Reducing Aerodynamic Drag

[Sludgy]

I've looked high and low for an inexpensive tonneau cover for my truck bed to reduce aero drag, but the good ones cost more than I want to pay.

Truck caps have even more potential to reduce drag. I looked for aero truck caps, but they're all boxy and not at all tapered at the rear. Somebody could make a fortune making aero truck caps, if you ask me. I wonder why Leer and others don't make them?

Anyway, I bought a couple of pieces of plywood to make one for about 25 bucks. I'll post mileage soon.

[philmcneal]

hey my wheels have holes in them, would it be logical to say if i were to tape up all these holes, that would reduce drag from inside the wheel itself?



so tape them all up and i have a "smooth cover" right?

[MetroMPG]

making smooth wheel covers (or taping over the holes) will have a minimal positive impact.

is it worth it?

have you ever seen a picture of a bonneville salt flats car that *didn't* have smooth wheel covers?

[philmcneal]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

making smooth wheel covers (or taping over the holes) will have a minimal positive impact.

is it worth it?

have you ever seen a picture of a bonneville salt flats car that *didn't* have smooth wheel covers?

if i knew what a bonneville was hehe... now picking the tape part is hard, clear tape or duct tape? Making it not uglier than it already is the hardest part.

Damn fashion.

[kickflipjr]

try saran wrap. It might just work.

[Matt Timion]

Originally Posted by kickflipjr

try saran wrap. It might just work.

I still vote for pizza trays.

[MetroMPG]

saran might work if you have wheel covers, but it looks like phil has alloys. pizza trays & careful drilling.

i was going to try aluminum foil for my wheel covers. but then i remembered i need the foil to make my hats.

[Silveredwings]

I always thought some kind of boattail extension off the back of most cars would reduce the turbulent air flow behind the car (even for a fairly efficient car with a chopped off rear-end). Instead, you'd have a laminar flow off the trunk lid with a swirl trapped just behind the trunk that isn't interfered-with by the laminar flow (example with a <a href="http://people.clarkson.edu/~visser/research/drag/truck/">tractor-tailer</a>).

[The Toecutter]

Instead of wheel covers, why not use wheel covers that are already streamlined, if appearance is your concern?

Check those of the Citroen Ax, Honda Insight, and Citroen Bx.