Aerodyamics and "big rigs"

[Frank Lee]

^What struck me was how knowledgeable the commenters were, especially compared to the usual comment sections!

[winkosmosis]

#

Anonymous

September 16th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
14

Quite frankly tractor aerodynamics was perfected a long time ago. The little tweaks on the tractors of today are just minor changes that are blown out of proportion by the marketing department. I know truckers with blunt nosed Pete’s that get better mileage than a Cascadia. In order to improve on what we see on the road today major changes are in order. Convex windshields, sleepers under the driver, and by all means integration with the trailer. I see your design has merit, but the Germans designed an aerodynamic tractor 35 years ago too and actually built a full scale prototype. People who really know aerodynamics are still 30+ years ahead of their time. Things won’t change until the ownership and logistics change. Until then it’s all about the truck……and that’s hard on the engineers that want to do it right.


What does "sleepers under the driver" mean? The sleeper section is lower than the "cockpit"?

[MarkM66]

Originally Posted by jakobnev

A 12% improvement on a big rig that does 50000miles/year is a dramatic improvement, you couldn't save that much fuel on your car no matter what you did!

I agree! 12% sounds dramatic on any vehicle!

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by MarkM66

I agree! 12% sounds dramatic on any vehicle!

I believe that 200,000 miles/year in not atypical for big rigs which makes savings even more dramatic.

[slowmover]

200 with a team aboard. 100+ is more like it for annual (logged) miles.

[trooper Tdiesel]

if your driving 300,000 miles a year (two drivers) non stop "ALL YEAR" other than fuel, engine oil, tire work and preventative mantince repair.

getting say 6 mpg = 50,000 gallens....ok.... 50,000 X $5.00 a gal = $250,000 dollers
I admit, 300,000 a year is pushing it even for two drivers.

12% less than 250K is $30,000 dollars in savings....


now think about a comp with say 50 or 100 or more of these trucks and apply the 12% to that and the amount saved gets to be a very tidy sum!!!!

there not doing it to save the world, there doing it to make more cash in the long run.
0.01C

[cfg83]

Buddy -

I see the side/under skirts all the time.

CarloSW2

[ICEBOX]

I have the highest fuel mileage for a tractor trailer