Full-boat-tail trailer with gap-fillers for Toyota T-100 pickup

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by skyl4rk

What was the cause of the self-destruct?

I never fully tightened the lug bolts,and after 350-miles they decided to leave and take the driver side wheel with them.The fairings on that side were detroyed,and since they are an integral part of the streamlining,there was no point to continue even if I could have found lug bolts in Odessa.
Moral to the story: have another set of eyes on your project and leave when you're 'finished and ready',not when the clock or calendar says to go.
Sleep is good also!

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by euromodder

It seems we can get 10" tyres (165/70/10) here in Europe with H72 rating
FALKEN FK-07E or YOKOHAMA A008 - and possibly the YOKOHAMA A032R

That's what's being used on the Mini - the original, that is.

Thanks euro,I've gone ahead and commited myself to the larger MC wheel/tire combo.
The little donuts would have to fit an 8" wheel.And I got to thinking,the Goodyears that I wanted only travel 1/4-mile at a time.The bearings have a really low duty cycle.
At Bonneville I will have traveled a mile before I actually enter the kilo/mile trap,and then there's the time to decelerate.I think the 17-inch tire/wheel/bearing set will be an asset,where the 8" might be a liability.Wheel loss due to a bearing failure would not only be really scary at 130 mph,it would shred the race course,wrecking it for the other racers,something I'd never live down
I appreciate your thinking about this

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by Cd

It would be nice to see an aerial view of your truck Phil. :-)

How much of an aero hit are you taking behind the cab of the truck ? I notice you still have the area behind the cab where the air doesn't meet-up with the aerocap.

Same question for the trailer.
Can you remind me about how much drag is created behind the truck before it makes contact with the trailer ?

Thanks and good luck

Cd,the photos date to late September and since that time I was able to complete the drivers side fairing,'harden' the passenger side fairing,and cut in a side plex window.So the turbulence behind the cab is gone now.Tuft testing revealed zero separation problems from the cab/bed gap.
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With respect to the trailer/truck gap,Hucho published that the drag there could be as much as 20 %,or a 10 % mpg loss.So I really need those panels!
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I don't have a high enough vantage point at home to do a proper overhead shot,but I may be able to coax a friend or neighbor to either drive the rig so I can photograph from an overpass or vise-versa.I'd like to have that kinda shot for myself.
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The trailer mimics Mair's wind tunnel model,gently wrapping the top and sides into a straight 22-degree angled tail.The belly maintains the 2.5-degree diffuser angle of the truck.
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There remains a vestigial 'prow' at the top/ back.It does nothing beneficial aerodynamically,but it's very strong and will provide the base attachment point for the tailfin and drag-chute alcove I'll construct for the salt flats.It makes it hard to 'see' the trailers form.
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Tomorrow,weather permitting,I'll get down to Lewisville to purchase a replacement wheel/tire for the one I lost.I'm out of my 'funk' and excited pushing the project along.

[KamperBob]

Originally Posted by aerohead

Thanks euro,I've gone ahead and commited myself to the larger MC wheel/tire combo.
The little donuts would have to fit an 8" wheel.And I got to thinking,the Goodyears that I wanted only travel 1/4-mile at a time.The bearings have a really low duty cycle.
At Bonneville I will have traveled a mile before I actually enter the kilo/mile trap,and then there's the time to decelerate.I think the 17-inch tire/wheel/bearing set will be an asset,where the 8" might be a liability.Wheel loss due to a bearing failure would not only be really scary at 130 mph,it would shred the race course,wrecking it for the other racers,something I'd never live down
I appreciate your thinking about this

Very wise, grasshopper.

[aerohead]

Sun came out,snow is gone.
I got the replacement wheel,got it de-mounted,metal valve stem installed,re mounted and spun-balanced.
I got the metal valve stem on the 17-inch wheel,got the tire mounted and spun-balanced.
I also picked up a T-100 seat from the bone-yard and got it stripped down.The seat will provide attachment for the racing seat,5-way SIMPSON harness,parachute release hardware,and fire-extinguisher.She'll just bolt right in.

[aerohead]

An old college chum drove down from Colorado Springs in his new Prius for a day visit and 23-mile off-road bike ride below Lake Ray Roberts.Then a bunch of Tex-Mex to destroy any health benefits of our ride!
He liked the trailer concept and is going to do one for his Prius.
Harbor Freight Tools sells the same trailer I have at the same price I paid in 1986!
My friend will use the next step up the food chain,with larger wheels and radial trailer tires.
He has a THULE receiver-hitch bike rack already which will make for sturdy,safe towing.
We have the same engineering degree and perhaps he'll have some different and creative 'solutions' to the gap-fillers.
It'll be fun! Maybe low 60s mpg in straight interstate highway motoring.

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EDIT, BY ADMIN...

Split the Prius faired trailer discussion into its own thread, here:

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...red-17087.html

Darin

[aerohead]

A few weeks back a group of college people from UTArlington were at where I live for a tour.They come a couple times a year.In addition to the homes,I do a short Aero thing at my house.
Anyway, I got most of the exhibits put away and played with the wind-tunnel a bit.
Model boat hulls,reversed an inverted behind a pickup model gave me a glimpse of what the gap-fillers might be like.
I taped double-tuft thread to the hull,fired up the fan,and with tuft-wand got a fairly good look at the flow.
My tunnel is small,low airspeed,and lousy Reynolds numbers,but it all smacked of 'encouraging'.I think the air is going to like the real thing.
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As an aside,I attended two days of the PATE Swap Meet at Texas Motor Speedway last week.I picked up two extra drag chutes with pilot chutes,an SFI 3.2A/5 double-layer Nomex firesuit,and a SO-CAL Speed Shop blister( it has perfect flow in the tunnel).
I got to see some safety chute setups,made some notes.
I located the new Harbor Freight Tools and got a 100-pair of nitrile gloves for up-coming fiberglass work,plus a fiberglass welding blanket for the shop.
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I've got to de-construct a temp shop wall I put up for the Sept. trip out west.
I have some full-light insulated glass doors to go in to regain access for bigger ticket items like the T-100 and Viking.
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Also dug out all the work-in-progress steel projects.I'll have the Miller fired up soon making vapors and sparks.
Little baby steps.

[aerohead]

Was off Monday.I did a 12-hour day for me.
*the temporary wall is gone.
* the studs were recycled into the door rough opening.
*two recycled insulated-glass patio-doors are installed
* I created a central,vertically-hinged pony-wall/pet-door/screened panel insert which closes the space between the two patio doors.After two fairly strong thunderstorms,no wind-blown water inside,nothing's flown away.
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*this evening after 'Ecomodder' I'll move the wind tunnel,bicycles,scooters,and motorcycles,opening up my single work 'bay.'
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* tomorrow,I'll move the Viking trailer into the shop for the first time since before the 'wreck.'
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* as time and 'calm' weather permits,I will do some road-testing,testing the rig 'dirty',to build a baseline without the gap-fillers for later comparison,when she's complete.
* I'll get a neighbor to check the lug-nuts!

[KamperBob]

Originally Posted by aerohead

*this evening after 'Ecomodder' I'll move the wind tunnel,bicycles,scooters,and motorcycles,opening up my single work 'bay.'

Phil, you have a wind tunnel? I'd love to hear more about that!

Meanwhile, may the Greek God of Progress smile upon your destiny.

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by KamperBob

Phil, you have a wind tunnel? I'd love to hear more about that!

Meanwhile, may the Greek God of Progress smile upon your destiny.

KB,it's just a baby.
It was a 3-sheets of plywood project with 3-sets of professionally fabricated constant-area turning-vanes and a recycled 115-VAC HVAC air-handler embedded inside,on casters.
It is a full-recirculation type with open nozzle/test-section.
She produces a 'wind' of only 23-mpg ( 37 km/h ) and can't even produce proper Reynolds number.
It does give you a clue though with tuft-testing and the 'students' love it.
Some 'jump' when they try to hold a parachute against the airstream! Fun.