Tractor Trailer Boat tail

[trikkonceptz]

On my way in to work this morning, half a dozen tractor trailers passed me up on the highway that had no trailers attached. I believe thats called dead legging, but I could be wrong. Not know much about the truck hauling business I was wondering if these trucks return to the same spot each time they pick up a load?

If so, I thought that a large boat tail extending back from the back of the cab, attached to the kingpin and having gurney style retractable wheels would be ideal for these truckers that have to run empty on some trips ...

That alone should bump their mpg's abit ..

[aerohead]

I think your idea would be one of the best things to ever happen in the trucking industry,although after thinking it for over thirty years,I've lost interest in it.Reality keeps intruding into my plans to change the world, and a project as ambitious as you describe well exceeds my capital limits.T.Boone Pickens could do it,not anyone I know.Bummer! This Christmas season I hope to do a small scale version of a towable boat tail behind the T-100,and drag it out to New Mexico and back to test.Much effort to make that happen.We'll see.If any one truck company were to offer such a thing in the marketplace,I think the technology would explode throughout the industry.Capital has an aversion to risk,as Bondo has discovered,trying to bring his bedcover to market.Patent attorneys and retired CEOs laughed me out of my plans back in the 1980s.As they told Preston Tucker,"little boats should stay close to shore." I don't know of any corporation that has the balls to try it.

[trikkonceptz]

Thanks for stroking my ego .. lol

I guess my first step would be to get a hold of some of the truck drivers I know and see who or what company may want to invest in this hair brained idea. At the fabrication of it I can handle. Living here in S. Florida I have several contacts with boat manufacturers and can have it made molded and sold from here if necessary.

I think it would look badd ass to have a rig with a boat tail hanging all the back to just a bit higher than the mudflaps. I figure without and thinking at all it would extend back 20 feet past the rig and weigh less than 1500 lbs.

Any photo chopper care to take a nice profile shot of a semi and build a Virtual boatail for me from the back of the cab to the ground using a 10 degree angle?

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by trikkonceptz

Thanks for stroking my ego .. lol

I guess my first step would be to get a hold of some of the truck drivers I know and see who or what company may want to invest in this hair brained idea. At the fabrication of it I can handle. Living here in S. Florida I have several contacts with boat manufacturers and can have it made molded and sold from here if necessary.

I think it would look badd ass to have a rig with a boat tail hanging all the back to just a bit higher than the mudflaps. I figure without and thinking at all it would extend back 20 feet past the rig and weigh less than 1500 lbs.

Any photo chopper care to take a nice profile shot of a semi and build a Virtual boatail for me from the back of the cab to the ground using a 10 degree angle?

trikkonceptz,get to Darin's thread for his permanent Kammback on the Metro.We created an aerodynamic template for everyone to use as a go-no-go- for streamlining.If you photo-enlarge or reduce a picture of your candidate tractor,then slip it under the template,it will show you the "curvature" you'll need for a fool-proof tail.It's not really about angles as it is curves.Without the initial curvature you'll have separation.You can also use the template to design the sidewalls as well.Pull this one off and T.Boone Pickens will be knocking on your door for cash! Good luck!

[trikkonceptz]

And while on this thought, why not go full out, I would figure that this boat tail would literally be a cap that would cover the rear wheels, aka Skirts, kinda like the space shuttle when it piggy backs on the jets. The awesome part it that making attach points would be so easy on the rig. I am going to contact friends I have @ Newlife & Monon, they are large companies that manufacture tractor trailer parts for the nation. Before doing so any advice on what to prepare if anything to prevent these "trusted friends" from shaking my hands and walking away with a blueprint for success?

[trikkonceptz]

Originally Posted by aerohead

trikkonceptz,get to Darin's thread for his permanent Kammback on the Metro.We created an aerodynamic template for everyone to use as a go-no-go- for streamlining.If you photo-enlarge or reduce a picture of your candidate tractor,then slip it under the template,it will show you the "curvature" you'll need for a fool-proof tail.It's not really about angles as it is curves.Without the initial curvature you'll have separation.You can also use the template to design the sidewalls as well.Pull this one off and T.Boone Pickens will be knocking on your door for cash! Good luck!

What's sad is I was researching this to see if I am re-inventing the wheel here and all I found was a company that got money to build what they called a boat tail ... Try not to cry to hard; Ken Visser Research Page

The sad news is they saw a positive change with something so primitive. But in my opinion is so wrong on so many levels.

[aerohead]

Patent attorneys told me I'd have no protection,even with a patent.It might buy you a little time with "patent pending",until the patent was issued,then attorneys for your competition would figure how to beat it and you'd be in a battle within 6-months.Without a quater-million dollars (1986 dollars) to pay for each infringement litigation,your ideas are all stolen and the thieves all profit from your labor.Sweet!

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by trikkonceptz

What's sad is I was researching this to see if I am re-inventing the wheel here and all I found was a company that got money to build what they called a boat tail ... Try not to cry to hard; Ken Visser Research Page

The sad news is they saw a positive change with something so primitive. But in my opinion is so wrong on so many levels.

What's worse,Continuum Dynamics did the same thing,got $50,000 US tax dollars,and nothing came of their work either! I wish you the best,but you're entering a realm I refuse to travel to.

[trikkonceptz]

Three cheers for the american freakin way !!!!

Not to worry though, If one of my ideas hits and sticks you guys can count on me to build what I consider a team of the best minds available from this pool of characters I swim with.

So long as I can pull you away from your keyboards and it doesn't take you 2 weeks to travel cross country doing 45mph in the right lane ... LOL

[ConnClark]

Originally Posted by trikkonceptz

What's sad is I was researching this to see if I am re-inventing the wheel here and all I found was a company that got money to build what they called a boat tail ... Try not to cry to hard; Ken Visser Research Page

The sad news is they saw a positive change with something so primitive. But in my opinion is so wrong on so many levels.

Where they are right and you are wrong is that their solution is light cheap and simple to build and retrofit. It also can be attached and removed easily as well as fold away for storage.

From what you are describing it sounds as though your idea will not fold up or be carried while the truck has a trailer. That raises the question as to how how these boat tails of yours appear where the trucks drop off their trailers and how they keep from stacking up where they pick their trailers up from. Even if your idea could fold up and be carried with a trailer trucks have weight limits and any thing that weighs 1000lbs extra isn't going to fly.