2016 A.R.E CX Canopy- design, mpg issue

Thias1805, ARE 'steps up', so you should have no problem with them addressing these issues.

 

Sorry had way too many images loading up all good now

 

Thanks for being an A.R.E. customer, and I am sorry to hear about these issues. We also received your email last evening and have replied with a little bit of a plan to see what we can do to help out. We also plan to speak with your dealer about the blown fuse issue, because we do not know what would've caused that. We do have best practices for our dealers to use for installs, but many of our 700+ dealers have their own way of doing things, which 99.9% of the time work out just fine. It's very possible it was your dealer's first install on the '16 Tacoma that led to a problem.

Again, in regards to the wind noise and MPG, our products significantly alter the aerodynamics of the truck, which can create new noises and can alter the gas mileage. So these specific examples may be caused by a defect in the cap, or just normal changes from the aerodynamics being different. That is why we suggested getting back to your dealer so they can consult with our internal Technical Support teams.

Thanks again, and feel free to contact me through any channel!

Andy
A.R.E.

 

Hi Andy, That's great you are also helping out Thias1805. So help me understand your statement:
"Again, in regards to the wind noise and MPG, our products significantly alter the aerodynamics of the truck, which can create new noises and can alter the gas mileage."Etc.
From pg. 13 (attached photo) of A.R.E's brochure, I'm understanding you mean your products help improve aeodynamics and mpg?

 

We do include this information in our brochure regarding a study completed by the Western New England College of Mechanical Engineering. It is not a ironclad rule, but more of an average estimation. MPG changes can vary based on truck model, A.R.E. cap model, cap installation, truck modifications, road conditions, tires, driver style, etc. Additionally, some cap models, like our TW Series, are styled to be more aerodynamic when hauling a trailer.

The MPG issue is a tough one. So many variables go into it and when you are putting a 180 lb. equipment on the back and changing the aerodynamics it makes things even more complicated.

Thanks for the question!

 

1805 - Help me understand your last image in this group. This looks like a ski mounted on the canopy top?If so the canopy appears to sit below the truck cab top? Please take another photo of the section where the canopy sits in relation to the cab roofline.

 

Thanks for clarifying Andy. I greatly appreciate that you helped me out on TW as my dealer wasn't so customer-friendly, helpful with the after-purchase experience. As well, I'd appreciate and be interested to find out what ARE engineers learn when they receive my old CX currently being shipped back.

 

he's using the ski to provide a straight line comparison of the topper to the cab. it shows the topper is higher than the cab because the ski is not touching the cab

 

Yep, that's similar to what mine looked. Also, i thought it was weird how the cap rested creating too large a gap between cab & cap compared to my old caps.

 

1805 - Thanks for the clarity it was the reflection in the original post that was confusing.

Pockets put a folded piece of carpet in the gap and experienced improved fuel mileage to what he had before. I suppose it might be too much to ask if you have some spare carpet or possibly some three inch diameter pipe insulation tubing, i.e. foam type, to insert and redo some mileage testing. This would be another data point on the cap gap being the problem.

Toyota in their quest for improved MPG on the 2016 put the rubber strips on the forward side of the truck bed in the space between the cab and the bed. It is easy to see and it does not cover the entire side gap but just the bed side which was apparently enough for diverting the airflow around the outside of the bed rather than into the gap.

ARE, this may be a solution to offer the guys some sort of a rubber filler that points forward 2 inches or so. Would need testing. Cheers everyone.

 

I don't think I should have to do any tests to figure this out. I paid a good chunk of change for something that is supposed to improve gas mileage as stated in their brochure. I've had to tow my truck back to the dealer after a bad install and have noticed decreased mpg's since the install. I'll just go ahead and assume that if I stuffed whatever in the very noticeable gap my mpg's would improve. But that's not why I bought the cap I didn't foresee myself trying to rig something up to improve my fuel economy.

 

Here's a side shot of my V.

 

As Andy from ARE earlier mentioned V's come from a different mold. One can clearly see from your photo, V's butt up better to the cabin without as much top end rise than my and Thias1805's CX. Have you noticed any mpg loss or gain?

 

Still 18mpg.

 

From this photo of yours (below), it also looks like the canopy height is slightly above the rear of the cab a bit. What are your thoughts? Any chance of a closer, more detailed image of the gap?

 

I just picked up my 7568 tacoma monday night at kendal toyota in Bend. Made an appointment for tuesday at J&R canopy to install my A.R.E. overland series and I am very pleased with the shell. The fit and finish is perfect very nice product A.R.E. I give y'all a 10/10. J&R did a great job on the install and was very friendly, I was in and out in about 30 minutes. Best part was I got great millage on my way back to Modoc county "21.8 MPG" witch is about a 200 mile drive from bend with a mix of flat desert with a couple good uphill climbs included. I expect MPG to get better as the tacoma breaks in. Thanks again to J&R and A.R.E. Couldn't be more happy with my purchase.

 

Come on man you know better....
PICSSSSSSS!!!!!!

 

Overland is a V-series not a CX, different molds as stated by A.R.E's Andy.