My New Least Favourite Truck Accessory.

"POD" (podimus) 10/21/2013 at 15:27 • Filed to: Rant, Tonneau covers spoilers

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The tonneau cover spoiler. I thought it was simply a myth. A thing of legend like alligators in the NY sewer system or Twilight Sparkle. But no, I saw this today.

(Full disclosure: this photo was taken at a red light at a full stop, then the phone was put away, yes I know, I did a bad thing, I'll go sit in the corner for 10 minutes. Photo was framed to avoid showing license plates.)

There are some other prime examples on Google image. Some better than others, but as a whole, a bitter cup of tea to swallow.

Now, maybe there is a practical purpose for these. Perhaps you get "Crazy down-force yo!" Maybe it creates a magical air shield that slaps down any rocks tossed up from the trucks tires before they hit my windshield. If that last one is the case, then huzzah!

All I know is they look very out of place and I'll take a pass on the whole thing.

ddavidn > POD 10/21/2013 at 15:29

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There's a few bros out where I live that have these. Many are even larger. Much larger.

dogisbadob > POD 10/21/2013 at 15:30

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Ram SRT10 ACR!

Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. > POD 10/21/2013 at 15:30

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This is factory:

POD > ddavidn 10/21/2013 at 15:31

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Ouch, my condolences. That's got to be painful to see on a daily basis.

CAR_IS_MI > POD 10/21/2013 at 15:32

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Saw a Supra wing on a truck once, damn near ripped my eyeballs out just to ease the pain...

POD > CAR_IS_MI 10/21/2013 at 15:33

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POD > Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. 10/21/2013 at 15:34

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POD > dogisbadob 10/21/2013 at 15:37

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Would be better without the wing. That's what you were going for right? I agree!

carcrasher88 > POD 10/21/2013 at 15:41

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Factory spoiler. Doesn't count.

Paul, Man of Mustangs > POD 10/21/2013 at 15:42

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What about this, ignoring that the truck looks like it has a bent frame (maybe just weird reflections and camera angle?):

Milky > POD 10/21/2013 at 15:42

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you take the damn SRT-10 out of your post!! It deserves more respect, it has 500hp for petes sake.

POD > Milky 10/21/2013 at 15:47

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A supermodel with a canker sore is still ugly.

POD > Paul, Man of Mustangs 10/21/2013 at 15:50

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That's a bit better, looks like the Nascar Truck series spoilers.

The spoilers in the truck series have a function though, so I give them a pass.

POD > carcrasher88 10/21/2013 at 15:52

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Still ugly, but technically not an accessory if it came that way from the factory. Fair point.

Jayhawk Jake > POD 10/21/2013 at 15:53

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Aerospace engineer here...

IF you wanted downforce for your truck, this is the best place to do it. Here's what happens (crudely drawn in paint)

The air flows over the top of the cab, then tucks down over the back, generating a vortex behind the cab. That's the black line. Air above this 'boundary layer' then essentially sees the vortex as a solid body (there's a boundary formed between the vortex and the freestream aiflow), so it then follows this new boundary to the tonneau cover where it well flow straight off the back. So here the wing sits, and actually sees relatively smooth free stream airflow, thus generating downforce (indicated by the L vector)

Of course, why a truck would need this downforce is beyond me, and chances are most aftermarket spoilers aren't even airfoil shaped so they probably do no good. Regardless, the concept of a tonneau wing isn't flawed, but the necessity is questionable at best.

POD > Jayhawk Jake 10/21/2013 at 15:57

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Awesome answer!! Thanks! Also a better paint drawing than I could have made.

Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. > POD 10/21/2013 at 15:59

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These actually do their job.

POD > Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. 10/21/2013 at 16:02

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These I rather like. Especially on the semi, but even on the pick-ups. Particularly if you were using the pick-up as a 5th wheel haul vehicle.

Jayhawk Jake > POD 10/21/2013 at 16:03

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My pleasure! The truck took some time to draw, but I think it's pretty photorealistic for a crude drying

Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. > POD 10/21/2013 at 16:03

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I'm surprised I haven't seen them pop up on Chevy Berettas sprint car style.

Sethersm > Jayhawk Jake 10/21/2013 at 16:04

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Could it have more to do with smoothing the flow as it departs from the truck than generating down-force? Those swirlies there behind the cab would occur behind the tailgate too, no? Those swirlies generate drag, no? Could a wing (not necessarily this wing since it's probably all looks) be used in such a situation to get rid of or reduce the swirlies, thus resulting in a lower overall drag?

POD > Jayhawk Jake 10/21/2013 at 16:04

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Haha! Nice, I lol'd.

POD > Jayhawk Jake 10/21/2013 at 16:04

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Haha! Nice, I lol'd.

Jagvar > POD 10/21/2013 at 16:06

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Murrica!

POD > Jagvar 10/21/2013 at 16:09

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Personally, not a fan. But that gets into another rant of why you would by a truck if you want a vehicle that goes fast on road? There are so many other options out there. Obviously there is a market for it or Dodge wouldn't be selling it. I'll pass though.

fink stinger > POD 10/21/2013 at 16:12

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The spoiler isn't the first, or even second, thing I would identify in "what's wrong with this picture" in that last picture.

POD > fink stinger 10/21/2013 at 16:13

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True. Having the photographer's shadow in the photo is a huge no-no, what was the owner thinking???

fink stinger > POD 10/21/2013 at 16:20

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Looks like he didn't learn his lesson:

POD > fink stinger 10/21/2013 at 16:45

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That's damn funny right there!

YesILoveCars > POD 10/21/2013 at 18:48

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Got a pickup? Need downforce (meaning "added traction")? At Home Depot. All the traction you need.

POD > YesILoveCars 10/21/2013 at 18:54

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Yes. Exactly this. When I owned my Ford Ranger I'd add sandbags and 2x6's. Not spoilers.

GTRZILLAR32-Now saving for Godzilla and a condo > POD 10/21/2013 at 19:03

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Theres a Ram I drive past on my way to work and not only does it have the supra style wing on the tonneau cover but a smaller (think 3rd gen eclipse) style wing on the roof of the cab.

It looks like shit and I want to sawzall them off.

POD > GTRZILLAR32-Now saving for Godzilla and a condo 10/21/2013 at 19:08

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We need a photo of this truck for posterity sake. Before the Sawzall comes out anyway.

GTRZILLAR32-Now saving for Godzilla and a condo > POD 10/21/2013 at 19:16

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I will when I get my replacement potato

Jayhawk Jake > Sethersm 10/21/2013 at 21:39

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They're called vorticies, and no. A wing won't do much to reduce the vortices that would form coming off the tailgate. It might help a little, but probably no more than the drag created by the wing itself. The only way you'd really fix the drag from the tailgate is to add a tail, so the airflow has a surface to follow.