First Electric van boat tail

[freebeard]

At what point does the Bowlus Road Chief trailer lose flow attachment?

The separation line will vary by cross-wind conditions. But it's a good point, curve those side panels.

Is speed a factor in max angle?

The general range is 25-250MPH, again depending on conditions.

Originally Posted by JSH

I am surprised that an almost $265K trailer has a cheap looking plywood interior like a budget van build.

The original Bowlus had countertops made from the same aluminum sheet as the shell.

[JohnForde]

I wonder if the twin-wall polycarbonate's ability to flex enhances flow attachment.

[freebeard]

Your vehicle's wake is a degenerate form of a Vortex Street.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%A1rm%C3%A1n_vortex_street

Animation of vortex street created by a cylindrical object; the flow on opposite sides of the object is given different colors, showing that the vortices are shed from alternating sides of the object

I would have concerns about buffeting. aerohead would have the most experience with rigid vs flexible structures.

[Piwoslaw]

Originally Posted by JohnForde

At what point does the Bowlus Road Chief trailer lose flow attachment?

Is speed a factor in max angle? I always drive 63 mph.

Would you be willing to tuft test it?

[JohnForde]

Originally Posted by Piwoslaw

Would you be willing to tuft test it?

I own the Zevo. The Bowlus is just a photo.

[freebeard]

Apples and oranges. A cube and a tic-tac shape have different aerodynamic characteristics.

A box van is a disaster at the front, with an opportunity for flow reattachment that increases with length, followed by a disaster at the rear.

The Bowlus (neglecting the tow vehicle) has a rounded front and a tapered rear with a variable straight center section. If half the taper at the rear were truncated, the Cd would be maybe 10% higher. Less affected by crosswinds.

[JohnForde]

Thinking of cutting the plywood top to initially accommodate all 3
Top will Get a coroplast extension to 48" too

[freebeard]

This was my suggestion for wire-reinforcing Coroplast (dated 2013!)



From the top, a raw edge, a recessed wire ready for a tape overlay, and a sunken wire that could have the two sides lapped over it and glued or taped. Of course wire can run the length of the flutes for reinforcing in the other direction.

[Piotrsko]

Foam injection works really well, also. Changes the failure point from collapsing the skin between the ribs to the skins which leads to hitting the yield on the outer skin much later in the load process.

[JohnForde]

4 pics of the Zevo's 'cuff' and gap