Quote:
Originally Posted by bdubnelson
Do you think there is too much slope there towards the tailgate? It was hard to find anything other than a 45deg elbow to put at the back joint there.
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Nice work, bdubnelson.
If you want to tweak your PVC frame you could lower the middle a few inches and raise the back for a longer and less aggressive arch (as Phil mentioned). Note that plumbers use a trick to achieve less than 45-deg bends using a pair of connectors with an out of bend plane jog or offset. Alternatively, you could use 10' pieces without any elbows. Instead, make some nip cuts say 1/2 to 3/4 of the way through the pipe on the inside of the target bend areas. Kerf cuts do weaken the structure some so leave enough material on the outside to hold itself together. Reinforce criss crossed pieces to each other using zip ties, for example, or other means. Cinching down the coroplast skin can also add strength.
I'm curious whether your 08 Tundra is 2WD or 4WD. Also what final drive ratio and wheel size. Or knowing what RPM at 60 mph would allow others to make comparisons. Presumably your 5.7L is paired with Toyota's new 6-speed tranny which I understand can TC lock in the top 3 gears which is a yummy power train. My 02 Tundra (Limited xCab 4WD) has 4-speed and 4.7L and my best highway MPG is 22. That's not with an aero cap but was hyper miled. So your record high score might be even better. (You definitely need multiple tanks to iron out measurement noise - not just run with first fill results after AB change - as you probably know.
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Rock on!