advice and opinions required

[aerohead]

An envelope such as this,tailored to conform to a flatbed semi-trailer might save an owner-operator some fuel when dead-heading between loads.
12-VDC blower fan would do the inflation and tension.
http://www.textileworld.com/Articles.../ILCDoverA.jpg
Here is the GoodYear inflatable airplane,constructed for the U.S.ARMY.
Possibilities are endless!
http://i.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/ar...7/72217_v1.jpg
here's a company already manufacturing structures which could be adapted to inflated road vehicle aerodynamic streamlining add-on devices
http://www.inflatableschina.com/imag...08%28OK%29.jpg
Here's a current military/homeland secutity/d.e.a. application which could be scaled down:
http://www.armedforces-int.com/uploa...for-ISR-1b.jpg

[freebeard]

I can't find a reference but it seems that on a box van you can add half-rounds to the front edges, rather than beveling or using the those front corner deflectors. The radius needs to be some percent of the full width. 4-6" is about right.

Your biggest problem is between the two doors on the right side.

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by chefdave

on the toyota motorhome website they are known as 3slow going at the speed of parking.

LOL

for cruising 60mph seems to give best performace and fuel ecomony. when i brought it home 500miles from where i bought it noticed inclines were slowing it down unless doing 60mph.

60mph seems very high for such barn door aerodynamics.
Have you tried mixing up with the trucks, around 50-55 mph ?

Uphill however, you could be falling behind the power curve of the engine when dropping below 60 / or dropping below the corresponding rpm in any other gear - so take a mental note what that rpm is.

Or travel away from motorways. You'll see a lot more.
Off motorway, you'll see benefit from reducing weight - on the motorway weight isn't as much of an issue.

rounding out corners do i need to cut body work or can i cut a piece of drain pipe to fit over corner sharp edge.

Cutting into the body work to round off the corners is probably way too involved, and may introduce leaks. The wind will relentlessly try to push rainwater in.

But anything you could do to round off the corners would help.
That's going to be difficult on the right (drivers) side though.

Rear roof spoiler would need a complex design to actually work.

[chefdave]

Hi
thanks to previous poster. airdam is deffo on cards. rear spoilet thinking of getting a shogun or such like rear spoiler then cutting it across width to make it longer and use fibre glass to fill gaps left. have also found out that at bottom of rear body in front of steel bar has a parachute symdrome. so a rear dissfuser/underbelly plate attached to bar then run underneath and fixed to floor above rear axle. air delfectors/airdam where the motorhome body joins cab. i hope this along woth airdam will reduce airflow and turbulance on underbody.

[chefdave]

Hi freebread
could you draw a rough sketch of your idea of half rounds locations
thanks
dave

[aerohead]

here are some values for an 18-wheeler:

[freebeard]

Hi freebread[sic]

That might make me sound like a 'librul'—but I am a social anarchist*, like Wavy Gravy and the Diggers, so right on...



I think this has good implications for the cab door swings.


*http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_anarchism

[chefdave]

Thanks free beard
not to measure everythink and try to follow your diagram. gives a lot of food for thought.