New guy wants to lower a Boondock

TomB985

Good evening, everyone!

I bought a lightly used ‘23 T@b 400 on Tuesday and I’ve been thrilled with it.  I came from a Flagstaff A-frame trailer that I bought for towing efficiency with my EV pickup, an F150 Lightning. The Flagstaff was good for efficiency, but it wasn’t holding up to the 12,000 miles I pulled over the last year, and I was seeing signs that I needed something more robust.  The T@b build quality is in another world from Forest River, and I’m really enjoying it.  

The downside is efficiency.  I settled on Nucamp because I was looking for something that could efficiently slide through the wind.  The only models I could find had the Boondock package and its 3” lift, and I’ve been disappointed with the efficiency.  I’m consuming 30% more power than I was, which makes it difficult to make it more than 140 miles between charge stops.  I’m planning to replace the aggressive 235/75R15 tires with the standard 205s when I get home, but that’s only going to get me an inch lower.  What’s the difference in suspension between the Boondock and standard package?  Is there a way to remove the lift and bring it down to regular height?  

Thanks, everyone!  

manyman297

Have you considered smaller tires on the trailer? Probably won’t lower it much though.

The misconception with the teardrop shape (especially the taller 400) is that it’s aerodynamically friendly. Somebody on here did some modeling and found that it really isn’t…especially when paired with a truck. There tends to be some turbulence between the bed of the truck and the tall front wall of the trailer. It acts like a huge wall. 

The addition of a camper shell on the truck seems to give things a more slippery profile.

Horigan

To lower the trailer further, you'll need a non-Boondock torsion spring axle from NuCamp, or trade with someone who wants a Boondock axle.  I doubt though that it would provide any measurable improvement in fuel economy.  These trailers are pretty big sails to be dragging around.

TomB985

Thanks, guys!  

I mentioned tires in my initial post; the base shoes are almost 2” shorter than the rubbers on the Boondock.  I’ll probably replace them in the springtime.  

I asked about the axle because some manufacturers use lift brackets that bolt to the bottom of the frame.  I almost bought an Airstream Basecamp with that setup because it would be easy to remove the blocks.  It’s almost impossible to find the Basecamp without the X package, much like every Tab 400 I found had the Boondock package.  It’s apparently not as easy to lower this one.  

I appreciate the feedback, and look forward to getting to know the community on here.  Other than towing efficiency, I’ve been really impressed so far!  

subkron

Someone (I think on this forum) also mentioned that kayak/canoe on cab helped efficiency. Maybe pu a cheap kayak and roof rack, seems silly but in the long run...

rh5555

You have to change out the entire axle to lower the axle arms.  Perhaps you could team up with a non-boondock owner who wants the extra lift and do a swap.  You might also consider a topper for your pickup bed to cut down on turbulence.  Also note that your spare tire is probably smaller than those installed on your wheels.

TomB985

rh5555 said:

You have to change out the entire axle to lower the axle arms.  Perhaps you could team up with a non-boondock owner who wants the extra lift and do a swap.  You might also consider a topper for your pickup bed to cut down on turbulence.  Also note that your spare tire is probably smaller than those installed on your wheels.

Yup, the spare is the smaller size that comes on the regular model.  It matches the tires on my utility trailer, so I could easily swap them to try it out.  

Gas is cheap, so I’m probably using my old Expedition to pull to Texas next month.  That’s got a similar rear profile to my truck with a topper, so I’m curious if I lose 40% of my unloaded fuel economy.  If less, it might be worth buying at a topper.  I came really close last spring, but opted for a Retrax tonneau cover instead.  

RCB

I wonder if a deflector mounted to the roof at say 45 degrees of an suv or pickup might improve the aerodynamics of the rig. 

HappyWanderer

Switching to the 205s might not lower your trailer much, but, if they are street tires instead of off-road tires they will also likely have less rolling resistance which should help with mileage.  Just a thought.

Marceline

RCB said:

I wonder if a deflector mounted to the roof at say 45 degrees of an suv or pickup might improve the aerodynamics of the rig. 

Or maybe a cap on the truck bed.

TomB985

Marceline said:

RCB said:

I wonder if a deflector mounted to the roof at say 45 degrees of an suv or pickup might improve the aerodynamics of the rig. 

Or maybe a cap on the truck bed.

That’s what I’m considering.  I came close last spring, but I’m thinking harder about it now.  

Mickerly

I tried the deflector. The trailer tongue is too long. The air hits the deflector, circles around and hits the trailer. The key is rounding the front edges of the trailer and covering up the undercut, lower front.

Switching to the standard axle lowers 2in.

Maxcamp

FYI contractor cap on my Tacoma is a 1.5 to 3 mpg penalty based on past 30 years experiences.  Can't say how it impacts towing.

Droid

I am a retired designer who worked for General Motors for over 30 years. I remember a discussion with the fuel efficiency engineers about what matters most with fuel economy. The engineers answer was area going through the wind. So with that in mind, the lower the trailer the better the fuel economy should be, that is with the same conditions like wind, speed, hills etc. I think it definitely will help to lower the trailer, but how much it helps is hard to quantify. 

The other discussion that caught my attention is having anything strapped to the top of the tow vehicle will hurt mileage, basically any larger area you push thru the wind while driving will diminish mileage. I used to have kayaks on top and when not tow vehicle and noticed the mileage was worse. 

I think it is really cool you’re towing with an EV ! I would like to hear more about that experience.

Bill&Suze

Hi @Droid, there are a few other EV owners on the forum, two Rivian guys have mentioned pulling T@B 400s if I recall correctly. My wife and I also tow with an EV, a Kia EV9. EV towing is in its infancy at this point, due to the lack of comprehensive charging infrastructure which makes it limiting in where one can travel, but it is doable. The other factor is range reduction which is what @TomB985 is trying to address. Better range could be had if the 400 weren't as heavy as it is and if it were more aerodynamic but the trade off is its comfort and amenities. An Ev's incredible torque makes towing the 400 seem effortless but the tradeoff is loss of efficiency. We've accepted the fact that we have to charge every 100-110 miles or so but my feeling is that it is worth not having to burn dinosaur juice in order to go camping in beautiful spots.