Wind Deflectors available for BT Vans
Submitted: Monday, Mar 22, 2004 at 20:32
ThreadID:
120472
Views:
3869
Replies:
15
FollowUps:
0
This Thread has been Archived
Noosa Fox
If
Bushtracker owners would like to have the rear of their vans kept almost completely dust free when travelling on dusty outback roads, then a wind deflector made completely from Stainless Steel is now available. Conrad and Niza had had one fitted on their van for over 3 years and found that it does really work, so they wanted to ensure that their new van now under construction will also have one fitted. I have just travelled 1000km with Conrad over mostly good roads and the rear of my van was dirty while Conrads was clean. The wind deflectors will be available in Polished Stainless Steel or White Powder Coated Stainless Steel for $450. The price includes fitting by the maker at their property at Coomera, on Queenslands Gold Coast just behind Dreamworld. The caravan will be required to stay at their property for 24 hours after fitting to allow the adhesive to cure. You can stay in your van, or take a look around the Gold Coast during the day after fitting. Anyone interested in having one fitted to their van should contact Tony or Lidia on (07) 5573 2180 or by e-mail on lwold@bigpond.com The attached photo shows a Stainless Steel finished model that is the first proto-type one fitted to Tony and Charn Turners van this weekend. They will be giving it a good test next month when they head off into the outback of NT and WA. My one will be fitted next month, and Conrad will have one fitted to his new van when completed. As the width of the BT vans can vary depending on cladding type, Tony will require the exact width of your van between the side edge moulding. Brian
Reply By: Deleted User - Monday, Mar 22, 2004 at 20:34
Monday, Mar 22, 2004 at 20:34
Cut out for rear view camera?? Griff
AnswerID:
561689
Reply By: Noosa Fox - Monday, Mar 22, 2004 at 20:35
Monday, Mar 22, 2004 at 20:35
Griff, Most cameras are mounted just above the rear window and well below the top clearance lights, so they will not interfer with wind deflector in any way. Brian
AnswerID:
561690
Reply By: Deleted User - Monday, Mar 22, 2004 at 20:36
Monday, Mar 22, 2004 at 20:36
Brian, Can I ask if they add to fuel? Macka
AnswerID:
561691
Reply By: Noosa Fox - Monday, Mar 22, 2004 at 20:37
Monday, Mar 22, 2004 at 20:37
When I get one fitted, I will find out, but then you would probably also have to tow a fair way to see anychanges. Should be minimal if any. Brian
AnswerID:
561692
Reply By: Deleted User - Monday, Mar 22, 2004 at 20:38
Monday, Mar 22, 2004 at 20:38
If anything they should save fuel or be neutral. Estimated savings would be around 2% to 5% at best, and err on the lower figure. What it depends on is the efficiency of the design of the unit, and how much volume of air it deflects down to the back of the van. These deflectors stop the vacuum at the back of the van which is a significant and easily measurable drag. If you have ever been close up behind a pantechnicon or taut-liner type semi-trailer on the freeway, and sat behind them you can significantly take your foot off the accelerator. The design of the deflector for efficiency should have a slightly larger mouth to the outlet for maximum efficiency. Without calculating it I would imagine 1.5mm. The ideal set-up would be wide, reduction, wide but is not easily fabricated.
AnswerID:
561693
Reply By: Deleted User - Monday, Mar 22, 2004 at 20:39
Monday, Mar 22, 2004 at 20:39
This message has been deleted by the author.
AnswerID:
561694
Reply By: Luvntravln - Monday, Mar 22, 2004 at 20:40
Monday, Mar 22, 2004 at 20:40
Brian, the personal injury lawyer in me has to ask: In the stainless steel version, is there a reasonable possibility that the sun would reflect off of some portion of the deflector and sun-blind a driver approaching from the rear? Wouldn't a white powder coated version eliminate that risk? tgintl/jay
AnswerID:
561695
Reply By: Luvntravln - Monday, Mar 22, 2004 at 20:41
Monday, Mar 22, 2004 at 20:41
FYI everyone, I just called Tony (the maker) and Conrad answered and advised me that because of the possible risk all of the new deflectors are being powder coated in a white matching the BT skin. tgintl/jay
AnswerID:
561696
Reply By: Noosa Fox - Monday, Mar 22, 2004 at 20:42
Monday, Mar 22, 2004 at 20:42
I had a phone call a short time ago from Turist, Bob & Judy, who arrived at Bourke today after taking a short cut across some back roads, that turned out to be 300km of very, very rough and full of Bull dust necessitating Low Range 4WD some of the time. He said that he is now convinced what a good job the wind deflector does. After all this bull dust they arrived with only a thin film of dust on the back of the van, instead of having it caked on like he has experienced pre wind deflector on similar roads. This is a picture of the painted stainless steeel modle that we now have on our van. Anyone contemplating putting one on their van later should ensure that the lights are no higher than where my ones are fitted as it is just too much work to cut the deflector to make lights fit into it. Brian
AnswerID:
561697
Reply By: Bushtracker Buck & Babe - Monday, Mar 22, 2004 at 20:43
Monday, Mar 22, 2004 at 20:43
Brian, have you mentioned these dust/wind/air deflectors to BT? Would be interested to see what they think of them. Could be fitted maybe at the time of build and they could purchase them already made from Conrads son. Would we need to tell BT that we are having one of these fitted in order for them to drop the lights down to the required height? And if so, what is the height for the lights to sit at? I could imagine giving Turist's report that this might stop the rear camera from being totally covered in dust all the time or at least to the extent it might have been without fitting of the deflector. Angie
AnswerID:
561698
Reply By: Noosa Fox - Monday, Mar 22, 2004 at 20:44
Monday, Mar 22, 2004 at 20:44
Angie, Conrad has told BTi what the maximum height of the lights can be for the deflector to fit, but 1300 above the rear bumper bar will leave sufficient room for deflector. Tony is not doing it as a business it is just something that he makes up in his spare time. He is not set up to manufacture and send them to BTi for fitting. Brian
AnswerID:
561699
Reply By: Deleted User - Monday, Mar 22, 2004 at 20:45
Monday, Mar 22, 2004 at 20:45
Brian, Who did the neat job of signage for CB radio on your BT? Looks good Macka
AnswerID:
561700
Reply By: Noosa Fox - Monday, Mar 22, 2004 at 20:46
Monday, Mar 22, 2004 at 20:46
Macka, I just went to a sign writer when we were down in Victoria and asked them to print up the vynal lables, and then put them on ourselves. Brian
AnswerID:
561701
Reply By: Deleted User - Monday, Mar 22, 2004 at 20:47
Monday, Mar 22, 2004 at 20:47
We have just travelled 100 km of dirt road with our new rear deflector, that we travelled last year before we had the deflector put on. I can report that the amount of dust on the back of the van this trip was significantly less than last year. There was still dust - about 0.5cm on the back bumper where the rego plate is, compared to it having about 5cm of dust at the end of the trip last year. Cheers Charne
AnswerID:
561702
Reply By: Fot18 - Monday, Mar 22, 2004 at 20:48
Monday, Mar 22, 2004 at 20:48
Charne, Good to hear of the effectiveness of the deflector. Money well spent. Are you sure it's the deflector & not that big bag of wind you cart around with you!? 36 days & counting. See ya soon. Fot
AnswerID:
561703
