Aerodynamic toolbox.

[skyking]

I agree on the golf cart batteries. I put a pair in my current travel trailer and love them.
I may put a small single panel if I can find the right size to incorporate it into a fairing.
http://www.wholesalesolar.com/943323...ly-solar-panel
this one can be incorporated into a fairing aft of the airconditioning unit.

[Cowcharge]

Originally Posted by skyking

I'd think about that. most of the time you can pull it down on the load with a bungee, when the lid has to be up for that load.

There's significant weight involved in this lid, gas cylinders and bungees aren't rugged enough for my tastes when driving. The solar panel alone weighs 45 pounds, plus the weight of the cables, tilting panel mount and all the wood. Also I'm going to make it lockable whether it's up or down, bungees aren't secure enough when I'm carrying everything I own.

[skyking]

the bungee was for only when putting it over a raised up load. I would lock it too, when closed.

[Cowcharge]

Originally Posted by skyking

the bungee was for only when putting it over a raised up load. I would lock it too, when closed.

Understood. I want to be able to lock it when it's up as well. The aerodynamics are incidental for me, mostly just to save gas in my daily driving.

That looks like a good panel, I'd be careful when fairing it though, they get less efficient when they can't shed heat.

[skyking]

thanks for that. I don't want to hijack your thread, but it would get to breathe just fine below. It would be raised up similar to the angle of your toolbox, angling down from the back edge of the air conditioning unit. Just a pair of triangular sides to keep the air going where I want it. I could not make it too tight, since the AC needs to breathe too.

[Cowcharge]

Sanded the lid and put on the first coat of "metallic" stain today. I'm trying to match the Royal Red Metallic paint on my truck while still leaving the wood grain visible, dunno if it will work or not. I mixed a custom color out of SamaN water-based stain colors Paprika and Raspberry, and then added gold "loose eye shadow" from Dollar Tree. It's basically ground mica. The truck looks much more orangey in the direct sunlight, and I'm hoping the stain will do the same thing (those crappy dealer-installed step bars are long gone):


This is the eye shadow I mixed with the stain, the bottles have a spill-proof top, so you have to clamp them in a vise to crack the bottom, then pry the bottom off:


Six bottles' worth:


First coat on the lid, it looks much redder without the flash:


The gold doesn't show up much under the flash, either:


Hopefully after more stain to darken it, then ten or so coats of clear, wetsanding and rubbing compound, it will come close to the truck. We'll see...

[slowmover]

That Shasta isn't the one on Pirate4x4 is it? (Any and all tech articles on WOODALLS by JBarca are best on net. Leaf spring maintenance, upgrades, brakes, etc. Also his on using Reese Dual Cam Straitline Hitch. See also LAdams and others. Let me state emphatically that shock absorbers, increased wheel travel and crossmembers are part of what make my high end trailer so much nicer to tow. Greater safety. And higher FE).

Best RV tech online I know of is "Lewster" on Airforums. Between being factory authorized service and his million dollar motorhome customers he's always a good read on what and why. A pair of Lifeline GPL-6CT will be an upgrade on my Silver Streak. I may may even hang an extra on the truck frame. LiOn just too expensive for me. His lengthy comments in many posts on many threads at that forum worth reading. In fact, I'd use his recommendation on any RV system as default prior to further investigation.

Love the topper! Similar in shape to an all aluminum topper DIY this site on a Dodge Diesel like mine. Bob reports its worth between 1-2 mpg on the ANNUAL average MPG.

And allow me a suggestion for A-B testing. Choose an easy highway roundtrip for comparison sake. Fill up before and after trip. Use cruise control set at 60-mph. Even if weather different with completed topper (even loaded versus unloaded), it'll be a useful reference solo and towing. I'd do this ASAP on the solo, stock run.

I also recommend weighing the truck on a CAT Scale. Any all configurations. Gas motors are highly weight sensitive. Best to be able to factor that out. The more numbers you accumulate, the easier it will be to extrapolate what, if any, savings are present and where future gains may be had.

Same for setting WD hitch with trailer. Scale numbers necessary to suss out best performance. Best handling, braking and FE go hand in hand. (More in my posts on other threads). Same speed solo and towing for testing purposes means more than weather vagaries (barring high winds or xtra cold temps)

FWIW, the usual MPG drop from solo to towing (all other factors the same) is 40%. Having a strong number for solo MPG (and weight) is a foundation for all further testing. And, setting hitch.

I'm of the opinion that treating each of the vehicles aero separately in a combined rig is the best approach. Get those numbers, and future mods will be more realistic.

[Cowcharge]

I don't expect to do any A-B testing. Making this tool box/workshop aerodynamic was an afterthought. I'm not a hypermiler, I just figured why not try to compensate a bit for the added weight. I tend to drive too fast going to work to ever get truly good mileage.

[Cowcharge]

After voting, I put the last six coats of clear on my truck box lid. It was warm out today, thankfully, since when I did the first 7 coats in the cellar the fumes went up the old forced-air heating vents and stunk up the whole house. After it cures for a few days I'll wetsand, then hit it with rubbing compound. Not a great match for the truck color, but it looks OK... The flash still makes it look more orangey than it is. It's kind of in between the red of the truck and the orange stripes on my camper, so maybe it'll fit in, LOL.



I've also been gathering parts for it. I bought two lead screws (along with nuts, bearings, collars etc.) on Ebay to use for the powered solar panel tilt mount (to the tune of $110, sure costs a lot more than threaded rod, but so much better for the purpose). I'm going to drive them with the motors from two 12v Ryobi drills I also got on Ebay. I also bought a couple of heavy-duty stainless hinges, two 120-lb gas cylinders to hold the lid up, and ordered some truck cap lock parts to keep it secure. I'm hoping to be able to get three T-handle cap locks that are keyed the same, for the lid and the two side doors.

[Giles_K]

Looks good - okay, so the colour isn't perfect but the overall finish is nice. Can't wait to see how it looks and handles on the truck!