[thetonka]

I took the shell of my truck a while back to be in a parade. Its currently sitting in the backyard where the dogs have walked all over it and pulled the liner out of it :doh:. I wasn't going to put it back because the rear window fell out and the front window is broken:lame:. Other than that it actually in really good shape.

My question is it is going to be worth it to fix it up and put it back on the truck or not. If it will help me with my mileage I would be more than willing to put it back on. I was also thinking of getting a bed cover instead. I want to put a big tank in the bed and some storage so whatever I do needs to cover these.

The real factor is my big hauler. As tall as it is I have to wonder how having/non having a shell effects the mileage. That thing has almost 10' of slightly less than vertical surface holding me back. At my current 8mpg towing every little bit should help.

Thanks any suggestions would be really appreciated.

 

[Dave Whitmer]

What on God's green earth do you haul in that thing? Space shuttles?

When pulling you big trailer nothing short of a 8% downgrade and a 50 MPH tail wind will help.

When running unloaded you best option for truck only is a flat tonneau cover (unless you want to get extreme like me). Second best is running open bed with tail gate up. The flush shell actually makes you worse off because it generates a van-sized low pressure area behind the truck.

 

[thetonka]

Thanks Dave, wasn't sure about the aerodynamic effects of the shell. I am going to look into a bed cover of some sort, maybe I'll make one. I gotta figure out what I am going to do about fuel storage in the bed for diesel/bio/SVO first.

As for the trailer is a stacker. It has a bedroom area upstairs in the front for the boy. From about 6feet back from the front to about 5 feet forward of the back the upstairs is a large ramp that hinges at the front. There is a hoist that lifts it up. On the ramp we store dirtbikes and eventually a Waverunner. Downstairs we currently have a Rhino, but it has enough room for a Jeep or rock crawler(I helped a coworked move his Dodge Grand Caravan in it). The trailer also has a 5.5Kw Generator, full shower(with plenty of room), toilet(with room to take care of business), kitchenette with sink and stove, and a microwave. I am still working on insulation, paneling, some wiring upgrades, bar with kegerator, music and some storage and furniture. Its basically custom and is a blank canvas. We also have a 22' long awning on the side with a full room enclosure, and an awning out back with a full room enclosure and cables to hold the rear door level for our dining room.

Its a HELL of a load and drag so every little bit helps with mileage. I need to put in my 6L CAC, 4" exhaust, fix some leaks, and save up for new injectors. I may also need HPOP. I have talked about a lift, but I know that is completely counter productive. I would really like a fully linked air suspension I could lift and lower, but thats too much work right now. When it comes down to it my truck has 237K on it and tows the trailer quite well. I just need to upgrade a few things.

Build thread on PBB
Company who built it

 

[thetonka]

Dave, got any ideas on aero improvements that might help with that big wall of wind resistance on the front of my trailer?

 

[Dave Whitmer]

To tell you the truth Tonka, I don't have much to offer. That thing is so big as to overwhelm everything. Believe it or not, most of the aero drag is behind the trailer. You feel like building a tail cone and maybe a nose cone for it? They might help a bit.

 

[thetonka]

Cones are a bit more than I am willing to do.

 

[Cat_Rebel]

The second day after I bought my truck I ripped the shell / camper / topper off of it. I like to have as much field of view as I can. I think it makes it look more like a truck too!
I'm with Dave, what do you haul with that thing?

 

[thetonka]

Right now we have a Rhino for my wife, and a TTR50 for the boy. I am going to get a 450 when my shoulder heals and we will probably get a waverunner next summer. In the future i will be building a new crawler, I really want to build a linked CJ6.

Funny story. When we picked up the Rhino we had the trailer. I stopped to get fuel and a guy asked what I had in it. I told him a Rhino and I could tell by the look on his face he really thought for a minute that I had a real Rhino, as in the mammal, not the one from Yamaha.

 

[TrailerHauler]

One of those air scoop things might help a bit? I've seen alot of guys that haul thier 5th wheels with them.

 

[Dave Whitmer]

With that trailer, thetonka could palm himself off as the second coming of Noah. Not only rhinos, but elephants and everything else.

 

[thetonka]

With that trailer, thetonka could palm himself off as the second coming of Noah. Not only rhinos, but elephants and everything else.

I made a trip up to Palmdale for work last week and had to drive the truck. Without the shell, and the problems I am having with it, I got 18mpg on the trip. NICE. Can't wait to get it running better and put in some ACs. Should get me pretty close to 20mpg empty. IMHO that pretty damn good for such a big truck. Gonna make a trip in Nov to Pismo so should see what the mileage is then without the shell towing the trailer. Used to get 8mpg.

 

[Cool Canuck]

One of those air scoop things might help a bit? I've seen alot of guys that haul thier 5th wheels with them.

Those just move the bugs up higher and make it harder for the old lady to wash.

 

[thetonka]

I washed it this weekend and all I was really able to do was set the nozzle to pressure wash and spray off the loose stuff up high. TOOO tall to clean.

 

[Dave Whitmer]

With the trailer, I can't help you much.

Without the trailer, try running with a tonneau cover. Hard or soft, both work well. One was worth 1.5 MPG to me.

 

[thetonka]

Good to know. I want to put a big fuel tank in the bed so untill I figure that out I am going to wait on the cover. If I get ahold of a spool gun I may just make it myself out of aluminum.