Idea for RV boat tail

[EZK2517]

I have a 2019 silverado 6.2 with a 2" lift and 33" tires. It gets respectable mpg of 20 at 70 mph empty. When i tow our 26ft camper though....wow it sucks. Best i can do is 10mpg with a tailwind. Headwind is down to 7. It double sucks with the 23 gallon tank on it. Anyway looking at some of the tail fins that trucks use, i was wondering if that might help me. However they are very expensive or very hard to make. I saw these plexiglass awnings om amazon. I was curious if yall thought one at the top rear would make a difference with rear vacuum turbulence. Or even one at the top and one on each side. Thanks for your inputs!

[Ecky]

I think it just might. Have you seen the "trailer tails" on the back of tractor trailers on the highway? They're apparently effective enough that most long haul trucks (around here) are using them now.

You might also see some gains with wheel skirts, if your trailer doesn't already have them.

[freebeard]

Those are nice brackets, copy them. But the plexiglass isn't the best choice for the sheet material.

[EZK2517]

I think its actually polycarbonate

[aerohead]

https://ecomodder.com/forum/member-a...ed-micro-r.jpghttps://ecomodder.com/forum/member-a...l-trailers.jpghttps://www.nasa.gov/offices/oct/40-...k-aerodynamicshere's some work from NASA.
the cleaner you get the rig, the better the tail will perform
https://ecomodder.com/forum/member-a...g-rig-aero.jpg

[freebeard]

Originally Posted by EZK2517

I think its actually polycarbonate

That just means you have to clean both sides.

[EZK2517]

It looks like there is more reductuon of wind drag to be gained up front than in the back. Has anyone come up with a device to fill the gap between the truck and RV. I assume a tall camper shell might help but it would make it worse when not towing. It would be cool if there was an adjustable truck aerocap that would nominally taper down or lift up tall to taper the wind before the RV

[Piotrsko]

The back just sucks, which is why the major focus is back there.