Aerodyne03 Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 Hi guys, I open this topic because I have a 53 "moebius trailer and I noticed a few things ... 1Most modern American trailers often have a small recess at the docking end (photo circled in red) The moebius does not have it but on modern great dane I always see it, what do you say? 2The moebius model does not have aerodynamic side skirts, if I built it I would like to add them 3 It would be nice to add aerodynamic tail to one of these models Is it widespread in the USA? Here in Europe you never see ... However, the topic is open to collect more information on this type of trailers, impossible to see in Europe but, in my opinion, more beautiful than our ... internal, external details, different types of manufacturers and different generations ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim B Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 The aerodynamic skirts are more prevalent than the aerodynamic tails. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espo Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 One nice thing about the rubber aero skirts on these trailers is that it reduces the amount of road splash sprayed on passenger cars driving alongside the truck on the highway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerodyne03 Posted August 4, 2020 Author Share Posted August 4, 2020 Here in Europe there are no aerodynamic skirts, there are either bins that truck drivers usually use to hold tools or bars that we call anti-intrusion bulkheads (I post two photos but, I think you already know them), they give look too heavy for trailers ... I have seen that even if less widespread companies like the mesilla valley have mounted some on their trucks ... with all this need to reduce consumption there is ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerodyne03 Posted August 4, 2020 Author Share Posted August 4, 2020 One more question, a bit off topic, the American cargo trailer model of italeri that I happened to assemble which model is it in reality? Maybe an old Willson? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim B Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 Not totally sure, but it's too short (not tall enough). The standard height for a van trailer is 13'-6". I know there is an article out there some where about fixing this kit, but I cannot find it now (naturally). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highway Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 Enrico, to answer your first question about the area you circled in red on the pic in your opening post, the reason that area is not on the Moebius 53 is probably because since it was first issued as a reefer trailer, Great Dane reefers do not have that as noticeable as the dry good trailers do. That is because the floor in a reefer is much thicker than a dry van also because of the added insulation the reefer needs for temperature control, where floors of dry goods trailers are just wooden planks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highway Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 3 hours ago, Jim B said: Not totally sure, but it's too short (not tall enough). The standard height for a van trailer is 13'-6". I know there is an article out there some where about fixing this kit, but I cannot find it now (naturally). I'm not sure either, but since Italeri's container frame has Fruehauf on it, it could be some Fruehauf or to me it has looked like it has elements of a Wabash in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerodyne03 Posted August 4, 2020 Author Share Posted August 4, 2020 Thank you for having responded in such a participatory way, thank goodness that I like the opinion of the refrigerated great dane, so for me the floor has no problems ... (nice the new termoking chiller in the photo) On the great dane website there are nice descriptions and videos but the question of the thickness of the floors and walls because of the insulation there is no better way than to see a live trailer or ask the experts that you have to deal with every day.? New, I looked at the instructions for the moebius and there are two usable pins for hooking, one bigger and the other smaller. Anyone know what difference there is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niteowl7710 Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 The aero tails were supposed to be good for fuel mileage, but the automatic nature of the deployment and stowage tend to fail within a few months of use and then require the driver to go back and manually deploy them. Which usually means they don't bother, or forget they are out and then promptly back into another truck, trailer or fixed object (or get backed into by another truck) and damage/destroy the "wings". My company bought a number to test and between equipment failures (if they get stuck open you can't open the trailer doors) and backing incidents we stripped them off all of the trailers that still had them left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toner283 Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 I load trailers day in and day out for a living and as our older trailers are replaced with newer ones, the new ones all have the side skirting. 90% of the trailers we deal with are Great Dane. Any of our short haul trailers do not have the trailer tail on them. All of our long haul trailers do. The ones that we have with the trailer tail are all manually deployed. However, none of our trailers with the tail have the bottom piece that shows in the photos you posted. Only the two sides and the top. The trucking company that we deal with the drivers are told they have to fold them out unless they're broken and if they damage them they lose their safety bonus so they're pretty careful with them. A couple of the drivers have said the trailers actually haul easier with the side skirts and the tail because there's less turbulence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerodyne03 Posted August 5, 2020 Author Share Posted August 5, 2020 Thanks again for participating, for now this is among my topics Yes, to think about it, it is easy that a rear-end collision can damage them, it is necessary to attend the doors and, among other things, they increase the length of the cemion, I only tell you that here in Europe the standard length limit of a tractor-trailer is 16 meters is you only with your trailers do you already pass them add us 3-axle tractors like yours (we are mainly two-axle cabovers) and the aerodynamic tail ... work in a transport company like yours but, I would be afraid to do backing up to docks ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerodyne03 Posted August 5, 2020 Author Share Posted August 5, 2020 Among other things, but, that flat bed moebius which is also talked about on this forum came out then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niteowl7710 Posted August 6, 2020 Share Posted August 6, 2020 4 hours ago, Aerodyne03 said: Among other things, but, that flat bed moebius which is also talked about on this forum came out then? No it has not been released yet, probably before the end of the year though since someone (sorry don't remember the channel) was building what looked like finalized test shots. It's down in the Big Rig Truck Basemen...err forum section. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerodyne03 Posted August 6, 2020 Author Share Posted August 6, 2020 Ah ok, thanks Here in Italy I think it would be difficult to find but it is another one of those models that you buy when you are tired of seeing Italeri written all over the place ... Feedback https://translate.google.it › ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fabrux Posted August 6, 2020 Share Posted August 6, 2020 Side skirts on van trailers have become so common now that to not have them would be a special order. Combined with the tails gives an improvement in fuel economy when deployed. My company only has the skirts, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerodyne03 Posted August 6, 2020 Author Share Posted August 6, 2020 Yes, you can see a lot of aerodynamic skirts and of different types you only have to choose the most esthetically beautiful ones, among other things, doing a refeer I could have a bit of trouble positioning them due to the diesel tank of the cooler... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerodyne03 Posted August 6, 2020 Author Share Posted August 6, 2020 I could pierce them ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbill Posted August 7, 2020 Share Posted August 7, 2020 Well, you don’t have to build it with the refer option... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerodyne03 Posted August 7, 2020 Author Share Posted August 7, 2020 This too would be a possibility, spectacular model anyway, perhaps the most beautiful prostar I have ever seen built, even more than the golden one!?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerodyne03 Posted August 7, 2020 Author Share Posted August 7, 2020 In reality, making it dry would also be a possibility because on the moebius model it seems to me that the tank is too external to make small holes as in the photo, or, at worst, it could be refrigerated without a tank, it is not that in my house there are other american truck experts but me ... (maybe I'm a little presumptuous?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highway Posted August 7, 2020 Share Posted August 7, 2020 20 hours ago, Aerodyne03 said: I could pierce them ... Those are only for the reefer trailers Enrico. The fuel tank for the fridge unit is hiding behind there, and the top hole is for filling the fuel tank and the smaller lower hole is so the driver can see the tank mounted fuel gauge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fabrux Posted August 7, 2020 Share Posted August 7, 2020 Heated trailers have those holes, too. The tank is mounted a little bit farther in so the skirt can work properly. The other aerodynamic feature I see on trailers is a big plastic spoiler-looking thing underneath in front of the wheels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerodyne03 Posted August 7, 2020 Author Share Posted August 7, 2020 Yes, the spoiler is often used as an alternative to the skirts, there are also in this case of various types, it would not be difficult to make even those? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerodyne03 Posted August 7, 2020 Author Share Posted August 7, 2020 Guys but, on the moebius trailer they give the possibility to add reinforcement bars to the top of the trailer ... Does their presence actually make a lot of difference? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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