05-11-2017, 04:56 PM
|
#1 (permalink)
|
Bum
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Michigan
Posts: 8
Thanks: 1
Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts
|
10 mpg. Unacceptable
Hey there! Well I have a 14'x7' cargo trailer that I converted into a camper. It weighs around 2000#.I pull it with a chevy traverse and get around 10 mpg. I put vortex generators on to see if that would help (no improvement in gas mileage but they made it more stable) now I put a boat tail on it to see if that would help. Thankfully someone is going to put a picture up(I don't know how). So I'd appreciate any comments, concerns or criticism.
I didn't try it out yet.
Thank you
|
|
|
The Following User Says Thank You to Stink For This Useful Post:
|
|
Today
|
|
|
Other popular topics in this forum...
|
|
|
05-11-2017, 07:36 PM
|
#2 (permalink)
|
Corporate imperialist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: NewMexico (USA)
Posts: 11,294
Thanks: 273
Thanked 3,578 Times in 2,841 Posts
|
From what I can tell about vortex generators is they are used to fine tune the air flow on a good design.
Vortex generators by nature actually increase drag.
It requires perfect placement to get them to reduce overall drag.
__________________
1984 chevy suburban, custom made 6.5L diesel turbocharged with a Garrett T76 and Holset HE351VE, 22:1 compression 13psi of intercooled boost.
1989 firebird mostly stock. Aside from the 6-speed manual trans, corvette gen 5 front brakes, 1LE drive shaft, 4th Gen disc brake fbody rear end.
2011 leaf SL, white, portable 240v CHAdeMO, trailer hitch, new batt as of 2014.
|
|
|
05-11-2017, 11:32 PM
|
#4 (permalink)
|
Lean Burn Cruiser!
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Johnston County, NC
Posts: 936
Thanks: 840
Thanked 491 Times in 310 Posts
|
Quote:
Thankfully someone is going to put a picture up(I don't know how).
|
As promised!
|
|
|
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to BabyDiesel For This Useful Post:
|
|
05-12-2017, 01:07 AM
|
#5 (permalink)
|
Master EcoModder
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Oregon
Posts: 560
Thanks: 259
Thanked 202 Times in 159 Posts
|
That square front isn't helping at all. How about a small bubble up high on the front.
__________________
02 Saturn L200 5 speed- 265k miles
84 Gmc 6.5 na diesel K30 4x4, TMU
2006 Lincoln Navigator, 215k miles
|
|
|
05-12-2017, 06:49 AM
|
#6 (permalink)
|
Master EcoModder
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Victoria, BC
Posts: 1,747
Thanks: 75
Thanked 577 Times in 426 Posts
|
Dear gawd. It's a brick! a 2000lb brick!
First observation: You're moving a 4700lb SUV with a 3.6l V6 (unless there's other variants), which is barely adequate for the job. Then you add another 2000lbs in the shape of a huge brick. You're lucky you're getting 10mpg. You're lucky you can pull it at all.
In this case, unlike most others, a bigger engine would probably get better fuel economy. You don't have the excessive amount of torque necessary to move such a big load, so the engine has to make up for it by revving higher than a V8 would, and throwing your engine out of the efficient operating zone. So you're pissing away extra gas to compensate.
The weight is a bit of a concern as well. An extra ton added to any vehicle is going to be hard on the fuel mileage. But you can't do much about that or about your engine, unless you want to change vehicles and or the trailer. I'm assuming not...
So. You're down to aerodynamics, basically. Do something about that "brick" shape....more than the slight boat tail you've got pictured. Fix the front. Fix the rear.
Said simply, though it isn't going to be a simple job. Might not be worth the time and effort, unless you do a lot of driving with it.
|
|
|
05-12-2017, 12:56 PM
|
#7 (permalink)
|
Master EcoModder
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Phillips, WI
Posts: 1,018
Thanks: 192
Thanked 467 Times in 287 Posts
|
Those square sharp corners are killing your gas mileage. Get at least a four inch radius on the side and top leading edges. This would be relatively easy to do by adding a bubble to the front. Ideally, all edges would be rounded, but the front edges are most important.
__________________
06 Canyon: The vacuum gauge plus wheel covers helped increase summer 2015 mileage to 38.5 MPG, while summer 2016 mileage was 38.6 MPG without the wheel covers. Drove 33,021 miles 2016-2018 at 35.00 MPG.
22 Maverick: Summer 2022 burned 62.74 gallons in 3145.1 miles for 50.1 MPG. Winter 2023-2024 - 2416.7 miles, 58.66 gallons for 41 MPG.
|
|
|
05-12-2017, 01:03 PM
|
#8 (permalink)
|
Focused on MPG
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Uphill from the river!
Posts: 440
Thanks: 136
Thanked 136 Times in 107 Posts
|
Another thing we need to know is the speed at which you are towing, I have towed a 5x8 Uhaul across the country at speeds up to and speed controlled at 95MPH, got 10MPG doing it with a 2000 ranger super cab 4x4 4.0L V6 with a cab level camper shell, had the truck locked in drive and went on, so as I have said, what speed are you towing at?
__________________
Staying Focus'd on MPG
|
|
|
05-12-2017, 01:27 PM
|
#9 (permalink)
|
Master EcoModder
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: northwest of normal
Posts: 28,941
Thanks: 8,217
Thanked 8,988 Times in 7,425 Posts
|
Apparently you have, instead of a boat tail, a stepped box cavity. The 'next' step should be finishing the fourth side.
But now I want to see a picture with the entry door open, to see how that works.
A bubble or wedge front face would work, but Great Success was had here by Hersbird:
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tml#post481517
Jacknife your rig and observe the clearance you have. If it's inadequate use an ogive curve.
|
|
|
05-12-2017, 04:30 PM
|
#10 (permalink)
|
Bum
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Michigan
Posts: 8
Thanks: 1
Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts
|
Thanks
First of all I'd like to thank everyone for the input, especially babydiesed for the help. Ok, now it is a v-nose trailer (just hard to tell by the pictures) and how I came up with the size, angle, and placement was by researching tractor trailer aerodynamics which I basically am. Again this is a camper used in the real world. It would not be feasible to cover my lights or to have a 10' tail sticking out the back. I'm just an old retired guy with plenty of time to mess with things. Please keep the comments coming, and like I said, I didn't try it out yet but we should be going camping by the end of the month and we will see what happens.
Thanks again
|
|
|
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Stink For This Useful Post:
|
|
|