Aero modding an 18 wheeler!! with video!!

[Vekke]

There arent many really working wheel covers for trucks, but I have ones which are best in user friendliness. If you like to help me with my companys US marketing efforts print few of these to your clovebox. Every time you see a stopped truck with trailer skirts and without wheelcovers give one press release to the driver.
http://www.tuneko.com/documents/Tune...Xcap_PR_US.pdf

This is not mandatory, but I would hugely appreciate it!

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by instarx

Also, most people don't realize what a hard life trailers have. Trailers have to deliver goods in some pretty tight places in less than perfect conditions.

Come to Europe to see big trucks in tight places

Sure, if it's not practical for what the truck/trailer is being used for, then don't use them.
But a lot of trailers spend most of their time on the highways between ports and loading docks. They'd benefit a lot from aero improvements.

[Hauki]

Side skirts been around for years in Europe. Volvo have had tear-drop trucks out for a few years now aswell. DHL - biggest courier company in Europe has truck load of them

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by Hauki

Side skirts been around for years in Europe. Volvo have had tear-drop trucks out for a few years now aswell. DHL - biggest courier company in Europe has truck load of them

That may be a Volvo truck, but the box and trailer are patented designs by Don-Bur UK - who happen to post on Ecomodder occasionally


They're just missing Vekke's FlexCaps on their wheels

[instarx]

Originally Posted by euromodder

Come to Europe to see big trucks in tight places

Sure, if it's not practical for what the truck/trailer is being used for, then don't use them.
But a lot of trailers spend most of their time on the highways between ports and loading docks. They'd benefit a lot from aero improvements.

Don't misunderstand me, I think it is a great idea when practical, but I just wanted to point out that mods can't be universal nor be really aggressive. A company-owned truck could probably use moderate aero with little trouble since they go from warehouse to developed dock, store to store - but a general duty trailer that can go anywhere and deliver anything would be impractical for most aeromods. Many independent truckers in the US don't know from day to day what sort of load they will have or even where they will be going tomorrow.

I come from a trucking family and have been around tractor/trailers all my life, so I'm not just guessing that they lead a hard life. I've never backed one myself, but I've seen skilled truckers put trailers in places you wouldn't believe possible, but they still often get damaged.

[md7989]

I see these every morning and afternoon on my trip to work. Also I've been seeing a few "boat tail" type deals that bolt onto the back of the trailer to bring the rear down to a tail or point. They're only 5 feet long or so and appear to fold up to open the trailer doors, but very interesting.

[Diesel_Dave]

My understanding is that one issue is, in many cases, the tractor and the trailer are owned by different people. The cost of fuel is on the tactor owner so why would the trailer owner spend money on mods to help the tactor owner.

[cleanspeed1]

Originally Posted by Diesel_Dave

My understanding is that one issue is, in many cases, the tractor and the trailer are owned by different people. The cost of fuel is on the tactor owner so why would the trailer owner spend money on mods to help the tactor owner.

The other aspect is simply $$$$$$$. When you have to spend anywhere from 110-135k for a new tractor that is emissions compliant and another 30-50k for a trailer, it's not cheap. That and the fact that many truckers simply don't know what else is out there.

The Euro designs would solve a lot of problems, but cutting through the mindset about what looks good versus what can mpg the best is a constant battle. Peterbilt built a cabover that was very aerodynamic back in the '80s, but it never sold well because diesel was cheap and most truckers wanted a rig that was styled old school. I made the same mistake with the W900 you see in my avatar.

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by Diesel_Dave

My understanding is that one issue is, in many cases, the tractor and the trailer are owned by different people.

That's a serious issue regarding maintenance, too.
Rented trailers can be towed by company X today, and Y the next day, and basicly nobody is really taking care of them.

Independent truckers have the best maintained rigs - because it's theirs and they'll look after it properly.

The cost of fuel is on the tactor owner so why would the trailer owner spend money on mods to help the tactor owner.

Ask more money for an aeromodded trailer that the tractor owner can tow cheaper - if he feels it's worth the extra, depending on what he wants to use it for.

[instarx]

Not aero and perhaps off-topic, but here is an idea for anyone out there with venture capital enough to make trucking more efficient.

Load tractor-trailers onto special rail cars and carry them cross-country by rail. The trains can travel 24-hours a day and can get the truck coast to coast in less time than it would take to drive, and for MUCH less fuel (not to mention wear and tear on the trucks). When the truck gets to a destination near where its load is to be delivered it drives off the train and delivers locally. It picks up another local load and then gets on another train going to the next destination. Drivers can hang out, eat and sleep in special passenger cars of the train and arrive alert, awake and with fatter wallets. This would also save huge amounts of fuel which is good for the country.

Doing this would preserve the benefit of trucks to deliver door to door and also leverage the benefits of trains in long-distance efficiency. It would keep independent truckers in business, put more money in their pockets, benefit the railroads, and save millions of gallons of fuel.

The drive-on/drive-off train and terminal systems would be essentially the same as those being used in the Channel Tunnel where all truck traffic is driven onto trains in England to pass through the tunnel and then driven off in France (and vice versa). So it wouldn't even require designing totally new systems. All the hardware is already designed and proven to work.