Boat tail project based on a single wheel trailer...

[BamZipPow]

Originally Posted by euromodder

Duuuude !
What have you been up to while I was away

Still trying to improve on my MPG numbers while driving a gas powered truck with over 400,000 miles on it...

[BamZipPow]

Been making some runs back and forth to the Woodlands with Dark Aero attached and been gitting around 24mpg and 25mpg coming back at 65mph with some small city slow downs and a ton of signal lights in between.

I did experiment last night at 51mph on a some what flat piece of road and the indicated mileage was between 38-41mpg. I'm not sure I'd ever want to go that slow fer a long distance trip.

[slowmover]

Is this truck ever going to get another motor? Or itself be replaced? There's a Tacoma somewhere looking for a new home.

I ask as I know your numbers are not realistic for all the work and effort expended. Through no fault of your own, they are artificially low.

So buy a Lotto ticket. We really need to see what the new diesel Colorado can do when set up as you can do.

[BamZipPow]

Originally Posted by slowmover

Is this truck ever going to get another motor? Or itself be replaced? There's a Tacoma somewhere looking for a new home.

I ask as I know your numbers are not realistic for all the work and effort expended. Through no fault of your own, they are artificially low.

So buy a Lotto ticket. We really need to see what the new diesel Colorado can do when set up as you can do.

With the motor and auto trans approaching 440,000 miles, I'm not worried about replacing them or the truck anytime soon. If it did git to a point where I had to make that decision, I would just probably git another T-100 since they are still pretty reliable and can be had fer pretty cheaply when compared to other platforms.

I think my mileage back and forth to the Woodlands is being impacted by the numerous traffic lights along the way. I know I can git close to 30mpg at 65mph when travelling on a nonobstructed highway. I still have a ton more of refinements to make to the aero cap and Dark Aero fer me to be satisfied but the testing phase will probably last a lifetime.

Although winning the lotto requires me to play the lotto, winning the lotto and then buying a new diesel truck wouldn't guarantee that I could make any significant gains with the mileage due to aerodynamic mods. I'm not sure I could justify spending $10,000 to $100,000 just to satisfy that itch. However, if I git some sponsorship to help out...

[BamZipPow]

With most of all the students back in town, the rig is gitting a lot of notoriety. Probably nothing like the Decoliner but every "unique" project gathers their own following.

I git acknowledgement waves from the local officers as I pass by them now instead of being chased down fer a "discreet" photo.

I git asked questions about how much improvement gains are to be had and what improvements I've experienced. The people asking me are usually not the students but the locals who have seen the rig while driving or in passing and finally git the chance to approach me while I'm in a store or restaurant with my son. Maybe at some point, some young minds will be influenced by some of my work and they will gain an interest in aerodynamics.

Maybe more of the piccies being snapped of the rig will start showing up somewhere...

[BamZipPow]

Got tired of grease being flung out of the spindle hub and onto the wheel so I wrapped some felt around the exposed axle and ziptied them in place. I got the idea from the Allstate trailer setup.

[freebeard]

Originally Posted by slowmover

I ask as I know your numbers are not realistic for all the work and effort expended. Through no fault of your own, they are artificially low.

As the above post demonstrates, the knowledge base you are acquiring is priceless.

[deejaaa]

Originally Posted by freebeard

As the above post demonstrates, the knowledge base you are acquiring is priceless.

so true!

[BamZipPow]

Looking to finally address how to change a flat tire on the road in case it ever happens.

I'm gonna git this trailer jack fer $30 plus tax and build up an attachment point on the rear of Dark Aero so I just have to bolt the jack in place when I need to use it. Since it's all together as a complete unit, it should be easy to use and put away.
1500 lb. Capacity Dual Wheel Swing-Back Boat Trailer Jack



The jack will be stored inside of Dark Aero along with the spare tires.

I am looking at another attempt at a wheel pant fer the single wheel again since the support plate is beefed up. This version will be fully installed on the wheel frame instead of the partial setup I had previously. I might consider the belly pan fer the wheel housing again but according to the dirt flow modeling, I don't see where it could improve it that much.

[BamZipPow]

Removed Dark Aero's belly pan...




Removal of the belly pan is required to determine the amount of clearance that is needed when I build up the new wheel pant setup.