New Wind Wing - Effective or not? An ongoing question.

[cracker39]

There have been a couple of posts about the merits of using a wind deflector to reduce drag on taller TTTs. I can’t see that a deflector would help a low profile TD much though. In my post four years ago, I stated that my crude method of testing the wing’s efficiency in reducing drag showed (to me anyway) that it did help slightly. But, then, that test wasn't a true test of using the wing while driving. Would it have helped significantly on the highway? I’m not sure as I never got to compare traveling with and without it. I had the wing on when I towed the trailer nearly 400 miles to Anastasia and back home and all I can say is that it handled beautifully. That post:

http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=11330&highlight=wind+wing+deflector

I haven’t yet bought a single piece of steel or lumber or plywood to build my new TTT, but I’m already making the wind wing (wind deflector) to put on my truck when I hit the road. The old one that I made for the Squidget was for a taller trailer, so I’m destructing it for the trash as the guy who bought the Squidget didn’t want it and it has been taking up space in my storage shed for several years.

This new wing is flat and is the same width as the trailer, 5’, and it is 3’ from front to back. I’m using the support cross pieces with the four “feetâ€

[bobwarn]

It would be better closer to the rear of camper top but great idea. Good looking trl. design

[starleen2]

maybe for the rear hinge - some kind of adjustability to custom tailor the height of the wing for different tow vehicals or campers?

[cracker39]

It would be better closer to the rear of camper top but great idea. Good looking trl. design

Since making that image, I have thought about attaching the rear tie down straps so that they hook onto the rear bumper rather than the wheel well, which would put it back closer to the rear of the cap. That is how the other wing attached.

[High Desert]

It would be better closer to the rear of camper top but great idea. Good looking trl. design

Since making that image, I have thought about attaching the rear tie down straps so that they hook onto the rear bumper rather than the wheel well, which would put it back closer to the rear of the cap. That is how the other wing attached.

Sounds good. The closer to the trailer the better from my experience with similar things.

[cracker39]

Well, Slowcowboy, If you’re happy, then I’m happy for you. I believe I stated in my original post “I can’t see that a deflector would help a low profile TD much though.â€

[Gary and Cheri]

I pull with a 09 Jetta Sportwagen and my TD is no higher than the profile of the car. In an earlier thread someone post a picture of the reaction/flow of air on a similar setup. It seemed to show that the air drops off the tow and swirls in the vacuum immediately behind the car. I have wondered if a straight back extension of the roof line, 2-3 ft. back, would have any impact on a positive air flow and result in a reduction of drag.

I suspect that it wouldn't hurt, but the beneit would be small. If looking for increased mpg I would think there would be more benefit in purchasing some of the new low rolling resistance tires and light weight rims to reduce revolving mass. That said, little bits can add up to a big improvement.

Gary

[angib]

I have wondered if a straight back extension of the roof line, 2-3 ft. back, would have any impact on a positive air flow and result in a reduction of drag.

I would expect that to show some benefit.

But everyone seems to be concentrating on air going over the tow vehicle and trailer, and forgetting about air going round the sides. There are two sides but only one top, so there's probably more drag from the sides.

The square corner on the front-to-side joint of most teardrops looks pretty awful for drag reduction, as do the wheels/fenders just sticking out (not the Squidget, obviously). So maybe some 'aero' fenders would be a good step.

[cracker39]

If looking for increased mpg I would think there would be more benefit in purchasing some of the new low rolling resistance tires and light weight rims to reduce revolving mass. That said, little bits can add up to a big improvement.

Gary

I can agree with that statement. I plan on installing a cold air input system and improving the exhaust flow by reducing some backpressure with a dual-inlet Magnaflow muffler.

My 6 cylinder Frontier has dual headers that go back to the rear axle where the two pipes are compressed a lot to fit into one inlet of a single stock muffler. I plan on converting that to two fully open header pipes feeding into the dual inlet end of a Magnaflow muffler. The technical guys at Magnaflow emailed me to answer a question about that: "You may use the dual side as an inlet for the muffler this will not diminish the performance of your vehicle. We achieve this with our straight thru design in our mufflers. Magnaflow does not use chambers or baffles in our mufflers."

I believe that these two conversions will improve performance, and maybe improve gas mileage a tad.

[2bits]

I can't help myself but if your all into building stuff for the pure heck of it. I can do so to. want me to desinge a prope to go with the airplane wing. then you all can just forget about air drag and gas milage and get bettor gas by going like the crow flies. Heeeeee! slowcowboy.

PM sent

[aggie79]

Dale,

I really like how your new design is evolving. Keep the ideas coming!

Tom

[Roly Nelson]

I seem to remember the Myth Busters trying to find out if a pickup truck gets better gas milage with the tail gate up or down. They found out keeping it up, created less drag. That being said, I think it has been proven that the air spilling over the back of our tow vehicles is burbling and is not in any way, a smooth flow of air, that can be deflected by some sort of wing. When I was learning to fly, I saw some pics by some pilot, who had glued hundreds of 6 " pieces of yarn to his wings and fusalage to check out the airflow in different angles of attack. Perhaps we should try doing the same. Ok, who is willing to report on this experiment?

All I know is that my Camry gets 30 mpg without the tear in tow, and 28 mpg while dragging the little woody down the interstate. That's good enough for me. (remembering the 8 mpg I got with the motorhome).
Roly

[cracker39]

With nothing better to do right now (other than housework), I've constructed the framework for my wind wing. It may help and it may not, but I think it will look cool on top of the truck cap. Maybe some folks who see it may think I know what I'm doing.

The photo is a shot of the base or wing (don't remember which), which are basically the same except that the two inside braces are offset an inch to mount the lift support. This piece is clamped to keep the parts flat and held tightly together while the glue in the biscuit slots dry.

[kerryd]

Dale, I like the way you think.I think making things are half the fun .Keep going . Kerry

[cracker39]

Kerry, building things is more fun than using them...to me anyway.

I’ve finished the assembly for some photos, but the wing is still far from ready. I have to remove the hinges, prime and paint them, and finish painting the wing itself. That’s as far was I’ll go for now. I need to build the trailer and hook it up to the truck to see how high the wing should be raised, then make the lift supports and attach the hold-down straps and the fasteners that will keep the wing either bouncing up or being lifted by a vacuum over the cap. I don’t want it flopping up and down while driving without the trailer attached.

The overall dimensions are 3’ x 5’. The support bar and the padded “feetâ€