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Tacoma wind struggles?


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#1 Cbessler

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Posted 09 June 2022 - 10:41 PM

Hey everyone! I have a 2018 toyota tacoma trd offroad with a 2014 fwc fleet installed. The wife and I recently hit 6 national parks over 15 days and had a blast. One thing we noticed was the taco and camper struggled in the wind. This was mainly over the plains of Nevada and Utah but was driving our mpg from 15 to 16 to about 9 or 10! Yikes. There had to be a 20 to 30 mph head wind to battle. We had to almost white knuckle the thing at 65 to 70 mph. Much of utah is 80 or 85 mph highways.

My current setup is a 2018 toyota tacoma trd offroad, 2014 fec fleet with ome heavy duty leaf springs, bilstein 5100 rear shocks, 33" tires with stock rims. Riderite air nags with daystar cradles, front spacers.

Was wondering what your guys thoughts on if I should try and streamline the truck more, add a roof rack with a wind faring etc. I'm adding a few racks and pics to see what you guys think? This rack or the prinsu rack. I liked the prinsu more for accessories etc.

I want to regear to 4.88 with Yukon in the front and rear. Waiting to do that

Thanks and let me know your thoughts

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#2 JHanson

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Posted 09 June 2022 - 11:37 PM

I'm assuming you have the V6 and an auto transmission?

 

The current V6 is a poor performer in terms of fuel economy, and its power band is way too high in the RPM range (as with most non-diesel truck engines these days). Your 33-inch tires aren't helping, but be warned: Re-gearing to 4.88s will reduce the strength of your pinion gear. Perhaps not drastically, but it will be reduced. I generally recommend going no more than one step higher than stock. You'd do yourself more good by reducing tire diameter by an inch or so.

 

I doubt the rack would make enough difference to notice. If you were going to try enhancing aerodynamics in that area I'd be more tempted to try one of the inflatable "pillows" that completely fill the space.

 

In wind or on hills you really need to keep the RPMs up on this engine—in the 4,000 range. Your torque peak is at an absurd 4,600 RPM; peak horsepower is at 6,000. That's the kind of power curve Porsches had not long ago.


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#3 Cbessler

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Posted 09 June 2022 - 11:43 PM

Here is a picture of the front sorry so small. Mobile upload

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#4 Cbessler

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Posted 09 June 2022 - 11:44 PM

Here's a front view
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#5 Cbessler

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Posted 09 June 2022 - 11:46 PM

Here it is sorry

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#6 Porkface

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Posted 10 June 2022 - 01:26 AM

Looks to me like you have a fairly large space between the top of your cab and the bottom of the camper. I added a Yakima fairing to the top of my cab to deflect wind from passing trucks up and over the camper. It really helps. Should work the same for headwinds. Haven't measured an effect on MPG but it seems to smooth out the wind going over the camper so mileage "should" be better.


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#7 TacomaAustin

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Posted 10 June 2022 - 01:28 AM


In wind or on hills you really need to keep the RPMs up on this engine—in the 4,000 range. Your torque peak is at an absurd 4,600 RPM; peak horsepower is at 6,000. That's the kind of power curve Porsches had not long ago.

 

 

As a former Tacoma owner with a 5 speed mated to the 2.7 four,  there were times when it was necessary to only use the first four gears or if need be, downshift to third gear - which meant slowing down to below 50 mph.  My current truck is a first gen Tundra.

 

The six speed auto transmission on the 2018 Tacoma TRD OR has not one, but two overdrive gears. If you tow a heavy trailer or in this case having to push through a wall of air that is moving at you at 30 mph, slow down, take the transmission out of auto pilot and stay out of 5th and 6th gears.  I've never driven with this transmission.  Does it have a manual mode where you can limit the shifts to first four gears?

 

While climbing through the hills, especially with a strong head wind, another reason to gear down is the Tacoma's transmission will be less likely to overheat. 


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Andrew in Austin, TX


#8 Cbessler

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Posted 10 June 2022 - 01:33 AM

Hey tacoma Austin. Yeah chatted for 4.88 for the 33s to allow the drivetrain for better gearing without searching while on highway speeds. It's pretty sensitive to just drive in 5th or even 4th gear with a headwind. I slow down, try to trail large trucks if it's super bad etc.

Hey porkface. Yeah I have a horse mat under there with another series of mats from mule in portland oregon but looking to maybe remove one of these to drop it closer to the bed rails. I have maybe an inch or 1.5 inches to play with
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#9 Vic Harder

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Posted 10 June 2022 - 03:22 AM

Don't be afraid to rev it.  If the torque peak is at 4600 RPM like JHanson says, that is also your peak efficiency.  Small engines can really sing at high rpm.  It won;t kill them.  My Miata cruised at 4K and got 30 mpg.  

 

To throw fuel on the flame, on our last trip to Utah, our 3500 diesel with a Grandby on the back got the best MPG at 85 mph driving from Page AZ to Monticello Utah - 17 mpg.  We did have a tailwind, but it still surprised me.  Avg mpg is 14 mpg.


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#10 rubberlegs

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Posted 10 June 2022 - 03:24 AM

The six speed auto transmission on the 2018 Tacoma TRD OR has not one, but two overdrive gears. If you tow a heavy trailer or in this case having to push through a wall of air that is moving at you at 30 mph, slow down, take the transmission out of auto pilot and stay out of 5th and 6th gears.  I've never driven with this transmission.  Does it have a manual mode where you can limit the shifts to first four gears?

 

Yes, it has a way to limit shifts to lower gears, but so far I've not found a way to determine which gear it's in.

 

We drive a lot slower, rarely over 60, and have averaged 18 mpg in our Tacoma/Fleet combo. I still dream of constructing a good fairing. There are nutplates or similar under the rubber strips on the roof for a roof rack. Or screw into the bottom of the camper. Ours is the "shorter" cab so it's difficult to get a good angle from windshield to the top of camper.


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Tacoma/Fleet 2018.





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