Drafting behind a Truck

[GasSavers_roadrunner]

I am still waiting to get my Yaris Hatchback, then I will get a scangauge. If I had my ride and my scangauge I would do this test myself.
Has anyone tried drafting a truck on the highway to see how much it improved their gas mileage? How close to the truck did you need to get?
Roadrunner

[rh77]

Originally Posted by roadrunner

I am still waiting to get my Yaris Hatchback, then I will get a scangauge. If I had my ride and my scangauge I would do this test myself.
Has anyone tried drafting a truck on the highway to see how much it improved their gas mileage? How close to the truck did you need to get?
Roadrunner

Unfortunately, the closer the better, but more dangerous. A study was done recently that showed that the bumper-bar on most trailers is insufficent, and is just the right height to slice your head off in a rear-end collision.

There's a safer "side-draft" technique that's still in the DOT's "No-Zone" as well -- position the vehicle in the lane next to the semi at about where the trailer attaches. This is a bad spot too because it will certainly irritate the truck driver and/or may merge into you.

The best way is the "ACME" claw arm, or the more expensive LECTRO-magnet system (worse for FE, I've found -- take a lot of juice to power up that bad boy).

RH77

[schmeep]

drafting behind a truck is for the suicidal, it isn't worth it to save a bit of gas, i hope no one here does this or promotes the idea.

[BumblingB]

Drafting isn't safe and the truck drivers hate it. You'll know when they ride the outer line to kick trash/rocks up on your car. (I sometimes drive a truck for work as a last resort if they can't get anyone else-CDL)

That being said, I have done it at a fairly safe distance at around 65MPH in a 70 zone and gotten 42 with my Matrix when I normal got 37 on the same route. Even at a safe distance its still white knuckle driving that I don't find relaxing. I seldom do it anymore EXCEPT when the beer trucks pull out in front of me in the morning when I'm going to work. The trailers are MUCH more low profile and cut through the air making a great clear path AND remember, they cut in front of me which makes it OK to tailgate - not - its still not right to draft whether I do it or not ( ).

[kickflipjr]

I heard long distance drafting (around 1 second behind) still has some advantages. It still is dangerous but not as bad as being 5' behind.

[JanGeo]

You can benefit from 2 to 3 seconds behind trucks and in the lanes to either side of them and the more trucks form in front of you in a convoy fashion and the faster they go i.e. 70mph the more they knock down the wind in front of you and the further behind them it extends so you can safely follow in their wake. Unfortunately you have to breath the exhost fumes and in rainy conditions the dirt they throw up in the mist they create. As far as safety is concerned they usually don't stop suddenly so in that respect they are safe to follow but you need to make sure you allow them room to change lanes should they need to. Getting too close to them is also a great way to add holes to your front paint job and windshield as they do tend to kick up road junk and rocks. Jeeps and pickup trucks are the only vehicles which throw more rocks with their rear tires than semi's because they usually don't have any mud flaps and are jacked up pretty high exposing the rear tread. The first chips in my new xB windshield was from a pickup truck passing me and changing lanes in front of me too close on an empty highway.

[rh77]

Originally Posted by JanGeo

The first chips in my new xB windshield was from a pickup truck passing me and changing lanes in front of me too close on an empty highway.

I kid you not, 20 miles on the odometer of the TSX and a ratty old gravel truck merges onto the highway, hits a bump, and sends gravel flying. Now, I have scratches down to the primer on the hood and dimples in the bumper

I know you can't keep a car new forever, but c'mon!!!

No license plate on the truck, and we weren't getting any closer to get the hauler name. A little touch-up paint helped, but

RH77

[JanGeo]

What gets me is I follow at a safe distance and then someone cuts between me and the truck and pushes me back more . . . but as far as safe distance I am further back than most others on the highway.

[psyshack]

I dont dragt semis anymore.

In the past it could be good for a 2 to 4 mpg increase when done right. You can also surf the wake infront of a semi.

I took a rock or a kitchen sink yesterday off a Blazer that passed me. It was a ratty, muddy country road rig. I heard a slight wack. And i mean slight. Sound like a rock bounced off under the car. Got to work and found a dent with scratch in it on the leading edge of my hood.

[red91sit]

I think we've all drafted a semi atelast once in our life, in my car when I first got it (shot ignition wire's, original distributor and cap with +100k miles, plugged exhaust (catalytic converter blown out, but stuck in the pipes still), completely fouled spark plugs, bad TPS sensor, bad AIT sensor) It was very low on power, and i had to go to a town not too far away to get some stuff. It ended up being a VERY windy day, i realized just how windy it was when a semi passed me while i had it too the floor going up a small hill, at about 45 mph. I ended up being able to keep up with him, so i kept my bumper stuck to his the entire way there afraid i woudlnt' make it otherwise.

I've noticed the sound of the wind really goes away when your drafting too.