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8:41 pm
May 22, 2011
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Mike Magee
| | near Tulsa OK | |
| Member | posts 204 |
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Steve said:
With wind resistance being a major factor in gas mileage, wouldn't the addition of a nose cone on the trailer imrprove that and handling issues as well?
I'm not sure. Have you seen any test data to suggest what percent change in MPG could be expected from a nose cone? I have been poking around for info and have not succeeded in finding anything.
I know that my former trailer (Burro) gave about 2 mpg better results than the KZ. But the Burro's edges are all rounded, including the top side edges… and that reduces frontal area. People with similar (but narrower) egg-shaped trailers report a couple of mpg's better yet, again with less frontal area. A nose cone should make some difference, but how much? Would a tail cone also help? I would much rather find out if they would be cost-effective before buying, rather than after. 
I think I saw a company in the PNW area offering nose cones for about $800 plus shipping, IIRC. If it increased mileage by 1 mpg, assuming 6000 miles of annual travel @ $4 gas it would take about 6 years for the cone to pay for itself.
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2008 Toyota Highlander – 2011 Escape E14RB
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12:09 am
May 23, 2011
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Steve
| | San Antonio, TX | |
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| posts 193 |
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I'm only hypothesizing based on what's been noted so far. Those driving with the wind noted far better mileage than against. So it stands to reason that if the rig offered less resistance that they'd get better MPGs with one than without. The mileage without a cone was more than 1-2 MPGs when driving with the wind so it'd be much better with one in the wind as well. I wasn't able to find any prices on nose cones so I can't speak to that. However I see them on larger trucks all the time now versus 20 years ago so they've got to be doing something positive for them.
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http://haven106.blogspot.com
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4:51 pm
May 23, 2011
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Mike Magee
| | near Tulsa OK | |
| Member | posts 204 |
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Post edited 11:52 pm – May 23, 2011 by Mike Magee
The big trucks put on 50K miles a year or more, so even a tiny improvement pays dividends with them. I was hoping you might have had some numbers. Oh well, never hurts to ask.
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2008 Toyota Highlander – 2011 Escape E14RB
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6:52 pm
May 23, 2011
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Steve
| | San Antonio, TX | |
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| posts 193 |
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Mike Magee said:The big trucks put on 50K miles a year or more, so even a tiny improvement pays dividends with them. I was hoping you might have had some numbers. Oh well, never hurts to ask.
Well actually I'm going to live full time in my 16BH so the cost of the cone would offset the cost of gas over time for me. I guess the average casual user would have to just drive with the wind in order to save.
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http://haven106.blogspot.com
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8:15 pm
May 23, 2011
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flygal6
| | Appleton, WI | |
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| posts 80 |
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Ok guys here's what I found on nose cones. Check out this site:
http://www.nosecone.com/aepull.htm
Just knew you were itchin for something more to discuss on this topic.
Carol 
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2011 Starcraft AR-1, 15RB, Tow with 2007 Mitsuibishi Outlander 6cyl 4WD
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1:03 pm
May 25, 2011
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Mike Magee
| | near Tulsa OK | |
| Member | posts 204 |
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I wrote to the NoseCone folks you referenced, Carol. They claim that 3 mpg improvement with gas engine should be typical. They gave a price of about $550 with shipping for a cone for a 6'wide cargo trailer. Not too bad. I am a bit skeptical of the 3 mpg, but even 1 or 2 would be nice. The cargo trailer payback would be quicker, since I tow it 20K miles a year.
I actually have been searching around for a cargo trailer mfr who would build me a custom trailer, shaped like an Airstream… all rounded corners and edges. No luck so far.
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2008 Toyota Highlander – 2011 Escape E14RB
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6:28 pm
May 25, 2011
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flygal6
| | Appleton, WI | |
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| posts 80 |
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Even with that $550 price you would have to be able to justfy it be using the trailer quite a few thousand miles annually. Great for sure for those retired and doing lots of long mileage trips. For myself I am still working too much, and only shorter trips so not worth the extra $$ right now. Maybe someday 
Carol
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2011 Starcraft AR-1, 15RB, Tow with 2007 Mitsuibishi Outlander 6cyl 4WD
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7:40 am
May 29, 2011
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Steve
| | San Antonio, TX | |
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| posts 193 |
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After the mileage I got this weekend, I'm definitely investing in a nose cone. I was driving against the wind, in temps above 110, with the AC running, and got about 9 mpg. I pull with a Honda Ridgeline which gets 21 hwy and 16 city. The experience of getting less than half mpg left me feeling a lot like the shower scene from the crying game.
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http://haven106.blogspot.com
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10:07 am
June 17, 2011
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Steve
| | San Antonio, TX | |
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| posts 193 |
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I got a PM recently about the mileage which prompts me to add this. When I went out in the winter I did get approx 15MPG compared to the 9 a few weeks ago. The heat and headwind really adversely affected my mileage on my recent trip.
My average speed on both trips was about 60MPH.
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http://haven106.blogspot.com
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11:10 am
July 21, 2011
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Chris Tod
| | Sackville, N.B., Canada | |
| Member | posts 21 |
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I have used my new trailer twice now, and got 15.5 L per 100 Kilometres, as we say in Canada. The equivalent in US gallons is 15.18 mpg. Without towing I am able to get 9-10L per 100Km (24.76 MPG (US)) .
I drive at 83-85 km/h, in other words not fast. I find that helps a lot with fuel efficiency.
BTW, the Ford's read-out of gas consumption was exactly borne-out by a pen and paper calculation of gas used per distance travelled.
I was really pleased with the F150's Tow/Haul transmission option.
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2011 Sportsmen Classic 14RB 2010 Ford F150 4.6L V8
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9:10 pm
July 29, 2011
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Mike Magee
| | near Tulsa OK | |
| Member | posts 204 |
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Chris, that's pretty good fuel economy. Let's see, 83 kph, I think that's about 50 mph. You are a very patient driver!
I'll add my most recent results: approximately 5000 miles on this month's camping trip, with an average of 12.38 miles per gallon (US).
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2008 Toyota Highlander – 2011 Escape E14RB
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2:42 pm
August 9, 2011
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Shomeyrwit
| | South East Texas | |
| Member | posts 55 |
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Summer fuel mixtures adversly affect MPG as does Ethanol, so it's not just the hot. I've hauled a lot of trailers and have been amazed by how it affects MPG. I drove a Crown Vic for years that would get 24mpg but hooking up a 4×8 flatbed that weighed all of 300lbs would reduce that to 17mpg, hook a fully loaded (4000lbs) Uhaul double axle 6×12 and it still got 16.5.
losing half or more mpg is not unusual, and a bigger vehicle with more engine should lose less than a 4cyl , somewhere in there is a happy medium
Remember that it's not just frontal area, wheels on the ground, weight, driving style, and rear design all contribute,,,, the nose cones do help as would tail cones, but return on invesment is low for the average user,,,, and you may not see any difference at all, I had a cargo trailer with a nose cone and I got the same MPG pulling it that I did hauling my friends flat front trailer
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9:02 pm
January 4, 2012
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ron_sue
| | Soddy Daisy Tennessee | |
| Member | posts 109 |
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Bumping this discussion back to the front for a while. did anyone try the nose cone? has anyone ever tried airtab vortex generators (premise: they redirect the air at the back of the trailer to eliminate the suction effect) these are all over the Internet claiming gas mileage increase and (more important to me) increased stability when being passed and in cross winds. or do you use any kind of air deflector on your tow vehicle? truck cap or not? vans/ suvs vs. trucks? it looks like we have about 46 square feet of frontal area to pull down the highway. that's not a big number but it is causing our 12-13 mpg. thoughts? ideas? fact?
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2011 14RB /2006 dodge dakota 4×4 (giddy up 4.7l v8) (whoa prodigy p2) Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul. John Muir
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7:53 am
January 5, 2012
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sandersmr
| | Texas | |
| Member | posts 338 |
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I'm impressed with the Canadians mileage – wow! I have the same engine in my F150- oh wait! I don't drive 83 km/hr either. That would get me killed on Houston/TX freeways 
I do have a tonneau cover on the bed of my truck. I would hate to think what my mileage would be without. I know it doesn't help a lot towing, but does help in my daily driving.
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2010 16BH towed by 2002 F-150 Super Crew 4.6L V8
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