Stability Product Evaluation...

[Jim]

Over the last 13 years I've owned two 35 foot Class A diesel rigs, both with Freightliner chassis. During those years, often noticed an instability on either freeways or two lane roads. Rocking, rolling, and sway when passed by big trucks, or from steady winds at an angle to the rig, or from gusting winds. It just seemed instability was the norm. Quartering or side winds would push the rig around and make driving strenuous. Often would finish the day's drive exhausted from fighting the steering.

Like others, I watched for and followed threads about minimizing this issue, with an eye towards adding a stability product, even though with my rigs it seemed to be relatively mild compared to what others experienced. Sometimes I ran across postings about a product which was touted to eliminate most handling issues without costing the thousands that came from buying and installing steering stabilizers or other undercarriage products.

A few months ago, a V-Spoilers rep contacted me about renting advertising space on my RV travel and repair blog. I offered to allow their ad for free if they would provide a set of V-Spoilers that I could evaluate. They shipped them, I had them installed, and here we are. Installation was very easy, only taking a workman an hour. The company didn't ask for editorial rights so everything I've written about them here, and on my blog, are my own opinions.

Here's how the V-Spoilers look installed:



They are similar to another product that's been mentioned here on the forum. I could have improved the overall appearance if I'd had them installed a bit further towards the front of the rig.

What I found after installing the V-Spoilers was a vast improvement in stability while driving on windy days, and a lessening of the buffeting caused by passing semi's. My RV no longer seemed to notice any winds, other than the wash from an occasional semi. I recently took a long trip in the desert country from Gila Bend, Arizona to Beatty, Nevada and had winds the entire 440 mile route, both steady and gusting, coming from every possible direction along the route. In addition to driving on both freeways and 2 lane roads with a large number of trucks passing in either direction.

With the V-Spoilers, the RV just seemed to drive smoothly in virtually every condition. No longer do I need to be fighting the steering wheel. I highly recommend them.

There's more story and pictures about the product at my blog: Blog Posting...

[RinconVTR]

Lwiddis wrote:
"Truckers use that item and swear it is like there is a hand pushing down on the roof of the tractor."

Ok.....Let's hear from some truckers. And I have never seen one on a truck...never.

I've used Air Tabs and have no strong opinion either way but do sway to a slight MPG improvement and added stability.

Regarding semi tractors...they are not what I'd consider common but they are often seen if one knows where to look. They are most often found on the tractors trailing edge bodywork not the trailer. I assume they are not found on trailers as often because many are not owned by the tractor owner.

When semis begin adding on numerous aero tricks, savings adds up. 2-3% fuel savings per gadget quickly adds up when you run 500k+ per year.

For RV's, there are slight benefits, but not big returns on investment, if at all.

[1968mooney]

:S

[Jim]

Bruce Brown wrote:

Jim@HiTek wrote:

crasster wrote:
I'm trying to figure how they'd help in 30mph cross winds. Spoilers or not the RV bod is a sail.

Why on earth would you be driving in 30mph cross winds?

We often drive in winds like that, in fact we did on our way home this Monday. We still have jobs so unfortunately we don't have the option of pulling over if it gets windy...or rainy, or any other crappy weather.

With that said, I understand what you were saying, and I can say Newmars Comfort Drive has made driving in those conditions pretty much a non-issue. It would be interesting to see if the addition of V spoilers or air tabs would add.

Ahh. Yeah, a job. Have not had to drive anywhere in conditions I didn't want to drive in in many decades. AFA whether the V-Spoilers would help in those conditions would be interesting to test. I've only had them on during winds from various directions of 12-18 per the weather service.

Funny, yesterday I got a new neighbor here at the Beatty RV park, older Winnie around the age of mine. And it also has the spoilers installed. They look factory installed. They're all colorized to match the body paint. A couple are broken and the color goes through the plastic, not just painted on.

[irishtom29]

Having deluded myself on several occasions I'm confident in the ability of others to delude themselves.

[Bruce_Brown]

Jim@HiTek wrote:

crasster wrote:
I'm trying to figure how they'd help in 30mph cross winds. Spoilers or not the RV bod is a sail.

Why on earth would you be driving in 30mph cross winds?

We often drive in winds like that, in fact we did on our way home this Monday. We still have jobs so unfortunately we don't have the option of pulling over if it gets windy...or rainy, or any other crappy weather.

With that said, I understand what you were saying, and I can say Newmars Comfort Drive has made driving in those conditions pretty much a non-issue. It would be interesting to see if the addition of V spoilers or air tabs would add.

[mike_brez]

If it was that great you would see thousands of truckers with them. I think over the years and all my travel I have seen two. Even if truckers were to get .004 better mpg with these huge trucking fleets traveling millions and millions of miles would all be plastered with them.

[Lwiddis]

"Truckers use that item and swear it is like there is a hand pushing down on the roof of the tractor."

Ok.....Let's hear from some truckers. And I have never seen one on a truck...never.

[Lwiddis]

Mike, now you are clearly expressing yourself to ALL readers! And I agree.

[Lwiddis]

Mike, some of our YOUNGER RVers not understand a snake oil anogolgy.

[Jim]

crasster wrote:
I'm trying to figure how they'd help in 30mph cross winds. Spoilers or not the RV bod is a sail.

Why on earth would you be driving in 30mph cross winds?

George Beggs wrote:
Jim what effect did the spoilers have on your fuel millage?

It's only been 600 miles so can't really say. But the stability improvements are impressive enough that I'm not looking at that much.

[msmith1199]

Yeah sorry, but I'm on the skeptic side too. I may buy that they improve handling a little, or noticeable improvement, but to go from fighting the steering wheel down the road to:

"My RV no longer seemed to notice any winds, other than the wash from an occasional semi."

I was on a 1000 foot long cruise ship in Alaska a few years ago and the Captain smashed into in the corner of the dock trying to get in with high winds. If he had just installed some plastic tabs on the boat the wind would have no effect? Okay, that's an exageration, but as somebody already pointed out, no matter what you stick to the side of your motorhome you're still going to have 350 to 450 sqaure feet of sail on the side of that motorhome.

[fortytwo]

When a large truck passes an RV a high velocity mass of air pushes against the roughly 10' by L' flat surface of the MH. It defies the laws of fluid dynamics that the small fins at the very rear of the RV could do anything substantive to change that force.

The fins would have some effect on the turbulence of the air flow that comes down the side of the MH when in motion. That could be measured in a wind tunnel, but I've never heard of these wind deflectors (lots of different types) being tested in such a facility.

However, if the "warm fuzzies" one gets from investing in such devices makes driving the MH more enjoyable, it could be worth the cost.

[moisheh]

Jim: Truckers use that item and swear it is like there is a hand pushing down on the roof of the tractor. Glad it worked for you.

Moisheh

[mike_brez]