Tow Bubble

[Maverick71]

Howdy,

For grins and giggles, I have posted a couple of pictures of a tow bubble that I fabricated out of plywood in an attempt to aerodynamically modify the "brick in the wind" front end of my TTT.

I am having difficulty posting pictures; but if there is some interest, I will try to post the fabrication pictures.

Take care,
Maury


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[mikeschn]

Hi Maury ,

Welcome to the forum. Interesting looking bubble. How does it work? Do you have any real numbers yet?

Did you ever see the deflector that Dale put on top of his truck when he tows the Squidget?

Mike...

P.S. Tell me more about your trailer. That looks commerical! What's the name of it? Is there a website about it?

[Maverick71]

Hi Mike,

Thanks for the welcome although I have been on here several years ago and quit because I didn't like some of the comments.

I do not want to hi-jack your website with something like this for a commercial trailer. What I really wanted was to add somethng of value to some of the members that have questioned various methods of improving mileage.

I saw the Squidget sight by the Cracker and the wind wing that would not help with the low profile of the TBird; but still a good idea.

I do not want to reveal the manufacturer of my trailer since I have had many serious problems with the components and feel that no one else should patronize this trailer company. I have had trouble with the propane refrig blowing out, the water heater blowing out, and the furnace not properly installed and tested.

Last September, when I was in Yellowstone, the temp dropped below freezing so I turned up the thermostat for more heat when the CO alarm went off. I called the dealer whose service manager told me to disconnect the alarm!!!! When I returned to Houston, the local dealer would not touch the warranty for at least one month. So I towed it back to Illinois and left it for one month where two of the problems were fixed. The refrig problem was fixed with a special baffle in the air intake and the furnace was repositioned so that the exhaust could be routed out through the wall instead of into the cabin.

As for tow bubble performance, I can tell the difference on coast down but have not been able to test it on an average day. The first day I towed it into a 22-25 mph wind blowing as a vector force on the port side at a 60 degree angle to the direction of tow. Well, nothing helps in such a wind.

Over the last 7,000 miles, I have averaged a scant 15mpg with the 4.6 liter TBird while staying at 60mph and 1850rpm in overdrive. Anything above 62mph, and the overdrive shifts back. The loaded weight of the trailer is 2300 lbs. with a 230 lb. hitch load that is now about 280 lbs with the tow bubble. I am going to move the marine battery to the back trailer bumper to lessen the tongue weight. I run AirLifts in the rear springs at 25psi.

I have a complete set of drawings for a Teardrop ready just incase the bubble does not improve the mileage. The only reason I shelved the teardrop and bought the self-contained trailer was because Wifey wanted to go along and her idea of camping is room service at the Marriott. Some women worry about termites from a wooden toilet seat.

Your website does a great service to those of us that love the outdoors and have the skills for building teardrop travel trailers. I never miss the chance to read most of the posts. The members are great Americans who one would want as neighbors in any neighborhood.

I will post some drawings and fabrication pictures of the tow bubble.

Take care,
Maury

[rbeemer]

I do not want to reveal the manufacturer of my trailer since I have had many serious problems with the components and feel that no one else should patronize this trailer company.
Maury

Hi Maury,

On the forum we don't bash manufactures unless they deserve it. Posting the name of the trailer manufacturer is nothing but providing information for others. You may find that some others have the same trailer and have had good results. Remember it is just info for others. We like the good and the bad.

Welcome back.

[egjacks]

I like the bubble, it looks like you did a very nice job building it from the pictures.

Any help at all with mpg is a plus especially with fuel prices the way they are!

[egjacks]

can you use the inside space of the bubble for storage?

[Maverick71]

Hi Rick,

I appreciate your comments; however, I still prefer not to bash this trailer company because even if I excercise my First Ammendment Right, there is always a corporate lawyer who will go after me for every cent I have. I don't want to deal with corporate America at its finest especially in Trailerville, Indiana where they build everything from A to Z.

I have compared notes with another owner of a trailer exactly like mine only without a propane furnace. He has the same problems with the refrig blowing out on propane and the hot water heater blowing out in a breeze. In addition, he has the air conditioner draining water into his closet and no switch to turn off an outside "porch" light. This is kind of like the Motel 6 ad, "We will leave the light on for you!"
'
When I complained to the dealer's service manager about the water heater blowing out, he said that if I could solve this problem, we would be millionaires because everyone has this problem. End of discussion.

My bottom line is never totally pay for anything in cash. If I had to do it over again when I was almost asphyxiated by CO in the middle of Yellowstone National Park and the trailer would not have been paid for, I would have told the dealer or the bank to "come and get it"! I would have left the door open and a light on for the grizzlies, just like Motel 6, too.

I am sorry many times over for not building a teardrop instead of buying this trailer. At least, I would be safe in my homebuilt trailer.


Take care,
Maury

[Maverick71]

Hi Eric,

Thanks for the compliment!

I am going to tow the Turtle, my travel trailer with the bubble, from Kingwood through the Smokies to my summer home near Green Bay, WI. I am in my winter of life so gasoline prices aren't going to deter me because shrouds don't have pockets. I will keep accurate records on the mpg and post some comments and results on this site.

Now anything but a 4' x 7' front wall area canted at a 10 degree angle from vertical on the Turtle has to be an improvement. How much better? Well, the "answer is blowing in the wind!"

The bubble could be used for additional storage; but, this bubble is sealed up with no access in order to prevent any water damage.

Take care,
Maury

[cracker39]

Hi Rick,
When I complained to the dealer's service manager about the water heater blowing out, he said that if I could solve this problem, we would be millionaires because everyone has this problem. End of discussion.

There's no excuse for an answer like that one. There is always a solution to a problem like that. A pickup camper I had back in the '70s had both propane hot water heater and fridge, and neither blew out while driving.

I am sorry many times over for not building a teardrop instead of buying this trailer. At least, I would be safe in my homebuilt trailer.

My mottos (or one of them anyway) is why buy it when you can build it yourself...and usually better!!!

Take care,
Maury

[Maverick71]

Hi Dale,

I appreciate your comments and all your posts of building the Squidget! You are a mighty fine craftsman, too.

As to your comment about appliances blowing out, I called Suburban, the manufacturer of the the appliances installed in my TTT. This 6 gallon manually lighted water heater was furnished with their matching door.

The customer service rep aaid that I should operate the water heater with the door fully open to determine whether the door is installed too close to the main flame. Well, the door is designed to fit the perimeter of the water heater where the body of the heater penetrates the trailer wall. DDDDAAAAAHHHHH! Other than that I was told to contact a Suburban dealer about 40 miles from my home.

Since the computer is the most powerful tool known to man and that one can never know less by knowing more, I Googled the blow out probblem of the water heater. Wow! Seems like everyone has a problem with this brand; and there are many remedies.

My only solution is to try all these remedies in hopes that one will solve my problem.

Thanks for your interest.

Take care,
Maury

[cracker39]

I hope one of the remedies works for you. There's nothing as frustrating as something that you paid good money for that doesn't work as advertised.

[bdosborn]

Since the computer is the most powerful tool known to man and that one can never know less by knowing more, I Googled the blow out probblem of the water heater. Wow! Seems like everyone has a problem with this brand; and there are many remedies.

I use a pilot relighter on my Atwood:

Pilot Relighter Linky

Bruce

[86bigred]

x2 on the reigniter.if thr flame blows out,it will reignite the pilot.