Drafting with scangauge

[Jay2TheRescue]

Originally Posted by vectorg

What are the general rules for side-drafting? There must be a point where it can actually hurt you because you will be in a wave of compressed air. If I'm back far enough, the benefit must be close to that of drafting directly behind.

Geese fly in a V formation, but is it for drafting or more for navigation and staying together as a flock?

No, they're drafting in a V formation. Same with fighter planes flying in a V formation. They don't just do it because it looks cool.

-Jay

[blownb310]

You are being overtaken by a truck. When does the benefit of side drafting actually start? When you are next to the truck, or just behind it diagonally?

[Jay2TheRescue]

I notice my MPG start to rise by the time the truck has "passed" me, and my front bumper is even with the front of the trailer.

-Jay

[Mayhim]

My CRX is too old for a Scangauge, but the low-tech redneck version is very effective. I tied a short piece of wife's yarn to my wiper arm in front of me. It really flips around when in the open air, and starts to lazily flop around when in a slipstream.

It also matches the car's color at no extra cost.

Thanks all, for the insight into distance behind that becomes effective. Around here, though, our north/south seasonal crosswinds negate much of the behind-the-truck effectiveness on our predominantly east-west routes.

[Jay2TheRescue]

Even though I have the SG I'm thinking of adding a couple of pieces of ribbon to the front of the truck. I was thinking that one on the antenna would be pretty useless as I would not be able to easily see it while driving, but the wiper arm is a great idea. I didn't think of that.

-Jay

[blownb310]

In the old cars like my '77 Datsun B210, you have manually operated fresh air vents in the dash. With these open you can feel the difference in wind pressure entering the cabin when drafting. It's as if someone closed the vent almost all the way.

[Z man]

I find it better to stick to approx. 58-62mph and not draft a whole lot, 70mph is too fast for a box-shaped vehicle.
It's nice when there is a semi in front, back and beside me. This happens on I-81 sometimes as it is a big truck route.


Anyone have a friend that lets you draft them very close?
I've always wanted to do this on a long highway trip.

[Jay2TheRescue]

I agree. I find it hard to find a truck going a steady 55 or 60 MPH for me to draft. I thought I found one last week when I was driving on I-66. He must have been fully loaded, and had a non-turbo engine. He'd be going 55 or 60, but every time he came to a hill he slowed down to 35. I was so scared I was going to get rear-ended by someone coming up on my tail at 70+ MPH I just passed him then set the cruise @ 55 MPH. I'd be curious to see how effective drafting is in THe Beast with my new grille block and extended airdam, but haven't really had the chance.

-Jay