earlyapex

Are V-nosed trailers easier to tow versus the standard flat nosed trailer? I can pick up a 20' enclosed flat nosed trailer tomorrow or order a V-nosed trailer. Your comments and experience is very much appreciated. TIA.

jrgordonsenior

Eric I think it depends on what you're towing it with and how tall the trailer is. I'm certain there is less wind resistance at 70 MPH with the V nose. But how much of that nose is in the slip stream and how much of it is catching the breeze? I would carefully consider the costs and potential gas savings.

kary993

I have a v-nose trailer, ATC. The trailer towed very well when using my Yukon Denali because, as John points out, the trialer is up in the wind above the Denali. Now I also tow the trailer behind a Country Coach motor coach and the v-nose makes no difference because the motor coach is 12.5 feet tall well above the the trailer, though it gives me a bit more turning radius with the v-nose so the box will not hit but then that depends upon how far forward you put the v-nose in relation to the hitch coupler.

Bill L Seifert

I doubt if you will save any gas because the flat-plate drag should be about the same, whether pointed or not. But, I would sure think it will pull easier, because it would tend to want to go straight. I have a friend that has one for his bikes, and he raves about it.

Bill Seifert

1987 944S Race Car

earlyapex

Thanks for the input. I've got a few long tows planned for this season.

mitch236

I have a pointed nose trailer and no disrespect to Bill, I can't see how it wouldn't be less drag unless as was stated before, your tow vehicle is as tall or taller than the trailer

Bill L Seifert

No disrespect taken. Logic tells me you are right. But an airplane guy told me about the amount of drag, I would imagine he could be wrong. I ain't no aerodynamisit, see I can't even spell it. His theory was that the same square inches are hitting the air. The V shape makes it go straight better, but almost the same drag. Maybe he meant that it doesn't make enough difference for you to notice. I honestly don't know. But if you are not right, why don't they make square cars?

I do know that everyone that has one, swears by it,

Bill

jrgordonsenior

Theoretically a V-nose would be less drag and therefore less wind resistance. I bet Thule or ATC has relevant info on their web sites. For an experiment, try holding a plate of flat surface out of a window at 60 MPH facing straight forward, and then at a angle similar to the V-nose trailers. I would be quite surprised if there wasn't a significant difference in force required. My earlier comment was that the amount of trailer that extends above your tow vehicle is all that will be affected. Depending on that vehicle's height, sometimes its just not very much.

Bill L Seifert

JR, yes you are right, but remember that a V nosed trailer is as wide as a flat nosed one. So if you bent that flat surface, you would have to extend the ends quite a bit, and that would bring the amout of surface hitting the air close to equal. Obviously a narrorer trailer would have less drag. But if the trailers are the same width, the V part would have to be bigger to reach the sides, exposing the same square inch surface to the air.

As I said above, I'm quoting a suposed expert, and I don't know myself, but what he said makes
sense. I wish an expert in aerodynamics would chime in here. Cause I sure ain't one.

Bill

Cory M

WARNING: Nerdy engineerspeak to follow:

The one with the V-nose will create less drag. Your friend was right that the cross sectional area has a direct effect on the drag but the shape does as well. The shape of the object determines the Coefficient of Drag, a more "slippery" shape has a lower coefficient and therefore reduces the drag. I rearranged the equation below to show this; you can see that the drag force is directly related to BOTH the area and shape (drag coefficient), as well as the velocity and the density of the fluid (air in this case).

I also posted a Coefficient of Drag chart for common shapes, there isn't a triangle ("V") on there but if you look at the case of the hemisphere (open end downstream) and the disk you can see that the flat disk has a drag coefficient that is about 3 times larger than the hemisphere. Therefore assuming they have the same area and speed the flat disk will create about 3 times more drag.

So both the shape and area are important, and for the same cross sectional area the more "slippery" shape will create less drag. (THe V-nose trailer has more storage space too )

jrgordonsenior

Yea, what he said....

Thanks Cory; great example of what Rennlist is all about!

Wreck Me Otter

Gack...towing is too complicated.....

mitch236

THANK GOODNESS!! I didn't want to find out I wasted my money getting the "flying Vee!!"

Bill L Seifert

Thanks for clearing that up. Seriously, CoryM, thanks,

Bill

JPhillips-998

I'm just thinking of adding a bubble or v to the expose part of the trailer. If I get real creatative, I may make one side open for storing small items or the spare tire.