Airtabs

[vegascouple]

I was looking at the September issue of Family Motor coach about airtabs What are they?: Airtabs.com

Does anyone have any experience with these?

Thanks,

Michael

2005 Dutch Star 40'

[skipwil]

Hi: Sometime back there was a thread regarding the use of air tabs on motor homes. try a search on the top bar here and see if it shows up. best i remember about 1/2 liked them and others didn't. It makes sense to me to break the air flow.
Safe Travels

[Route 66]

Searching on "air tabs" will bring up several threads.

[J Walker]

Right, search for the thread or search my posts and you will find it. I have Air Tabs and am satisfied with them. In a nutshell the MPG benefits are too small to prove you are getting an improvement though you may be getting it. In other words wind, grades, and speed have a bigger effect than Air Tabs and any increase or decrease in MPG is hard to attribute. The did seem to improve handling somewhat.

[Mike Thomas]

We have a semi tractor and trailer. We have air tabs installed on the tractor and the trailer. The claim for better fuel mileage is a subject of much debate in the trucking industry. But the item that there is a great deal of agreement on is handling. They do improve handling. It has been described that it is like putting a tail on a kite to stabiize the kite. The handling in crosswinds is greatly improved. Every truck driver I talk to buys them for the handling.

We have a Penske Yellow, Freightliner and a white trailer. I painted the ones on the truck to match the color of truck. The ones on the trailer I left white. We would not drive without them.

[vegascouple]

Thanks for the input they are not that expensive I think I'll get them. I have a motorcycle on a lift if it also kept that cleaner as it's suppose to that would be a big help.

[Route 66]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vegascouple Thanks for the input they are not that expensive I think I'll get them. I have a motorcycle on a lift if it also kept that cleaner as it's suppose to that would be a big help.

Let us know your experience with them.

[Mike Thomas]

On our trucks, it does keep the back of the trailer cleaner. When you go down the highway on those rainy days, it is very obvious how it just "throws' the water about 20 feet behind the trailer, and then it comes back together. Normally you see a very turbulent, "washing machine" action behind the trailer. They really smooth out the airflow.

[vegascouple]

I took my first trip with airtabs installed. I found myself auotmatically compensating when getting passed by trucks and busses. Compensating had become an automatic response that honestly I didn't even realize I was doing. However, with airtabs I felt nothing when large vehicles passed. Next year we are doing a trip down Baja I think that will help a lot as we pass large vehicles on narrow roads.

I have a lift on the back of my motor home for my motorcycle. I was amazed at how clean the back of my motor home was. That factor alone is worth it for me.

I have not been in high winds yet. However, I'm happy with the airtabs. I just wish I'd put them on years ago.

Michael

2005 Dutch Star 40'