Wind deflector on roof rack

BurbanAZ

Explorer
I have a pelican case that I have attached to my roof. I also have a fuel can and a few other things depending on what trip were going on. My roof rack right now doesn't have a wind deflector or anything on the front and I can tell it's hurting my gas mileage pretty bad having stuff up there. I knew it was going to hurt mileage before I put the case up there but the storage is more than worth it to me.

Anyone know how big a difference a deflector would make, if any?
 

91AzXJ

Adventurer
I have a brick, I mean Cherokee with a roof rack that I used to put a 5 gal gas can laying down in. there was a two mpg difference between deflector and no deflector with the can and a few other items up there on road trips.
 

VanIsle_Greg

I think I need a bigger truck!
On my Brick, er Cherokee, I have a roof basket with a built in Plexiglass deflector. It broke a few years ago, and I ran without it for about 2 weeks until I got a new one cut. The difference in noise alone tells me they make a pretty big difference. I bet mileage wise long term or on a long trip it would make a big difference not having one.



I bet also reducing the height above the roof would make a big difference. Get it out of the wind stream coming off the front window. I may be selling this rack and building a platform style/gutter mount rack for my RTT to mount to. I will also include a wind deflector (removable) for when I mount my RTT to it.
 

BurbanAZ

Explorer
2mpg would make it worth it, I think I make a quick one out of some sheet metal and throw it up there and see if it makes a difference.
 

bat

Explorer
Got to a plastic supply place and buy a remnant sheet of 1/4 ABS make some brackets and good to go
 

rayra

Expedition Leader
Thule and Yakima have a wide variety of designs to purchase or emulate, lot of anecdotal info out there about them making a difference in mileage as well as noise.
 

VanIsle_Greg

I think I need a bigger truck!
Thule and Yakima have a wide variety of designs to purchase or emulate, lot of anecdotal info out there about them making a difference in mileage as well as noise.

I think it depends on how much and what you have on the roof in the basket/rack? Noise, well it makes a big difference on my XJ with the deflector. Much quieter with it on (it whistles and hums without it). As far as mileage, its a brick and I am not expecting dramatic results, but cutting through the wind is better than disrupting it. Smoother airflow helps.
 

SmoothLC

Explorer
I put a Yakima fairing in front of the Front Runner rack in order to cut the wind noise. Didn't expect or notice any change in mpgs. YMMV.

1999-land-cruiser-with-rack-jpg.829110
 

BurbanAZ

Explorer
The more research I do the more it looks like a deflector makes little or no difference in mpg. I'll still probably put one up there though since it seems like it makes a big difference with road noise and my 4Runner has a sunroof so I get a bunch of wind noise through that. I was also going to stuff foam between the panel inside and the glass to try and help with noise
 

rayra

Expedition Leader
If you are running with a pelican and a fuel can up there you probably want as large of a deflector as you are comfortable with, to really loft the air up over your stuff.
 

spikemd

Explorer
The most noise from my rack was coming from underneath the rack. A 42 inch LED light bar mounted low worked great to cut down on noise and provide a small deflector. Kills 2 birds with one stone and its functional. I bought the light bar off eBay as a Chinese knockoff for less than $200 with low expectations, but man it is super bright! Be sure you get a good wiring harness/relay.

The lightbar helps with noise only when my RTT isn't mounted. Unfortunately I can't move my tent back due to the up slope of the factory SD rack.
 
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