Cross Rail Position for Best Economy/Performance

[swathdiver]

Any thought gone into this? Those two cross bars on the roof, are they best kept towards the rear, spaced apart, up front, or???

 

[2011SSVHOE]

Interesting question. Anything the wind can catch will make a little drag. Can you take them off and use them only when you need the extra payload capacity?

 

[thirdcoast]

Took mine off... side rails coming off as soon as I get the time.. & order the trim pieces..

Wanna look like "GoodInBlack"

TC

 

[swathdiver]

I could take them off but then they would get busted up in the garage and wouldn't find that out until I needed them. Pontiac had some minivans with a spoiler of sorts at the end of the rails, guess I could move them all the way back and see if that makes a difference. Probably would need to take it on the highway and try it both ways for a spell.

 

[Jason_S]

You will probably not notice a difference.

 

[STORMIN08]

I

You will probably not notice a difference.

I have several very long trips on our burb...i have never noticed a difference


I placed evenly spaced to look like a rack, as well as a spoiler in rear. No difference.

 

[sk1dm4rk]

OK. If placement doesn't work to affect mileage, what about placing them to cut down on road spray on the rear window? Possible?

Sorry for the potential hijack, but I thought this would fall into the "performance" side of your question. I have not looked at that, but would be definitely interested in keeping the back glass more clear.

 

[Jason_S]

OK. If placement doesn't work to affect mileage, what about placing them to cut down on road spray on the rear window? Possible?

Sorry for the potential hijack, but I thought this would fall into the "performance" side of your question. I have not looked at that, but would be definitely interested in keeping the back glass more clear.

Short answer, no.

Longer answer, still no. Your Tahoe/Sub/Yukon or nearly any other car for that matter are, to varying degrees, bricks that punch a hole through the air as you drive. The net, and very simplified, result is that you get a higher pressure area at the front of your car and a lower pressure area at the rear. The low pressure area exists directly behind your vehicle. That low pressure area is what sucks all of the spray and dirt up to the back of your vehicle. Changing/adding stuff to the roof of your ride will not change that.

There is actually a crap load more to it than that, but this isn't the place to really go into it.

 

[Etraeger]

I just took mine off and store them in the crawl space above the garage. Mine is lifted and it barely fits in the garage. It won't fit with the cross bars. I actually had to modify the garage door frame to get it to fit. Anyway, I doubt you would notice any difference with or without the crossbars or moving them to different positions. These aren't the most aerodynamic vehicles in the first place.

 

[GMJedi]

Probably the best position for the most economy is approximately 8” from the front and rear. Then back it into the driveway. Get in the $500 geo metro and drive that.
About the only way changing anything on a Tahoe/Burb will see any financial benefit as far as economy is to park it. But none of us would rather drive a metro over a full size suv. If so, we’d be on that web page.
Oh also, find a source for ethanol free gas. Costs more. Runs better. Worth it.