03-02-2012, 08:30 AM
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#221 (permalink)
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Banned
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
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I will write on the chalkboard 101-times:
peeled back and snapped off at 80-mph
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 Today
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03-07-2012, 12:13 AM
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#222 (permalink)
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T-100 Road Warrior
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: The Woodlands, TX
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Got the aero cap all torn down to the rails this afternoon. Starting the redesign/build up before I hit the road Friday night. The new design won't hardly have any screws accessible from the outside... 
Pulling the top rails in about 6". The bottom rails will remain at the same angle. Still trying to figure out how to put in the correct curvature. Still using Coroplast as my main material of choice. Will probably move to FRP in the future. There's still a few more redesigns left in this frame design... 
My T-100 looks nekkid... 
With all the rain in the forecast fer the next few days...it's gonna be really challenging to git it all done...
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03-07-2012, 04:13 PM
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#223 (permalink)
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T-100 Road Warrior
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: The Woodlands, TX
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She's framed out with the exception of the bottom rails...
The Coroplast sides are now being reused on the horizontal surfaces. I'll be using new Coroplast fer the sides...
Should be able to frame out the hatch by tonight...
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03-09-2012, 02:09 PM
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#224 (permalink)
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T-100 Road Warrior
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: The Woodlands, TX
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Had a crazy idea of using some EMT or black pipe fer my bottom rail. I've already did a quick test with some ˝" Schedule 40 PVC pipe and it looks like I can put in the curvature without too many problems. I've drilled a hole in the rear bracket support and through the horizontal skin. Time to source a pipe bender and some pipe...
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Dark Aero-The world's first aerodynamic single wheel boat tail!
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03-09-2012, 08:13 PM
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#225 (permalink)
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T-100 Road Warrior
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: The Woodlands, TX
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Bottom rails are in. I ended up using 1" EMT conduit. Bent the conduit by hand just by bracing it and gently pushing down on it so it would curve. At least it's not straight. Lag bolt up front and a bolt in the back with a locking nut. Cut the EMT conduit at the end of the top rail.
Playing with one sheet of Coroplast...I tried putting the sides in from the bottom first.
I think doing it from the top first instead of the bottom will give me better results as far as folding and securing it. I only have 5 sheets left from my 2010 harvest...
Currently raining big time and it's putting my project behind...
I did check out some FRP at Home Depot and the price has dropped to about $28 fer a 4'x8' sheet. It's heavier than Coroplast and it surprised me how much heavier it was. Not sure I'm willing to make the jump to FRP yet. I might try some stretched cloth and polyurethane over the frame as a test medium. Not quite fiberglass...yet.
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03-10-2012, 08:49 PM
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#226 (permalink)
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T-100 Road Warrior
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: The Woodlands, TX
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Had to pull the EMT off and go back to the wood bottom rails. It was taking ferever to drill the self tapping pan screws into the EMT. Didn't want to spend all day on the bottom rail...
After putting the wood rails back in...it took very little time to build up the sides. Had to put the screws on the outside as I was running low on time to git finished and on the road. This design is a combination of my 2nd and 4th configurations. I pulled the top rails in about 10" in the rear so now it's more tapered from front to back.
I ended up revamping the hatch setup. It's now a single sheet since the 80mph incident damaged the hatch layers.
Time fer piccies!
Hatch frame...
Hatch up...
It's an air brake!
Rear side view...
Front side view...
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Dark Aero-The world's first aerodynamic single wheel boat tail!
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03-12-2012, 04:01 PM
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#227 (permalink)
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T-100 Road Warrior
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: The Woodlands, TX
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I really like the Ultragauge EM...especially with the short trip gauges that automatically reset.
Started out in heavy rain and the MPGs dove like a rock...at least the aero cap got a rain test fer leaks. No leaks!
About 20mpg leaving out of Houston with the heavy rain and stop/go traffic. Had to stop in Madisonville, TX fer a potty break...so I was able to git some good numbers that wasn't rain soaked.
Got 26.1 mpg from Madisonville TX to Denton TX. Met up with aerohead and we chatted fer a bit. From Denton TX to Ardmore OK I got just under 26 mpg...with an average of 25.13 from Houston TX to Ardmore OK. From Ardmore OK to Wichita KS I got 27.63 mpg!
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03-12-2012, 07:58 PM
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#228 (permalink)
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Master EcoModder
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mpgs
Quote:
Originally Posted by BamZipPow
I really like the Ultragauge EM...especially with the short trip gauges that automatically reset.
Started out in heavy rain and the MPGs dove like a rock...at least the aero cap got a rain test fer leaks. No leaks!
About 20mpg leaving out of Houston with the heavy rain and stop/go traffic. Had to stop in Madisonville, TX fer a potty break...so I was able to git some good numbers that wasn't rain soaked.
Got 26.1 mpg from Madisonville TX to Denton TX. Met up with aerohead and we chatted fer a bit. From Denton TX to Ardmore OK I got just under 26 mpg...with an average of 25.13 from Houston TX to Ardmore OK. From Ardmore OK to Wichita KS I got 27.63 mpg!
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I'm likin' those numbers! Have a great break.Next meal'  s on me! |
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03-15-2012, 03:22 PM
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#229 (permalink)
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T-100 Road Warrior
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: The Woodlands, TX
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Had some extra time today so I cut in some access doors to the cab cover. It's the same setup I had before which was a gull wing type of setup...but I'm trying out some Velcro as the fastener to keep the flaps/doors closed.
I was able to install a piano/continous hinge fer the rear window...so now I don't have to raise the hatch just to drop the tailgate...
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03-15-2012, 03:53 PM
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#230 (permalink)
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Master EcoModder
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So, the only change was the cap and you are seeing ~26.2MPG vs ~21MPG for your 90 day average? If so, then you are seeing almost a 25% improvement just for the cap?
You are doing something right!
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