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Folornhope View Drop Down
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Joined: 22 Nov 2010
Location: Texas
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Posts: 51 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Spoilers
    Posted: 17 Feb 2011 at 12:45pm
While getting a hitch put on my truck I was flipping through one of the catalogs the dealer had there and I saw a spoiler that fits on the tow vehicles roof.  I was wondering if anyone has one of these or has tried one...and if so, did it help your gas milage any.
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Joined: 26 Nov 2009
Location: Reading, Pa
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Posts: 3990 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Feb 2011 at 1:13pm
I did a little bit of playing with a spoiler but did not see an increase in the MPG.  My testing was on some short hauls (25 miles) with and without the spoiler and same roads same day.  I did see some improvement the one time I was towing with my trailblazer and had kayaks on the roof in a vshape.  I plan to do some testing more with our current tow truck (Dodge Ram 1500) and play with the placement of the kayaks to see what works or not. 
 
One thing you need to be careful with is how much you spend to get the increase in mpg as if you only tow a few hundred miles a year you will not see a return on investment.
 
On thing I have notice an increase in is Full size tractor trailers that have an apron under the trailer which they say increases the MPG of the tractor trailers.
 
Some of the testing or Work I plan to do with my Dodge Ram 1500 to increase my MPG is Cold Air Intake, Change the muffler system out, computer chip, Air deflectors around the windows and hood.  Any saved MPG on that beast will be money saved in the long run as this is also the truck I use daily when the weather is bad and I have to work.  Nice days (no rain, snow or ICE) I run a motorcycle including 30 degree days to work (75 miles round trip). 
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Folornhope View Drop Down
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Joined: 22 Nov 2010
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Posts: 51 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Mar 2011 at 11:43am
LOL...I've got a Dodge Dakota with the 3.7 L V6, and had found where I could do some of the same changes you suggested for increased performance and a little better gas milage.
 
Usually only take be truck when the weather doesn't want to play nice...rest of the time I'm on my bike.
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Posts: 672 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Mar 2011 at 1:52am
 I took off the stock air cleaner and put on a K&N air cleaner on our van a year before we got the POD. It was a little noisier when you really stepped on the gas but cruising down the road it was fine, we picked up 1 3/4 miles per gal. using it. It paid for it's self on that first trip of 5000 miles.
 When we got the POD I had to put the stock air cleaner back on because we can't tow in overdrive and with the higher RPM's in 3rd gear we could not hear the radio going down the highway. 
   Goose        Good luck
Mother Goose's Caboose..2011 RP171..07 Grand Cherokee
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TIDALWAVE View Drop Down
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Joined: 21 Nov 2009
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Posts: 315 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Mar 2011 at 5:09pm
I think it was quite established last fall that spoilers on the TV or the R-Pod would do little to increase mileage.  The only real method would be to 'fair' the gap between the TV and the Pod, which would
be essentially impossible.  We just have to live with the fact that we will get about 11-13 mpg regardless of the TV.
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Posts: 21 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Mar 2011 at 9:30pm
While I doubt that it will make any difference, the new R-Pods do have a built in spoiler. It will be interesting to see if owners of the newer models get better mileage. Some other trailer owners (Casita for example) claim better mileage - perhaps over estimating in the process.
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Posts: 9059 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Mar 2011 at 10:35pm
Forest River confirmed that the spoiler was only cosmetic, and not intended to increase mileage.
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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