M105 cover question

[Ford Mechanic]

Been wondering if it is ok to tow a M105 down the road with the front and rear flaps in the rolled up position? Looking to cut down on some of the wind drag for a trip and don't want to remove the cover just to have to reinstall it. I didn't know if it would create more problems or pull it off the trailer running down the road? Any one else pull theirs like that?

 

[armytruck63]

Should be OK. Just check on the tarp in your rear view mirror to make sure everything is OK.

 

[doghead]

What are you towing it with?

 

[98G]

I think it'll flap itself to death...

 

[Ford Mechanic]

What are you towing it with?

2500 4x4 RAM

 

[Ford Mechanic]

I think it'll flap itself to death...

That's what I'm worried about. I saw a couple pics of them open on both ends on Gov planet. That's what made me wonder about towing it that way.

 

[doghead]

With a pickup truck, sure that will work and help some.

I've done it before.

 

[Ford Mechanic]

With a pickup truck, sure that will work and help some.

I've done it before.

Awesome, that's what I was hoping.

 

[swbradley1]

Why not just take it off and put it in the bed?

 

[bikeman]

You can do it, just make sure you tie up your sides/front/back/ appropriately. My big thing as BN Maint Officer was the encouragement (aka telling) units to roll the tarp "inwards" if possible (which it was on most our stuff) vs. the normal "outwards" roll. Since these would get rolled up and stay rolled, the inward roll prevented/reduced the amount of water that would stay in the roll and then damage the tarp.

 

[steelandcanvas]

How far are you going? I think any fuel savings would be negligible.

 

[Ford Mechanic]

How far are you going? I think any fuel savings would be negligible.

A little more than an hour, some interstate driving involved also.

 

[Gunzy]

It isn't very hard to completely remove it and fold it up and put it in the bed then remove the front and side racks and lay them in on top. That will reduce the drag profile as much as you can get.

 

[bikeman]

but if you leave the top on it acts like a wing and gives the trailer lift... which means less resistance and better mileage.

 

[armytruck63]

^You made me laugh out loud!

 

[Ford Mechanic]

So both ends open the trailer and cover rode fine, but with it loaded and closed up it only got 1 mpg less. So not enough mpg differance to warrant the aggravation of rolling that front cover up.