Boat tail mod to my enclosed trailer

[Braebyrn]

I just traveled 1861 miles in two days and got 3-4 mpg increase. When I get more time, I will post the actual mileage. I am going to try and make time to put a nose cone on the front of the same.

Also, it seems that the faster I go, the better mileage I get? There seems to be a sweet spot about 75 and it is really smooth and the boost is only about 4 to 5.

Rick

[Otto]

Originally Posted by Braebyrn

I just traveled 1861 miles in two days and got 3-4 mpg increase. When I get more time, I will post the actual mileage. I am going to try and make time to put a nose cone on the front of the same.

Also, it seems that the faster I go, the better mileage I get? There seems to be a sweet spot about 75 and it is really smooth and the boost is only about 4 to 5.

Rick

Good thinkin', Rick.

For the front, do the same but with fairing oriented vertically. Maybe could fair the axle under the trailer, so that the coroplast would flex as the axle moves up and down.

What sort of tape, etc. did you use on the Coro? Good, durable sticktion?

[BamZipPow]

Looks good!

However...if you drive through here in Texas...yer gonna git a ticket fer an obscured license plate, rear lights.

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by Braebyrn

I just traveled 1861 miles in two days and got 3-4 mpg increase. When I get more time, I will post the actual mileage. I am going to try and make time to put a nose cone on the front of the same.

Also, it seems that the faster I go, the better mileage I get? There seems to be a sweet spot about 75 and it is really smooth and the boost is only about 4 to 5.

Rick

Rick,at 75 the engine may be seeing the best island of efficiency on it's BSFC map.
Anything you do to close the void between the truck and trailer should pay dividends.Get the trailer into a '2-car NASCAR draft' so to speak.
Appreciate the heads up.It's very good news!

[Otto]

Originally Posted by aerohead

Rick,at 75 the engine may be seeing the best island of efficiency on it's BSFC map.
Anything you do to close the void between the truck and trailer should pay dividends.Get the trailer into a '2-car NASCAR draft' so to speak.
Appreciate the heads up.It's very good news!

I'm really glad you did this, as it corroborates my suppositions about modding a cheap Harbor Freight flatbed trailer for motorcycle hauling.

In that case, the ~$200 trailer could be upgraded with decent wheel bearings, as the stock ones are dirt.

Then, increase floor space with elliptical plywood floor on the tongue, an otherwise wasted area, enclosed with elliptical fairing of coroplast. Enclose axle and wheel wells accordingly, then teardrop or von Kamm tail. So, 4X8 rectangular bed grows to ~5X 12 teardrop bed. Coroplast has hollow flutes, so to stiffen it will accept wood dowel rods of appropriate diameter.

Coroplast is translucent, so maybe LED light strings could be inserted into flutes for brake and running lights.

This would be a very light trailer, and with such improvements in streamlining and NASCAR draft effect, it is conceivable that highway fuel economy might be better than with no trailer.

Problems to overcome would include the wall/roof intersections, but sculpted styrofoam or polyurethane foam would work, if faced with fiberglass.

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by Otto

I'm really glad you did this, as it corroborates my suppositions about modding a cheap Harbor Freight flatbed trailer for motorcycle hauling.

In that case, the ~$200 trailer could be upgraded with decent wheel bearings, as the stock ones are dirt.

Then, increase floor space with elliptical plywood floor on the tongue, an otherwise wasted area, enclosed with elliptical fairing of coroplast. Enclose axle and wheel wells accordingly, then teardrop or von Kamm tail. So, 4X8 rectangular bed grows to ~5X 12 teardrop bed. Coroplast has hollow flutes, so to stiffen it will accept wood dowel rods of appropriate diameter.

Coroplast is translucent, so maybe LED light strings could be inserted into flutes for brake and running lights.

This would be a very light trailer, and with such improvements in streamlining and NASCAR draft effect, it is conceivable that highway fuel economy might be better than with no trailer.

Problems to overcome would include the wall/roof intersections, but sculpted styrofoam or polyurethane foam would work, if faced with fiberglass.

I see no reason why the unit wouldn't be very light,unlike my Frankensteinian creation.
Home Depot has an ABS plastic garden pool as large as a trailer body which probably doesn't weigh 20-pounds ( 9-kilos ).Two of these would account for enough plastic to create an upper and lower clamshell.With 3/4-inch ( 19mm ) plywood decking,we're still talking under 250-pounds ( 113-kilos ).
The gap-fillers are yet an un-resolved issue,but mine are evolving nicely,just have to wait.There are certainly dozens of 'solutions' for them,just like automatic drip coffee-makers.
At some point,it's a no-brainer.

[Braebyrn]

Originally Posted by Otto

Good thinkin', Rick.

For the front, do the same but with fairing oriented vertically. Maybe could fair the axle under the trailer, so that the coroplast would flex as the axle moves up and down.

What sort of tape, etc. did you use on the Coro? Good, durable sticktion?

Thanks, first try at it. The tape is Tucktape. I got it from a friend in Canada. Sticks very well. I did use screws and fender washer under it. Had a side wind and blew the side one off. Acting like a parachute right now. Gotta fix it.

[Braebyrn]

Originally Posted by BamZipPow

Looks good!

However...if you drive through here in Texas...yer gonna git a ticket fer an obscured license plate, rear lights.

I won't be going thru Texas for another week, but I have been passed by at least 10 state patrols in about 6 states. The license plate is on the side. You can barely see it in the picture. The taile lights are actually visable on both sides. They are the thin rail mounted ones on each side, although that was on my mind to put some on it also.

[Braebyrn]

Originally Posted by aerohead

Rick,at 75 the engine may be seeing the best island of efficiency on it's BSFC map.
Anything you do to close the void between the truck and trailer should pay dividends.Get the trailer into a '2-car NASCAR draft' so to speak.
Appreciate the heads up.It's very good news!

I had the same thoughts about the back of the truck. Actually, I was going to do something there first, but read somewhere on here that the back is where I should start. Something from Mercedes?

Thanks

[Braebyrn]

Originally Posted by Otto

I'm really glad you did this, as it corroborates my suppositions about modding a cheap Harbor Freight flatbed trailer for motorcycle hauling.

In that case, the ~$200 trailer could be upgraded with decent wheel bearings, as the stock ones are dirt.

Then, increase floor space with elliptical plywood floor on the tongue, an otherwise wasted area, enclosed with elliptical fairing of coroplast. Enclose axle and wheel wells accordingly, then teardrop or von Kamm tail. So, 4X8 rectangular bed grows to ~5X 12 teardrop bed. Coroplast has hollow flutes, so to stiffen it will accept wood dowel rods of appropriate diameter.

Coroplast is translucent, so maybe LED light strings could be inserted into flutes for brake and running lights.

This would be a very light trailer, and with such improvements in streamlining and NASCAR draft effect, it is conceivable that highway fuel economy might be better than with no trailer.

Problems to overcome would include the wall/roof intersections, but sculpted styrofoam or polyurethane foam would work, if faced with fiberglass.

Great ideas, and the Coroplast that I got is not the white one, but the opaque one. The led lights that are on the back of the trailer now make for a nice show at night!