Removable Aerodynamic Fairing?

[QuietOutdoorsman]

Right now, I'm taking a 10-12 mpg hit when pulling my little Aliner at highway speeds!

With a 22 mpg city/31 mpg hwy EPA sticker on the automatic transmission, any drop is noticeable. The Cobalt has a tow capacity of 1000 lbs according to the Chevrolet website. It looks like your Aliner is the Classic model, which has a weight of 1430 lbs according to this website: http://www.aliner.com/design/products_detail_aliner.php?prodid=3

I'm sure the tow limit is relatively conservative, but above the tow rating has got to be straining the engine. I do wonder how much of your drop in mileage is due to that. To help with the aerodynamics, you could build a trapezoidal shaped wedge on the forward end of the trailer basically following the triangular tongue bar. Thin plexiglass over pvc should work well and keep the weight down. Make sure to close off the bottom too, so you don't have air swirling up from below. You'll see some improvement, but not going to get much of that 10 mpg back.

The Toyota Rav4 with 3.5L V6 and automatic transmission 2wd is listed at 19/27 mpg and has a tow rating up to 3500 lbs.

[sushidog]

Sushidog,
Your Aliner is neat. That is a great hit on your mileage. How much does the camper way? Is it much wider than the car?
I agree with you on the big campers. I would think I would enjoy a smaller one more because I do not want to stay at the same place more than a couple of nights. We like to travel to different places. I feel the small campers are so much more maneuvable then the big ones. I don't think I would really want a large one if the gas was cheaper.

Fully loaded she weighs 1,700 lbs, and she is about a foot wider than my car. I've done some modifications to improve it's towing ability, such as add a header, full exhaust, cold-air intake and had both my engine and transmission computers tow-tuned for my mods. Even the 303hp v8 impala SS is only rated at 1,000lb towing capacity these days.

My full-time mileage estimates may be high, but everything has a way of going up. Living on a fixed income I think it's best to plan for a worst case scenario and unforseen circumstances. Besides, I'f I'd like to summer in Alaska and Winter in Baja, and visit family in both California and Florida more than once a year, I'd be able to.

[Alphacarina]

A V-shape is such a poor second that I wouldn't bother with it. I know a V looks like it should "cut through the air" and that's what the advertising blurb always says, but it simply ain't true - you don't see V-noses on aircraft, at least not until they're supersonic and you ain't gonna tow that fast, are yer?

As usual, Andrew is right on

This little motorcycle trailer that I built specifically to tow behind my small station wagon evidently has all of the aerodynamics of a BRICK . . . . 'cause I get terrible mileage towing it



Even towing it empty (it's only 700 pounds) my gas mileage is 4 or 5 mpg less than when towing a flatbed trailer which weighs twice as much - I was REALLY disappointed. The aerodynamics are much more important than the trailer's weight. Unless I'm in the mountains, I don't really see any difference between towing the above trailer empty (700 pounds) and towing it with my 600 pound CBX inside it (1300 pounds). I'm confident that if I had built it low enough to be in the wind shadow of the car, my mileage would be LOTS better . . . . the bike wouldn't fit in the then though

Don't waste your time or money designing anything with a Vee nose to tow behind your small car . . . . especially if it's any taller than your tow vehicle. The gently rounded top edge of a teardrop would be much better than my Vee nose for a trailer slighly taller than the tow vehicle . . . . but nothing is going to make a big improvement if the trailer is taller or wider than the tow vehicle

Don