Trailer aprons/skirts?

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by road_runner, Jun 25, 2013.

  1. vikingswen

    vikingswen Road Train Member

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    They claim better fuel mileage, but I am not seeing it. I am on a dedicated run between CA and WA right now. I have about the same stops and weights. This week I have one of our older trailers without skirts and I do not see worse fuel mileage. One thing I have experienced is with side winds there is a lot bigger surface for the wind to catch. That has caused me almost to have to change my underwear earlier in the year. I came out of Yuma in a sand storm with only a couple of palettes in the trailer and I was caught by the side wind and it shifted my trailer over by half a lane into the left lane. For a second there I thought my goose was cooked and I was going over. The lesson learned was 45mph+ winds with a light trailer and side skirts not a good mix.
     
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  3. Lepton1

    Lepton1 Road Train Member

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    One caution about driving a skirted trailer is to watch your clearance going over railroad track rises, very large speed bumps, etc. I've had a few instances where they've dragged pretty heavily and can imagine they can be damaged if you don't take care.
     
  4. Trafficcontrolxl

    Trafficcontrolxl Medium Load Member

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    I routinely average .5 mpg more when I'm pulling my usual skirted trailer over the standard non skirted company trailer. The type of skirts, speed and wind direction do make a difference.
     
    Last edited: Jun 25, 2013
  5. jaki express

    jaki express Bobtail Member

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    Idk...I am pulling my reefer with those aeroskirts for like two years...never saw those 7% improvement in mpg...I think I wated 1800 $ for that bs...and they are bad when u have side wind and also utility made a very poor design of those aero bs skirts....
     
  6. Sharpp

    Sharpp Medium Load Member

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    I used to haul a lot of light (under 10k) loads, and 45mph winds are no fun with or without skirts. If you're driving the speed limit in CA, OR, WA, you won't see as much improvement skirted as you will blasting across Wyoming in a headwind. It's just physics. Drag increases with the square of velocity. Aerodynamic drag at 57mph (no wind) is HALF what it is at 80mph (e.g. 65mph PLUS 15mph headwind)
     
  7. vikingswen

    vikingswen Road Train Member

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    Good point on the speed difference. Fuel mileage goes down the toilet anyway when you run 75mph going EAST. Usually when we go East we use the older trailers since the new ones have to stay out West for CARB. I always like the beer loads out od WI when I hit the winds in WY.
     
  8. road_runner

    road_runner Road Train Member

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  9. vikingswen

    vikingswen Road Train Member

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    You didn't know that Knight delivers landscape supplies as well. :biggrin_2559:
     
  10. DirtyBob

    DirtyBob Road Train Member

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    I never thought the skirts made much of a difference with catching wind. Then again, when you're used to pulling empty drop frame trailers around most of the time a straight frame with skirts isn't too bad in the wind.
     
  11. ‘Olhand

    ‘Olhand Cantankerous Crusty

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    Well I just wish they were around years ago--ona counta I thought they were surfboard racks--and that woulda come in handy 35years ago or so--at least in my world!LOL
     
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