Frequently Asked Questions About Airtabs

How is an Airtab® attached to the truck and trailer?

Double sided adhesive tape for most applications and for those vehicles with slightly uneven sides where tape would not provide a good bond, a polyurethane glue

What are they made of and will they take extreme temperatures?

They are made from solid but flexible UV Stabalized Polystyrene. They are UV resistant and withstand extreme temperatures. Once fitted, they form a very strong bond to the surface but will not damage the paint surface below.

What are the ideal installation conditions?

For warranty purposes, Airtab®'s should be installed with the surface temperature of the vehicle +40°F (+5 °C) or warmer. All surfaces must be dry, clean of all contaminants and cleaning solvents. Simply put, the cleaner, dryer and warmer the better.

What colour is an Airtab®?

White is the basic colour, although for large orders we can colour match in the injection molding. They are also available in clear.

How many do I need?

There are normally 3 per running foot (4" inches on center) spaced as shown in the Install Guide. Can they be placed farther apart than 4" - I have some unequally spaced ribs on my trailer. Placing them closer together than 4" causes some slight interference, and obviously requires more Airtab®'s. Much as we'd like to sell more, closer spacing is counterproductive.

Can they be painted?

Yes, using automotive paints.  I am going to put Airtab®s on my tractor and trailer after I have it painted. How long should I wait before I may attach the Airtab®s? I would check with the painter and read the paint specification. Once the painter or manufacturer says the paint is cured you can apply them. Do the Airtab® have to be painted prior to being fitted? Not necessary, but installed prior to painting the vehicle, they will blend in even better. 

 How long does it take to fit a truck and regular trailer?

You can install the Airtab®'s yourself. If its your first install expect to spend an hour or so, reading instructions and getting familiar with the placement. For subsequent installs we estimate about 20-30 minutes for a typical trailer, and same for a tractor.

What tools are required to fit a truck and trailer?

• Sufficient Airtab®s, spacing templates, tape measure and masking tape.
• Automotive soap & water, degreaser (if necessary), Varsol or any paint thinner.
• Supply of clean shop rags or equivalent paper product.
• Scaffolding or secure work platform (preferred) or ladder.
• Wheel chocks.

I am operating a fleet of tractors that have over the cab fairing and side fairing. The dealer represented to me that because of the aerodynamic design, I would be operating at with maximum aerodynamic efficiency provided I maintained a tractor-trailer gap between 15 to 30 inches. I operate a reefer trailer and do not have a problem maintaining this tractor-trailer gap requirement. Can the Airtab® device decrease the drag even further?

First of all, Airtab® complement any existing aerodynamic kits regardless of the gap. Tractor trailer gaps of less than 15" are often impractical due to turning requirements and loads on the steering tires. In any case, the tractor-trailer gap is a compromise between aerodynamics and steering tire loads.

Moving the 5th wheel back slightly normally improves turning ability and reduces the load on the steering tires, improving both steering tire life and driver effort to turn the wheels. Normally moving the 5th wheel back increases the aerodynamic drag and reduces fuel economy.

Using Airtab® to bridge the tractor-trailer gap will let the 5th wheel be moved back with no compromise in fuel economy (up to about 40" of gap).
Additional benefits from Airtab® are that when there is a cross or side wind (which is nearly all the time)less wind gets into the gap. Less wind in the gap between tractor and trailer means less dirt and grit gets in this area, and the back of the tractor stays cleaner. All the important connections and mechanical parts back of the tractor get less dirt on them. Those who operate in winter conditions report much less (often no) snow buildup on the back of the tractor.

We also have had reports of reduced flexing of side fairings (extenders) which increases their life, and that there is less booming effect making the cab quieter (the better to listen to Willie Nelson!)

Has NASA ever tested the product called Airtab® manufactured by Aeroserve Technology?

NASA tested the basic shape that is used by Airtab®. They found them to be the lowest drag vortex generator they had seen. There are several technical papers written on vortex generators and other drag reducing devices, and the Airtab® shape was amongst those tested. This is not imply that NASA endorses Airtab®'s – they never endorse commercial products.

Has NASA tested the Wheeler vortex generator, which was what the Airtab® design was based? And is NASA currently using a vortex generator in their wind tunnels?

NASA has tested the Wheeler vortex generator quite extensively, and published the results in a number of technical papers. It is our understanding that NASA is using a variant of the Wheeler VG in their wind tunnels to improve the aerodynamics.

Will the Airtab® have any effect on drag reduction with a tractor-trailer gap less than 18 inches?

Basically as far as the air is concerned less than 18" and the gap is nonexistent,. We don't recommend Airtab®'s for gaps less than 18" .The Airtab®'s will have an adverse effect if the Gap is larger than 40 inches because it will direct airflow onto the front face of the trailer.

How close to the back of the tractor or trailer?

The Airtab® should not be placed any farther than 10 inches from the trailing edge of the tractor or trailer.

Is that measured from the Airtab® to the trailer, or from the trailing edge of the tractor to the trailer?

Correct – much farther forward from the back of the tractor (or trailer) and a good deal of the effectiveness is wasted against the vehicle. Place the Airtab®'s within 8 to 10" from the very back of the vehicle. The distance is measured from the furthest back edge of the side extenders (if fitted) or the back of the cab.

Is it True that the vertical separation of each Airtab® can not be closer than 4 inches (point to point) and no farther apart than 6 inches.?

There is no maximum distance apart, but prudence would dictate about 5-6". If we need, say 75 at 4"on center to have a 3% improvement in fuel economy effect at the back of a trailer, spacing them at 8" on center would probably give a 1.5% savings (half as many Airtab®). We have no hard evidence to prove this, but it is a good rule of thumb. Placing the Airtab®'s closer together than 4" causes some slight interference between the vortices produced, and obviously requires more Airtab®'s. Much as we’d like to sell more, closer spacing is counterproductive.

What is the spacing for Airtab® placement?

Airtab® are normally spaced about 1" apart at the wide end, (4" on center between the pointed ends). This spacing can be adjusted, if needed. Each kit contains sufficient Airtab® to equip a tractor or a trailer of normal size.

I have been in the transportation business many years and have never heard of the Airtab®. How long have they been in use?

Airtab®'s have been quite a long time in development. We wanted to make sure we had the materials, mounting methods and so on right before we hit the market in a large way. We also obviously wanted to make sure they did what we claimed they would do. We have worked with our test fleets to ensure the claims we are making and the technicalities are correct. And the trucking industry is rightly skeptical of anything new.