Partial Bed Cover- '98 Frontier - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

Bow · 02-01-2010, 08:04 AM

Well, I decided it was time to try something else, and best of all, I got the time to do it...

What better to do on a Sunday morning in 45 degree weather?

I sourced the wood and built a partial bed cover for the truck.

4 - 1x12x4 white pine
1 - 1x10x8 white pine
1 - 2x2x8 pine

My bed is 54.75" wide at the rails
1x12 boards are NOT 12" wide!
1x10 boards are NOT 10" wide!

However, if you place 4 of the 1x12s and 1 of the 1x10s side by side, you get 54.375 (54 3/8) wide...

I have a 6' bed, so 4' long is plenty... and it is currently recessed into the bed about 3/8"

Here it is...

The Best part?
The first run to work this morning gained me 3 MPG Avg... 27.1! and in 37 degree weather!!

It cost me about $35 for materials...

Now I'm thinking about a belly pan...

MadisonMPG · 02-01-2010, 08:30 AM

3mpg may have been a fluke, but looks good none the less.

Bow · 02-01-2010, 08:36 AM

Maybe so, I'll find out tomorrow on the way into work...

I do know that the truck doesn't drag from 40-50 MPH like it did before.

MadisonMPG · 02-01-2010, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bow

Maybe so, I'll find out tomorrow on the way into work...

I do know that the truck doesn't drag from 40-50 MPH like it did before.

How long is the bed?

Bow · 02-01-2010, 11:27 AM

aerohead · 02-01-2010, 01:21 PM

I think GM inferred that a 1/2-tonneau was good for about a 7% mpg improvement at standard conditions.

Bow · 02-01-2010, 01:53 PM

Thanks Phil!

If nothing else, it is a base for my future aerocap...

ChazInMT · 02-01-2010, 02:21 PM

Hey, Bow, I think it looks great! Far and away the best bang for the buck you're gonna get. Keep in mind too people, Bow has a big ol carry box back there too, that's gotta count for something, I'd say he has 4/5's of a tonneau.

Wanted to check this out so I made some Flow Illustrators of the build and the results impress me. For fun I put on an areocap too.

Base Nissan Frontier Flow Illus

Nissan Frontier W/ 1/2 Tonneau Flow Illus

AeroCapped Nissan Truck

Bow · 02-01-2010, 02:27 PM

Thanks Chaz...

I think I need to figure out a Cab extension/wing next... that should be quick and easy... (famous last words...

)

mjboks · 02-01-2010, 02:43 PM

Nice work on the 2/3 tonneau cover. A 2/3 cover is not much better than a full tonneau. Took this from Aerohead's photo album:

The carry box is probably not helping the FE that much since the weight of it is probably offsetting any aero gain.