Gas Mileage |
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techntrek
Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9062 |
Topic: Gas Mileage Posted: 28 Jul 2010 at 8:52pm |
Which matches what most of us find out on the highway. Interesting that wind models show that too. I might have to rivet on a big-rig air dam above the rear window! |
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Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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popgoesweasel
Groupie Joined: 22 Jan 2010 Location: Costa Rica Online Status: Offline Posts: 49 |
Posted: 28 Jul 2010 at 7:19pm |
Dave, With the Tacoma set for towing ie with overdrive turned off on the gear selector, we got an average of 13 mpg on the recent trip to the roundup from FL to KY and back. Our non tow milage is double that. We really like the Tacoma. Its V6 is more powerful than the V8 that I had in a couple of 60's 'vettes back in the day. Our TV is the basic non 4x4 model.
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R171 2010
Frontier 2009 Site 40 Eastern Rally 2010 |
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brownd
Newbie Joined: 25 Jul 2010 Online Status: Offline Posts: 36 |
Posted: 28 Jul 2010 at 5:26pm |
Thanks,
That is good news that they are working on it and recognize it as a problem on such a light trailer. I hope it works and they can make an after market one for those of us who don't have one built on. As one of the individuals who did the computer airflow tests said it is as though at 55 mph the breaks go on.
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Dave
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popgoesweasel
Groupie Joined: 22 Jan 2010 Location: Costa Rica Online Status: Offline Posts: 49 |
Posted: 28 Jul 2010 at 4:43pm |
I had asked the FR engineer the question about air flow at the roundup. He was the one who pointed me to the airdam on the 173T as their first attempt to reduce the vacuum drag on the rpods.
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R171 2010
Frontier 2009 Site 40 Eastern Rally 2010 |
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brownd
Newbie Joined: 25 Jul 2010 Online Status: Offline Posts: 36 |
Posted: 28 Jul 2010 at 12:17pm |
Thanks for the replies. The little airdam shows up real good in your first link. It would be worth a call to forest river to see if mileage and handling is why they put it there or if it is to deflect rain when the extra bed is set up. It looks like it is on the 2011 and not the 2010, but I can't be sure. Does anyone out there have the 2011 with that little air dam and does it seem to get better than 10-11 mpg when pulling with a moderate size v6. I sent them an email with a couple of questions and the one about mileage they refered to an engineer and they have not gotten back with me yet.
I am still interested in hearing from the folks who wrote all the earlier posts that did the computer generated airflow tests to see if they ever had any luck or ever tried their air deflectors or not and if they made a difference.
Thanks
Dave
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Dave
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popgoesweasel
Groupie Joined: 22 Jan 2010 Location: Costa Rica Online Status: Offline Posts: 49 |
Posted: 28 Jul 2010 at 11:29am |
I saw it on a 173T at the KY roundup in June but did not take a picture of it.
Here are some links from googling rpod 173t photo Notice the air dam at the top of the popout. |
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R171 2010
Frontier 2009 Site 40 Eastern Rally 2010 |
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techntrek
Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9062 |
Posted: 27 Jul 2010 at 8:14pm |
Welcome brownd!
popgoesweasel, do you have a pic of the air dam? Haven't seen it yet.
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Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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popgoesweasel
Groupie Joined: 22 Jan 2010 Location: Costa Rica Online Status: Offline Posts: 49 |
Posted: 27 Jul 2010 at 7:10pm |
The 173T has a small air dam on the back that was put there to ameliorate the vacuum problem.
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R171 2010
Frontier 2009 Site 40 Eastern Rally 2010 |
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brownd
Newbie Joined: 25 Jul 2010 Online Status: Offline Posts: 36 |
Posted: 27 Jul 2010 at 12:55pm |
I purchased my R Pod 171 4 weeks ago. Overall I am very happy with everything except the mileage I get towing it. Before the Rpod I had a Jayco popup and got 17-18 mpg. Towing nothing I easily get 22 mpg. Due to the specs of the R.Pod, I figured I would get maybe at the worst 15. Actual mileage on 2 trips in areas of some but not a lot of hills was 11-12 mpg. My vehicle is a 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee with trailer tow package and the 3.7 liter six. I did as the car manual said and auto shifted into 4th instead of drive to ensure that the overdrive did not try to kick in. The car stayed in 3rd almost the entire trip, would not shift into 4th except on dead level pavement with no wind or downhill and my RPMs were 2800 at 55 mph. The Jeep is rated to pull 3500 pounds on a trailer with a frontal area of 40 sq ft. The R.Pod is well under the 3500 pounds with my added gear and options and according to Forest River the frontal area is between 12 and 25 sq ft. I have read all of the miles per gallon posts on this site and the R.Pod Nation user group site and most six cylinder engines are getting about the same as me. The most interesting posts somewhere on this site were the ones that seemed to show through computer simulation that there may be quite a vacuum forming behind the Pod that really hurts performance and mileage. My questions are as follows: Has anyone actually used air deflectors or foils on their vehicle or on the R.Pod and if so, did they help performance or mileage? Has anyone successfully tried any other devices or techniques to improve performance or mileage? Thanks |
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Dave
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