Freight Wing Side Skirt ‘Cuts Fuel 7.45%’

Freight Wing has introduced the AeroFlex 2012, an EPA SmartWay and CARB-approved trailer side skirt that it says delivers 7.45 percent fuel savings.

The update to its AeroFlex product uses the same EPA SmartWay-verified wedge geometry as the original product while offering lower weight and cost, the result of five years of research and development, Freight Wing says.

Third-party SAE/TMC J1321 testing confirmed that the AeroFlex 2012 (pictured) delivers 7.45 percent fuel savings, and the company says the side skirt saves over 400 gallons of fuel for every 50,000 miles of trailer operation. The new product uses DMP plastic formulated for the demands of trailer aerodynamics and offers a significant decrease in unit weight while increasing road life and durability, Freight Wing says.

The AeroFlex 2012 uses custom-engineered plastic panels and flexible support braces for added durability. A pressure-responsive support rod system keeps the skirt in an aerodynamic position while providing flexibility to absorb side and ground impacts.

A new clamp mounting system is designed to avoid maintenance problems with a simple two-piece design. Optimized installations of the product have seen it completed in under an hour with experienced mechanics, Freight Wing says.

The 76-50188-80 single packed standard unit fits 53? & 48? dry van and reefers. Freight Wing is also selling 76-50188-81 bulk packed standard units and 76-50188-90 28’ pup trailer units, with custom units available for specialty applications.

Last year Utility Trailer Manufacturing Company launched the USS-120A, an aerodynamic side skirt for haulage trucks. The USS-120A is U.S. EPA SmartWay verified as an “advanced side skirt,” meaning it provides a minimum of five percent fuel savings, and can be used with low rolling resistance tires on dry vans to achieve California Air Resources Board compliance, Utility said.