topless

http://www.airtab.com/

These have got my interest. Not on my pickup, but on an enclosed trailer and my Sprinter camper van.

Are any of you familiar with these?

ofcmarc

I know that similar setups hae been used in Genral Aviation to increase weight capasities.

Thos little do-hickeys ans some landing gear upgrades turned a Navajo (Piper) into a Heavy Ho and gave it almost a 1000lb cargo capasity IIRC.

dodgezilla04

i have a friend who has like 40 on each side of his 5th wheel. geno's sells them. i cannot attest if they are worth it though.

Dodgezilla

Isn't there something else out there that is actually supposed to help reduce wind drag at the rear of the trailer? My trailer is a wedge nose but I still can't get good mileage pulling it....

Shovelhead

The airtabs are supposed to breakup the turbulence behind the trailer reducing the drag effect of the low pressure area.

madhat

Maybe I should put some of these on one of my old girlfriends rear ends...

Totallyrad

The red flags, SMV and wide load signs are enough.

Dodgezilla

But do they really work? I know Genos sells them.

TDIwyse

I'll repost a link to a Mitsubishi research paper (originally put it in my Jeep B3.3T buildup thread https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...=112807&page=7 post #99) where they tested vortex generators on the Evo Lancer and documented a 1.7% improvement in the cars drag. And this was with an already streamlined high performance car.

http://www.mitsubishi-motors.com/cor...004/16E_03.pdf

This and the cost down tests I did on my jeep with similiar structures would lead me to believe they can work. However, I haven't seen any scientifically controlled studies on the AirTabs that document wether or not their product actually works.

Totallyrad

Somebody needs to send this to Mythbusters.

DevilzTower

I'd agree, but those guys tend to be hacks when it comes to real experiments. They change multiple input factors and then draw conclusions, they need to take a couple of classes on designing experiments and I would be able to put more stock into what they are saying. Granted it's entertaining tv but I wouldn't put my money into what they do most of the time.

AggieJustin

There was an article in the TDR magazine a few years back about them. No real scientific conclusions drawn, but they did show a comparison of the back of an enclosed trailer after running in the rain/on wet streets both with and without the tabs. When the tabs were on the trailer, there was very little spray/dirt on the back of the trailer, which would seem to suggest that you weren't getting the turbulent effect behind the trailer.

Like I said, not scientific, but something to think about....

bentwings

-.006 reduction in cd is nothing compared to the .6 or worse that our trucks have. Add a big toy hauler and the cd is so bad that the windtunnel guys will probably have to make a gage with more range .

madhat has the right idea. Design some female jeans with these molded in and they will sell. These make curves and curves sell. hahah

topless

I read through almost all of the testimonials and unless those people are just full of it, they should help with trailer stability in the wind, keeping the back clean, and at least a 4% increase in fuel mileage. With diesel above $3/gallon any increase will be welcome. But, around here the wind blows a lot and not watching the trailer try and change lanes behind me, would take some stress out when the wind is gusting up around 40 mph, like it did 2 days ago.

Festus

When I was fueling up one time at the local truck stop, I saw a DRW fueling at the island across from from me with these things all over the rear of his tonneau cover and sides of his truck.

At the time I didn't know what they were. However they work, they sure made his truck fugly - must have been at least 30+ of them things stuck on there.