Final report on the Herndon Aerolid - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

aerostealth · 08-23-2015, 10:17 PM

As many of you know I traded our Herndon Aerolid for a Tonneau Cover for my 2014 Ford F-150 XLT 4x4 truck last week. My wife and I are looking to buy a 5th wheel travel trailer and we did not want to be taking the Aerolid off and putting it back on the truck constantly to tow or trailer. The G-4 Elite bed cover we traded for (plus cash) should be removable is a few minutes.

We really really liked the Aerolid and really did not want to sell it but we also needed to get some of the cash back out of it to proceed on the path we are on. As I told Jardin the buyer it is a work of art. However we have found that while the Aerolid does improve highway mileage the extra weight is a penalty in city driving of course. My averages probably will end up as good with just a bed cover because of this factor.

We still have the boat tail and I need to make a appliance to add to my home made bed cover to allow me to use the boat tail on highway trips. I may have some interesting numbers to post on this project in the future as well a project to make a boat tail for our 5th wheel trailer when we get it. I have started a new Fuel log titled G-4 for the new Tonneau cover in the mean time.

MetroMPG · 08-24-2015, 10:27 AM

Thanks for the update, aerostealth.

drrbc · 08-25-2015, 09:48 PM

Dude,

I got mixed feelings for you. I mean, I'm real happy you and su esposa get to hit the road (envious actually!), but I'm sad at the same time. We got to watch your work and experimentation and learn from it. Got to see the pics. Kinda got to know you. And honestly, came to covet your lid (Well, I did at least).

You posted more shots of your 4X4 with aerolid here than I've posted of my dog on Facebook- and I love that damned dog. So I don't mean to sound weird- but this is a good thing for you and you're happy with it, right?

I really hope you are. Because if you're not I'm gonna feel really bad about asking you how much that aerolid weighed. Like I just did. Sorry.

-drrbc

P.S. You were also going to keep track of the city MPG's with the lid off and let us know if things changed, yes?

aerostealth · 08-25-2015, 10:01 PM

The Aerolid weighed 200 lbs. Cheer up i still have a 50 lb boat tail and plans to fabricate a raised half bed cover to fit it. Things might get interesting. Yes to city mpgs. I am already seeing higher composite mpgs I think.

drrbc · 08-25-2015, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aerostealth

The Aerolid weighed 200 lbs. Cheer up i still have a 50 lb boat tail and plans to fabricate a raised half bed cover to fit it. Things might get interesting. Yes to city mpgs. I am already seeing higher composite mpgs I think.

Thanks and I'm sure we'll all be watching. Congrats on your new freedom- you made it!

ennored · 08-26-2015, 01:54 PM

What are you thinking for the 5th wheel boattail? Size? Construction?

DO IT!

aerostealth · 09-05-2015, 02:59 AM

So far I have had four tank fill ups since getting the G-4 bed cover (replacing the Herndon Aerolid) and the results are not that bad. We are averaging 17.5 mpg and have one low average which has lowered the total average. That was a week where we were taking our son to to work four days a week instead of twice a week which involves a five mile trip, a idle period and wait, then a five mile trip back home. We seem to be doing better in city driving with less weight and we have been doing as well or nearly as well in highway driving. Keep watching the G-4 Fuel Log to follow this as compared to the Aerolid Fuel Log which has much more data.