9-11 mpg Aerodynamic Tractor Trailer

[expensivehobby22]

@ Krayzie - Yes, it would.

Adding a boat tail to the rear would also reduce drag an additional, significant amount.

@ Icebox - Great job reducing the gap between the tractor and trailer.

[Cd]

This image belongs in one of these truck threads :

[kafer65]

Originally Posted by expensivehobby22

@ Krayzie - Yes, it would.
Adding a boat tail to the rear would also reduce drag an additional, significant amount.
@ Icebox - Great job reducing the gap between the tractor and trailer.

Yeah! I noticed that too. It also just hurts my eyes to see that the area behind the trailer wheels are so neglected as well.

I saw the first example of the skirt between the two drive wheel the other day but the skirt behind the drive wheels in CD's picture is the first time I've seen that. Nice one!

I watched a farmer's auction where someone bought a big semi truck with 750k on it for $80k. I was just thinking about how long I've been drawing pictures of streamline semis (40 years) and how much money they would save in fuel with all of the aero aids they have now by the time they reached 3/4 million miles. Last week I think I saw a trash truck with hydraulic hybrid drive Oh, also saw a pickup pulling a big trailer with his huge outboard mirrors folded in. I wonder how much better the semis would do with fold away steps and fold away mirrors-on-demand or panoramic cameras.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by Marc F.

I slid my fifth wheel forward on my company truck and gained some mpg, but I have to watch my front axle weights. That gap is a killer.

In my country, some trucks are now fitted with tandem front axles in order to overcome that weight issue. But that's not so bad as it might look at a first sight, as it leads to a higher net payload with a single trailer and only one driven axle, while dual-trailer combinations require both rear axles to be driven.