Tonneau

[Christ]

I only have one question... how well did your diesel truck like gas?

[JacobAziza]

oh, you mean in my original post.

*ahem

right. "Fuel"
Apparently I can't edit posts that old

[JacobAziza]

Having driven with the cover tilted for several months now, and having made no other changes to the truck or driving style (save the most recent tank when I started P&G consistently for the first time) I can say with relative confidence that I did gain roughly 2mpg by tilting the cover.
Before my average was 26, and running empty all highway max was 28
After my average jumped to 28, and my new best was 30.

I also found the thread about the free virtual windtunnel software simulator, and tried it out for open bed, covered, and tilted cover.
Granted it is totally imprecise and inaccurate and unscientific, but no matter how I changed the parameters, tilt clearly had cleaner airflow than open or flat cover.

For me at least, this is a great compromise between aerodynamics and retaining 100% of the trucks practicality, in both driving and capacity.

[KamperBob]

Originally Posted by JacobAziza

Having driven with the cover tilted for several months now, and having made no other changes to the truck or driving style (save the most recent tank when I started P&G consistently for the first time) I can say with relative confidence that I did gain roughly 2mpg by tilting the cover.
Before my average was 26, and running empty all highway max was 28
After my average jumped to 28, and my new best was 30.

I also found the thread about the free virtual windtunnel software simulator, and tried it out for open bed, covered, and tilted cover.
Granted it is totally imprecise and inaccurate and unscientific, but no matter how I changed the parameters, tilt clearly had cleaner airflow than open or flat cover.

Cool!

I agree that utility is the must-have requirement of a truck. Getting the best MPG possible is just extremely nice to have.

Could you share a link to that wind simulator thread you mentioned please?

Thanks
KB

[colonelk]

KamperBob.... here is the thread I believe he is referring too, with a link to the software

Flow Illustrator - a simple windtunnel simulator



JacobAziza.... love the truck!

[JacobAziza]

Originally Posted by colonelk

KamperBob.... here is the thread I believe he is referring too, with a link to the software

Flow Illustrator - a simple windtunnel simulator



JacobAziza.... love the truck!

Thats the one

and thank you!

[bondvagabond]

Have you ever seen one of those slanted exterior storm cellar doors? I have been thinking of making a slanted cover like yours, but with a seam up the middle of the top, so that a right and left "door" could be opened up for large loads and they would act like stake bed sides, containing the load. they would be super fast to raise and lower, and also have smoother flow than stacks of boxes or something. The trick would be to make them light enough to flip up, but strong enough to act like stake bed sides in the up position.

[JacobAziza]

Brilliant idea.
Can't believe it hasn't been thought of.
Sounds even more practical than my setup. Perhaps not as simple or cheap, but more functional than mine, or any design I've seen.
Keep us posted if you really do it!