Are Airtabs snake oil?

i personally think there snake oil and even 2 tents of a mpg could easily be other factors. my millage varies more than that without changing anything.

 

Vortex generators and boundary layer suction have been known about and researched in aviation since at least the Second World War, and have been in use for decades. Race cars have been using them for quite some time and they have shown up on a few production cars. Most recently the Honda Civic Type R.

Do airtabs work as advertised? I have no idea, but the principle is not snake oil.

 

Those Airtabs look #### ugly. Get the V-Spoilers brand instead. They are an OEM option with some truck and trailer brands. NFI Industries, Challenger Motor Freight etc are using those vortex generators on all their fleet.

 

You think they will work with this truck trailer setup?

 

Nope - too many irregular shapes.

 

air tabs do in fact work,but,as seen in this thread,they will only create noticeable differences in your neighbors buddies RV or truck. it's science!

 

Or you could try shortening the gap between your cab and trailer by sliding your 5th up.

 

Ok I agree , on a aviation air craft flying at 700 mph ,Yes.
On a formula 1 car going over 200 mph and trying to gain every last 1/10 second, yes.

It has no place on a 80,000 lb truck going 60 mph . There is just too many variables that play more into fuel mileage then these rediculas looking airtabs will ever do.

Oh and that Honda civic R just reinforced my point on how stupid they look.