Did You Know?

Reducing drag due to air flow in a motor vehicle design contributes to improved fuel efficiency. An engineering student at Western New England College studied the effects of drag in a pick-up truck design. Can you choose the correct order for the following configurations from lowest to highest drag in a pick-up truck?

  1. attach a rectangular bed cap the height of the cab
  2. lower the tailgate to horizontal
  3. replace the tailgate with a cargo net
  4. use a tonneau cover over the bed

Improving Aerodynamic Characteristics of a Dodge Ram Pickup Truck.

by Todd J. Ortolani & Vanwijak (Kehm) Ewosakul
Faculty advisor: Dr. Alan K. Karplus

This is a brief collection of information and images from the projects completed by Todd and Kehm during the Spring semester 1997 in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. The baseline condition of the pickup was evaluated. Several conditions including aftermarket devices were simulated in a water tunnel. A new cap design was developed and tested. The new cap reduces drag by 30% and provides for a 3 mpg reduction in fuel consumption.  This project won the 1997 American Society for Mechanical Engineering Young Design Engineer's Paper Competition International Award.    

  1. Solution to Did You Know?
  2. Drag Coefficient
  3. Baseline condition    Cd = 0.432 (without mirrors) 
  4. Square Cap    Cd = 0.480   11.11% Increase in drag
  5. Replace tailgate with a cargo net    Cd = 0.461   6.71 % Increase in drag
  6. Removed Tailgate    Cd = 0.447   3.47% Increase in drag
  7. Lowered Tailgate     Cd = 0.414     4.17% Decrease in drag
  8. Tonneau Cover     Cd = 0.381  11.81% Decrease in drag
  9. New Cap Design  Cd = 0.302   30% Decrease in drag

At Western New England College, the study of engineering is about solving real-world problems.