Yet another aerocap idea

[slowmover]

not married, not an issue

Just tell the ladies that, well, handcuffs were passe after high school, so . . . .

Any truckstop up there in Indiana ought to show a few "covered wagons": removeable sideboards and fabric top over bows. Usually a steel hauler with a flatbed conversion kit. I used to be one of them guys, happy to have again escaped Gary, IN.

[Diesel_Dave]

Can you just chop off this section and send it to me?



Do you know what sort of material those covers are? It looks kinda stretchy (which would be nice). Maybe some trucker has an old one that got torn up that I could cut a section out of. Hmmm...

[dcb]

you should maybe check out a marina when they unwrap boats, large swaths of tough heat shrink material being tossed in the dumpster.

[botsapper]

Truckhugger - Automatic Truck Tarp Systems - Home Page

They have an appropriate model name, 'Conestoga' 2000.

[Diesel_Dave]

Originally Posted by botsapper

Truckhugger - Automatic Truck Tarp Systems - Home Page

They have an appropriate model name, 'Conestoga' 2000.

I like it! The sliding feature with the cross-wise ribs it a great idea. I might be able to pull that off!

[86toypickup]

Dave have you been able to construct any of your ideas? I've been working night for about the last month and started thinking about improving my my mpg with aerodynamics (I think I've maxed my mpg at 31 with just changing my driving habbits). I came across ecomodder about a week ago and found the aerocap (the proof of concept that I already had in my head). In the last several days I've be planing out one using canvas also. With the thoughts of pouring fiberglass resin over the canvis. I'm hopeing that you have tried some of your ideas and can give me some pointers of what to do or not do. Thanks

[Diesel_Dave]

Originally Posted by 86toypickup

Dave have you been able to construct any of your ideas? I've been working night for about the last month and started thinking about improving my my mpg with aerodynamics (I think I've maxed my mpg at 31 with just changing my driving habbits). I came across ecomodder about a week ago and found the aerocap (the proof of concept that I already had in my head). In the last several days I've be planing out one using canvas also. With the thoughts of pouring fiberglass resin over the canvis. I'm hopeing that you have tried some of your ideas and can give me some pointers of what to do or not do. Thanks

Unfortunately, no--I've been all talk and no action so far on the aerocap thing.

Things have been pretty busy for me recently. Plus, I want to do a belly pan first, so it's probably going to be a while before I get around to the cap.

I'll be happy to be an "armchair ecomodder" for your projects, though I wish you all the best--looks like you're already doing pretty well with that truck.

[86toypickup]

Well it came with no ac or power steering so I know that's a big part and the other part is coasting down hills to and from work

[slowmover]

Came across the reference to another big truck automatic tarp system a few days ago:

Tarpstop Fastrak

Note the trailers with nosecone style header . . hadn't thought about how well this would work for some trailers of the size some of us might use (light duty and some medium duty).

[t vago]

Originally Posted by Diesel_Dave

The issue is that people get sick of either not being able to haul stuff, or they get sick of taking the big, heavy thing on and off a bunch of times.

I kind-of solved this issue with the use of insulating styrofoam. Even with the aluminum base frame, it's light enough to be lifted by one hand (rather awkward, though), and 6 each 3/8" bolts hold it to my tonneau cover frame. It takes about 2 minutes for one man to install or remove the cap. I even retain the full use of my tonneau cover if the cap is removed.

However, the bolts pretty much require that the bed be empty before the cap can come off. And, of course, there's no way to fold the cap away inside the cab, if something heavy and/or bulky needs to be hauled.