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Drag Less With Your New Truck Accessories

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Aerodynamic drag can be defined as the opposing force that air exerts on a truck as you accelerate forward. Drag affects the fuel efficiency of your truck because the truck's engine is forced to generate more power to overcome the opposing force.

For a general contractor, a truck is more than a means of transport to and from work. At times, you might be forced to use your personal truck for work-related activities such as transporting construction materials. If you plan on getting accessories alongside your new truck, here's what you should know about aerodynamic drag.

Roof Mounted Racks May Not Be The Best

Roof mounted racks may seem like a good accessory for your truck. The rack gives you additional space on which to carry construction materials. It also gives you sufficient space to carry your children's bikes when the truck is "off duty," so to speak.

Roof-mounted racks are often preferred over other types of racks (e.g. trunk mounted racks) because they're often more stable. However, this type of rack is likely to increase aerodynamic drag on your truck as you drive, and this can have a negative impact on the truck's fuel efficiency. If you have to go with a roof-mounted rack, choose one that's not permanently installed on the truck. This way, you can always reduce aerodynamic drag on your vehicle by removing the rack whenever you're not using it.

Soft Tonneau Covers Are As Good As Hard Covers

You might find it necessary to invest in a tonneau cover so that materials you carry in the trunk are always protected from harsh weather.

You might be glad to know that tonneau covers can reduce aerodynamic drag on your vehicle. A tonneau cover gives your truck a more streamlined shape. An open-topped trunk provides an obstacle to the movement of air that "sinks" into the open trunk, thereby creating more resistance. Therefore, it would be safe to conclude that a tonneau cover will save you from the cost of replacing weather-damaged building materials and it might save you a significant amount of money in the face of fuel prices that always seem to be on the upward trend.

You might also be glad to know that your choice of tonneau cover doesn't affect the extent to which the truck's aerodynamic drug will be reduced.

Here is a more detailed analysis of aerodynamic drag and what it might mean for you.


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