time I pulled it out I put the spare tire over the wheel and it scrapped less when going up or down steep driveway ramps.

The van I think it more like drafting. The Australians use a wind and mud block in front of their trailers

[NateDogg]

Ok this thread definitely caught my attention. I'm now considering left-right for my curve instead of the normal bottom-top curve. I would think it would help with drag also since I'll be towing with a 1/2 ton truck.

[alaska teardrop]

Hi Ron,

Ran across this Aerovault Trailer designed by Pete Brock the other day at the races.

http://blog.roadandtrack.com/tags/aerovault-trailer/

The construction & materials are simular to welded boats.

Fred

[KCStudly]

That's pretty cool. Here're a couple more links.

http://www.bre2.net/pdfs/bre2_aerovault_brochure_2011_11_27.pdf?phpMyAdmin=k9QIsjCI-UCmbjFU6X2usBJKjz3

http://blog.roadandtrack.com/tags/aerovault-trailer/

Gulp, just $24k before options. Let's see, how many should I add to my on-line shopping cart?

[Ron Dickey]

I haven't pulled a raindrop type front, but have pulled the same TD with three different vehicles. With my Ford Ranger I found the flat front starting to really pull above 60 mph, I planned on a tongue box that would match the height of the tailgate and sweep upward to the base of the curve in the front of the trailer. Pulling with my Ford Focus I never really felt the trailer drag unless I got behind a large truck, the disturbed air coming off the truck managed to hit the trailer enough to cause it to be felt, it also pushed it side to side and made me want to change lanes and get ahead of the truck.
Pulling the TD with my Dodge Grand Caravan I didn't feel the drag at all, even behind a large truck. I'm sure the higher back end of the van kept my TD in the "shadow", better than my small sedan. The truck with it's cab 6+ feet ahead of the tailgate didn't give the TD any real wind shadow and most likely had a draft sweeping down over the tailgate as I had a tonneau cover on the bed.
IMO a teardrop or a raindrop will "shed" the air about the same, just look at the number of cargo trailers with V-noses, I think it just comes down to looks, and what kind of TV you have.

it is true that a lot of it depends on the puller and how it passes the wind on.



a pickup truck vs a car vs a wagon vs taller van.

[Ron Dickey]

a modern Pickup might do this




and the height of the puller might effect the trailer from wind coming from under the puller.


and a pickup truck youtube offers a s10
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGHnCfJ- ... r_embedded

[Ron Dickey]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HLBy-ui ... re=related

Truck and trailer kind of a teardrop. it is really a "Airflow over of my 2008 Mazda Tribute and 2009 Forest River r-pod. The silhouette was created from a picture of my truck/trailer parked on a flat roadway."

[droid_ca]

At IRG 4.0 what this trailer

I tried to photograph all the tags on the trailers but missed this one.
The man who owns it said he got really good gas milage.
He like the Raindrop have a boot box as well.

That's a nice looking trailer...it's got me thinking..wonder what it looks like on the inside

[slowcowboy]

this is one major reason air flow why rvs and standys or such a hastle to tow and to have.

this is one reason they go slow up hills and down the road and one reason they are big gas hogs!

air flow and tall sides.

slow

[S. Heisley]

At IRG 4.0 what this trailer

I tried to photograph all the tags on the trailers but missed this one.
The man who owns it said he got really good gas milage.
He like the Raindrop have a boot box as well.

That's a nice looking trailer...it's got me thinking..wonder what it looks like on the inside

I, too, was impressed by Ron and Mary Beth’s marvelous teardrop. The flawless canvas front uses the ship-building technique of canvas and paint/lacquer treatment. It is powered by a solar panel and even has a DVD player in the sleeping area. While I did not take pictures of the sleeping area, (didn’t want their cat to jump out), I did get a number of pictures of the outside and galley. Here is what I have of Ron's well thought-out and well done workmanship:

[S. Heisley]

The floor plan of that Aerovault Trailer shows considerable thought and promise. In particular, it shows that, even though the majority of the trailer width is 80", thanks to the curves, the front area is the width of many tow vehicles, and then it graduates out, to get the best benefit of air flow that it can.

http://www.bre2.net/pdfs/bre2_aerovault ... X2usBJKjz3