Semi's and Ecomodding
 

A couple weeks ago I was surfing Ecomodder and read a post about potential ecomods to semi's and tractor trailers.

Then last week I was up in around the St. Louis area when across the divided hwy in the on coming lane I see this semi going north on 44 with what looked like a trailer skirt on the bottom of his trailer he was pulling.

It looked like a flat piece of material that stretched from the back of the tractor's wheels all the way back to the rear wheels of the trailer. The back of it was cut in a half circle against the rear wheels and it hung about 6" off the hwy. There was one on both sides of the trailer.

I thought it was kinda cool. Anyone else see any trucking companies doing this? This is similar to what I saw -

http://www.midwestspl.com/semi.jpg

I haven't seen it first hand, but I know others have reported seeing them.

FYI:
Wal-Mart Seeks to Double Truck Fuel Economy by 2015

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2005...t_seeks_t.html

Trailer skirts are just one of several aero fixes they're pursuing.

wal-marts going cheaper! :D That's cool though, makes my stuff cheaper too! :thumbup:

I have seen trailers fitted with these coming into my shop. Working on them is not an issue with the skirts either.

I bet truck skirts will get REALLY popular once people realize that it's a great place to slap on some more ADVERTISING!

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

Guys, semis were some of the very first eco-modders. See that deflector thingy above the cab? Companies were adding aero devices such as this going all the way back to the 80s. Becasue they run mostly on the highway, they understood the value of enhanced aerodynamics. :thumbup:

HEHE Ken Visser is my instructor for an Aircraft Design Class this coming semester. I believe he drives an EV but i may be wrong.

I saw a DHL truck a couple weeks ago with skirts. The leading edge of the skirt actually started a little in-board so the wake from the truck wheels was diverted to the outside. I wonder if it had a flat under-body....

More semi stuff:

http://www.solusinc.com/pdf/SOLUSL&MLicOpp.pdf