Wings

[Harlan]

Any thinking on Wing Deflectors. I tow a 34" 5th and it is heavy. 12,000. lb

Was thinking about a wing to help stability and maybe mileage. Trailer is 13' tall and like putting 3 4x8 sheets of plywood down the road.

Harlan

 

[Dkevdog]

Click here for more reading on the subject than you'll know what to do with.



Kev

 

[Okie-Go]

I repeat. I like mine. Some people have huge trailers and gripe about the fuel they use to tow them down the road. Mine works real well on our 30ft. 5er People that have them usually like them. The people that don't have them either wish they did or just go by what someone else said. Get one and try it. I am glad I did.

 

[Turbo Thom]

I like mine too. the milage is not something to get excited about but the stablity is better for sure. As I've said before, the bugs on the front is worth it for me. Or should I say lack of. I would much rather replace the shield than the front of the trailer from anything the deflector might stop. Towing to Bowling Green 3 week ago I got 13. 6 mpg towing 15K lbs. Huh? Maybe it does work there too.



But like I said, I like mine and will keep it. . Anyway, I like the Ram head I got on it.



. . Preston. .

 

[Wiredawg]

It's a cool looking bug shield...

Never run mine with out it as the benefit of bug shield is plenty good. With the 17K lb 5th wheel, I'm not sure how much stability benifit there is. My 5th wheel is 101" wide and the wing is only as wide as my truck cab.



Wiredawg

 

[jimnance]

Originally posted by Harlan

Any thinking on Wing Deflectors. I tow a 34" 5th and it is heavy. 12,000. lb

Was thinking about a wing to help stability and maybe mileage. Trailer is 13' tall and like putting 3 4x8 sheets of plywood down the road.

Harlan

The key to making deflectors work is making the gap between the deflector and the fiver as little as possible. Even then you get considerable drag from the air that comes around the sides. Most long haul caommercial rigs are an aerodynamic unit with fairing all the way around. You'll note the the side fairings almost reach the trailer.



This is not to say that deflectors can't be helpful, but in the end it's a dollars equation. How much are you going to spend for the fuel saved? Unless you tow a lot it's doubtful the numbers work out. Also, if your TV doubles as a daily driver the deflector is going to cost you mileage.