Quote:
Originally Posted by yostumpy
Wallace has a full safari type roof rack fitted which I do use some times, and I'm thinking of cutting off the side upstands 75mm so that its flat, and then cutting it into 3 parts, with the 3 legs at the rear staying on, the middle section thrown away, and the front 3 leg section easily removable, and place where its needed. but as I use the truck for work. Do you think the partial removal will improve matters? I know its not the best testing ground in the world, as my driving is rarely a repetative commute.  |
A photo is worth some words. (Google image search for your rack style might help us understand what you're suggesting.) It's worth taking off a roof rack when not needed. You will decrease both frontal area and drag coefficient of the truck.
Savings will vary. EG: you can see a ~3% change here:
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...-6-a-6069.html
People can be funny about roof racks -- "removal-phobic". (Not saying that you are.)
I once recommended to a friend that he remove the rack from his new-to-him small hatchback car. (Keep in mind this friend is the type of person who is perpetually in debt and always complaining that he needs to find ways to economise.) I even did the math for him, pointing out how much gas and therefore money he'd save in a year (I think it was around $60). But he wouldn't take it off. Why? "Just in case" he needed to use it, it would have been a fussy job to re-install. I don't believe he ever has used it. That was about 3 years back, so $180 worth of fuel burned for nothing!
Anyway - welcome to the forum. Good luck with your efficiency efforts.