Semi's and Ecomodding

[SmallFry]

My company uses side skirts on their straight frame trailers. I pulled the same trailer loaded (17k-25klbs cargo weight) and empty. Loaded I managed 9.3 from NE Tennessee up I-81-I-78-I-95 (NJTPK) - I-278 (Tolls into Brooklyn, NY) - I-495 to mid-Long Island, NY. I'm not sure of the empty MPG, but from Long Island through all the start and stops for tolls and traffic, I still manage 10+ from Long Island to Cleavland, OH. The next time I pulled a trailer without skirts in moderate wind, I stuggled to get 8.

edit:
Our trucks have all this, plus a more aerodynamic tractor.

http://bioage.typepad.com/.shared/im...ed/walmart.png

[SmallFry]

Originally Posted by Arminius

Check out the pics in this link. They say the mod could save thousands a year.

The Why Files | Truck rear end: it's a big drag

Update:

I have been on vacation (at home being sick this week). My truck was left at the terminal 5 hours away in Nashville supposedly getting fixed/serviced. I hitched a ride back yesterday to pick it up, and low and behold, the first thing on the list, the A/C, wasn't fixed, so I stayed around till this morning when they came in. While they were working on my truck, I was talking to the mechanic questioning him about the suggestions of blocking the bumper openings on my truck which led to my reading up on ecomodding, etc. He said he just got back from the home terminal in S. TX and the guy that specs the trucks they buy, is a engineer wiz of some sort and has working test trucks and trailers with alot of the mods mentioned in these couple of truck threads. The boattailling mockup linked above, they supposedly have it where when the truck is at road speeds, it extends into a boattail kinda thing. When stopped, it automatically closes. It's attached to the doors, so it doesn't have to be removed to load/unload. I asked about over length laws. He said, it's not illegal if it closes when you're stopped. Not sure if that's true or not.

Other aero mods they're working on are placing wedges infront of the landing gear and in front of the trailer axles.

This is exciting news, BUT, if they're making it (almost) foolproof to for trucks to automatically get a minimum mpg, how long will they keep paying a bonus? We'll see.

On a final side note, the guy that I rode back with was driving my truck. He joked that he was going to watch me drive, because he cannot figure out how I have been getting 8.5-9mpg, and in the three days he drove the truck, the best he did was 7.7, and the worst was in the 5's. lol. But, when it came to it, he drove back. It took every thing in me to keep my mouth shut and not be a back seat driver. I thought, as long as the computer system is recording this mpg under his name, I don't care. We were empty and he would start in second and max out every gear -- hard. I was going nuts. I'm back to work now (well, sunday) and going to try to get back into the mpg groove...

[Blue07CivicEX]

Can you draft other trucks safely? I've seen convoys of 2-3-4 trucks driving together around 5 car lengths apart not sure if they do it for company or whether they are trying to draft, seems like it'd help all the trucks involved if they took turns trading spots but I don't know how safely you'd be able to do it if something happened with one of the trucks.

[SmallFry]

Originally Posted by Blue07CivicEX

Can you draft other trucks safely? I've seen convoys of 2-3-4 trucks driving together around 5 car lengths apart not sure if they do it for company or whether they are trying to draft, seems like it'd help all the trucks involved if they took turns trading spots but I don't know how safely you'd be able to do it if something happened with one of the trucks.

No, you can't, especially not heavy trucks.

The drivers that do are usually doing it out of habit and have never been bitten by it. Alot do it because they're impatient. I guarantee O% of them are thinking fuel mileage. Years ago, I drafted another truck just using the NASCAR rule to see if while on cruise, the lack of resistance helped me gain on a truck that just passed me. It did for a second or two, but none of my other driving habits were geared toward saving fuel.

5 years ago I had a rear end collision. Luckily in the grand scheme of things, It was minor. It did take me several years to get where my a__h__ didn't draw up every time I saw brake lights 1/2 a mile ahead. lol.

[SmallFry]

Sorry for the downtime between posts. I've been really busy with no updates.

I have been keeping up with my mpg, but the computer system (sat com) went on the blink and quit sending mpg data to my company, so I missed out on my bonus. I know I got it, but I had to go to our main terminal to get it "fixed". Short story, they didn't get it fixed. I changed into a truck that was operating properly, but had a different motor. Anyway. I'm still fighting for my bonus money for my 8.65 mpg last quarter, but the dummies reprogrammed my ECM before downloading the mpg data. They said they would give me the bonus but we'll see.

The truck I got out of had a Cummins motor, with the company, historically got the best MPG. The truck I just got into has a Catapillar. Cats are known for their superior HP and Torque, but not fuel MPG. For the first few weeks I've been in it, it's definately been a challenge to get over 8 mpg on a consistent basis. I'll keep you updated on my progress there.

While at the main terminal, I noticed an older truck, one that they'd turned into their test model. The aero mods I understood. They're all things I've read and talked about here.

Grill Blocking
Masking Tape Grill blocking test.
Bridging the gap


Can you tell me what they're testing here? It looks like a fuel cell, but not sure.
Cell / Tank
Maybe some hydraulic tank/pump system. Notice the cooling fan mounted on the left of the tank.

Inside the truck in the floorboard between the seats, going to and from that tank via the gearshift boot. Sorry it's not clearer; it's taken with a blackberry cam.

floorboard

Finally, the instructions taped to the dash.


I couldn't make heads or tails of this.

[tasdrouille]

I've been seeing skirts since last fall, but last Friday, for the first time I saw a trailer with a kammback on the road.

[vtec-e]

I've seen a good few of those side skirts on trailers. I've also seen the front top corners of the box tapered down to match the deflector on the roof of the cab. Nice! But i've seen no rear end work done on anything yet.

ollie

[MetroMPG]

Can you tell me what they're testing here? It looks like a fuel cell, but not sure.

I wonder if they're trying a hydrogen on demand system.

[DifferentPointofView]

I've always wondered if Truck drivers modded anymore. I know they used to, but I just figured people in the last century or so just stopped caring. Or has it always been like that? :S

[aerohead]

Seen a few.Mayflower Moving uses a rigid compartment under their trailers for dolly and blanket storage,etc.,and get the aero benefit to boot!Good business practice.