Wind deflectors

We just took possession of our 2010 North Trail 21FBS. I tow with an 04 Chev, Crew cab 4x4 with 5.3 liter engine. Does anyone have any experience with roof mount air deflectors? Good or bad. I've been looking at the AeroShield deflector. It's reasonably priced ,it's adjustable, and looks good. The big question is do they help? Thanks for any advise or experiences anyone can share.

In talking to people that have them and reading on various forums, they aren't worth the money. You will never make up your cost in gas savings. 18 wheelers use them but they're on the road much more than we are, even as full timers.

I have one, but don't use it 85% of the time. About the only time I put it on is when I'm going to headed out on a long trip of 500 miles or more. Not sure there is that much benefit to them, just when I going some distance, I figure it can't hurt. I sure wouldn't lose any sleep over forgetting to put it on during a long trip.

Keith

I almost forgot. By using a deflector you will avoid some of the bugs on the front of your trailer. Depending on the angle of the deflector, you may move the bug remnants up to the topside of the front cap. If you're height challenged or afraid of heights that might not be such a good thing.

I used a Taylor Wing when I had a FLAT FRONT SOB and had to get the air up and over. I tried it with the Cyclone but with the aerodynamic front end I found mileage was better without it and as stated, the bugline was above the Cyclone decal.

Glad I found this, I was going to start asking the same question.

A big no for me now.

Air Deflector

Anyone have any thoughts on using (or not using) the air / wind deflector that goes on top of the truck cab? My brother thinks they are great, but I'm not sure the fuel savings offset the cost to buy and install. Any thoughts?

Jim & Harriet said:

Anyone have any thoughts on using (or not using) the air / wind deflector that goes on top of the truck cab? My brother thinks they are great, but I'm not sure the fuel savings offset the cost to buy and install. Any thoughts?

Click to expand...

Jim,

I have moved your question into this thread where a discussion of this matter exists.

Here's another thread with more deflector discussion.

Thanks.

Jim

If they really worked, you would see them in every tow rig. With the modern front cap on the fifth wheels (especially the heartlands) they are aerodynamic enough not to have a benefit from air deflector.

canamguy said:

We just took possession of our 2010 North Trail 21FBS. I tow with an 04 Chev, Crew cab 4x4 with 5.3 liter engine. Does anyone have any experience with roof mount air deflectors? Good or bad. I've been looking at the AeroShield deflector. It's reasonably priced ,it's adjustable, and looks good. The big question is do they help? Thanks for any advise or experiences anyone can share.

Click to expand...

With that TT it will not help, the front cap is already sloped. If you have a cap on the bed it will help get better mileage. I tow with a Sequoia and I get better mileage (13 most of the time) then the others with the Tundra and we have the same specs.

won't work to save fuel, will be worse

The ones mount on your cab.
With a trailer, your front (face)of trailer is about 8-10 feet from cab, now it will throw air up and form a turbulance of air coming back down into box and then try to again go up the front of trailer.

your best bet is to have a topper on your truck, this will work much better as it channel the wind back at same hieght as truck cab, and then you're only around 3 feet to face of trailer, with the slope of front end it's good air flow.

I have a canopy on my truck. It is also nice to have covered storage for camping stuff.

I had a deflector on my Astro van when pulling my old prowler, flat front end and I mounted it at the very back of van body to throw air up there. it helped but I was only 3 feet from face.
same as the 5ers they face is 2-3 feet from cab

here's 6 pages of a thread from RV net

To discuss the issue and has pic's and air flow video's through out the thread.
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/22990558/srt/pa/pging/1/page/1.cfm

You will notice a lot of turbulance between TV+TT, air flow downwards between
unit and air flowing underneath


nosecone he made
http://www.johnbridge.com/travel_trailer_aerodynamics.htm

Now on another note My North Trail has a good slopping front end so the air flow over it would be much better.
The simulations were with a pretty flat front cap.