Wind Deflectors for Pickup trucks

[bobvaughn]

Does anyone know for sure whether a wind deflector for the cab of the truck will help fuel economy when towing a travel trailer ?....

[buckeye1268]

Myth Busters, a Discovery Channel show tested them and from what I recall the only trucks they work well on are semi's. Has to do with the over all height and how close the deflector is to the trailer. The test they did with a p/u & 5th wheel did not improve gas mileage significantly. Not enough to make me want to get one.

[2dreamweavers]

Do they work on semis? YES
Will they work for Pickups towing RVs? YES but they must be tuned!!!!
When they are installed on a semi , they have been tuned to the correct angle for a 13'6" trailer and that is the secret.You can't just put one on your truck and it work.To tune it after installing it on your truck,hook to the rig you're going to pull and set a large barrel fan in front of your truck.Tape a long streamer of survayers(sp)tape( long enough to touch the top of the trailer)to the top outside edges of the deflector and turn the fan on. Adjust the deflector until the tape touches the top of your trailer.Trucking companies do this in a wind tunnel but a big enough barrel fan will work.Hope this helps.
John

[douglynne]

We used one on our full sized van when pulling a trailer, not really sure about increased mileage but it did help keeping bugs off the fron of the trailer..../Doug

[wamwil]

I have a deflector on my p/up to pull my 22ft travel trl. The p/up has a cap on the box. As stated before the defl. has to be tuned. and be back to the point where it is deflecting the air over the front of trl. Even though my Terry is rounded in the front, the defl. still is a great help. I get approx. 2/3 mph better milage.

[utmtman]

Is that 2/3rds of a gal? I know it did not help me any when I had mine a few years ago. And in another forum this same subject was brought up and of the dozens who responded not one said they got and improvement. Guess no one was ever taught how to fine tune a deflector. Is there a wind tunnel and special tools involved???

[ramboj]

We used one on our full sized van when pulling a trailer, not really sure about increased mileage but it did help keeping bugs off the fron of the trailer..../Doug

Personally I like the pretty pattern on the front of my trailer of BUG SPLATS. They give it a pretty wallpaper look...:D

John-> Movin on..........