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Do Mudflaps Hurt Your Truck's MPG? A Super Scientific Aero Breakdown
Key Takeaways
- Premier Aerodynamics used OpenFOAM to simulate a Toyota Hilux at 100 kph (62 mph) with and without mud flaps.
- Mud flaps increased the coefficient of drag from 0.37 to 0.38, costing about $70 per year in fuel at highway speeds.
- Tall ride height creates large wheel wakes, which are a bigger drag contributor than mud flaps.
- Covering the bed or lowering ride height offers larger aero gains than simply removing mud flaps.
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DT Editorial Team··via thedrive.com