Aerocap for a Tacoma Pickup?

[BamZipPow]

You could probably just rip most of it off of an old hatchback car...

[ccrider]

OK i got my scangauge back and i am in sunny Florida. i cant say sunny warm Florida because the temps have been so cold sometimes they are only a few degrees warmer than the northeast.

so i am ready to do the ABA test. i scouted out a road that has very little traffic and is very straight that goes through the swamps. i am thinking that i will go around 10 miles each direction and pick start and stop points in each direction.i do not have cruise control so i will drive as close to 65MPH as i can. i have a gps in the car with tenths of a mph so i should be able to keep it pretty close. i will also include my average speed for each run like metrompg said. Mondays forecast looks pretty good with the lightest winds of the 7 day forecast with a high temperature of 65 degrees and wind ESE at 5 mph.

anyone have any advise?

[MetroMPG]

I'd make sure the truck is fully warmed up prior to starting the test.

You might also have better results doing shorter runs if it means you have more chance of avoiding aerodynamic interference from other traffic (drafting) that will throw things off.

[ccrider]

the road is 2 lanes in each direction. if a car passes me traveling in the same direction should i discard the run even if it does not come into my lane after the car passes me?

[mikeyjd]

Originally Posted by ccrider

one more of the frame

nice work!

[JRMichler]

Originally Posted by ccrider

the road is 2 lanes in each direction. if a car passes me traveling in the same direction should i discard the run even if it does not come into my lane after the car passes me?

That's why you do ABA with runs in both directions. If the MPG for any one run is different from the others AND something happened that could have affected the mileage, throw that run out and repeat that part of the test. Even better than an ABA test is an ABAB test. Or an ABABA test. It all depends on how big a change you are measuring.

[Chopper678]

Where did OP go? I'm interested in buying or building an aerocap for my 2007 Tacoma.

[aardvarcus]

I am not the OP, just another tacoma owner here. I am not aware of any aerocaps for sale for second generation Tacomas (yes I have looked). For the current generation Hilux, ARB sells a "Sprint Canopy" in Australia which is the closest thing I have seen to an aeroshell for a Tacoma, however I know the bedsizes are different between Tacoma and Hilux so even one of those wouldn't fit without modification. Your best bet is to either build your own, or buy a used normal canopy and modify it.

[freebeard]

All due respect to the OP, but if you do build your own, don't make it like a shed. Maybe 1x2 members instead of 2x3 with more complex joinery, and triangulation. Sort of like furniture but with aluminum plate for gussets.