Pickup truck cab extender system and method
Cab extender systems and methods are provided for reducing the aerodynamic drag on a pickup truck. A cab extender system includes a cab with a roof panel and a rear wall. The cab extends upward on the vehicle to the roof panel and the rear wall extends downward from the roof panel. A tailgate is disposed at a rear of the vehicle and a utility box extends between the rear wall and the tailgate. An extender extends in a rearward direction from the roof panel a length of between ten and twenty centimeters from the rear wall.
1. A cab extender system for a vehicle comprising:
a cab with a roof panel and a rear wall, the cab extending upward on the vehicle to the roof panel and the rear wall extending downward from the roof panel;
a tailgate disposed at a rear of the vehicle;
a utility box extending between the rear wall and the tailgate; and
an extender extending in a rearward direction from the roof panel a length of between ten and twenty centimeters from the rear wall;
wherein the extender is variable between an extended state extending the length from the cab, and a retracted state against the cab;
wherein the extender includes a pair of side segments extending from a top to a bottom, each side segment tapered down from the top to the bottom and a top segment extending along the roof panel and between the side segments.
2. The cab extender system of claim 1 wherein the extender is configured to minimize a sum of a first drag force at the rear wall and a second drag force at the tailgate as compared to the vehicle without the extender.
3. The cab extender system of claim 1 wherein the extender includes multiple panels that fold against the cab.
4. The cab extender system of claim 1 wherein the top segment includes a top surface and the roof panel includes an outer surface, wherein the top surface is aligned with the outer surface in a common plane.
5. The cab extender system of claim 1 wherein the length is no longer than ten centimeters.
6. The cab extender system of claim 5 wherein the extender is retractable against the cab so that the utility box is not obstructed by the extender.
7. A vehicle comprising:
a cab that has a rear wall that is substantially vertical and a roof panel that is substantially horizontal, the rear wall and the roof panel meeting at a rear edge of the cab;
a utility box rearward of the cab, wherein the cab generally extends upward from the utility box and the utility box extends from the cab to a rear end;
a tailgate closing the utility box at the rear end; and
an extender extending from the rear edge a length of at least ten centimeters and at most twenty centimeters, wherein the extender includes a pair of side segments extending from a top to a bottom, each side segment tapered down from the top to the bottom and a top segment extending along the roof pan& and between the side segments;
wherein the extender is configured to:
generate a pressure distribution in the utility box that minimizes a drag force on the vehicle at the tailgate;
generate the pressure distribution in the utility box to minimize a pressure decrease outside the cab at the rear wall as compared to the vehicle without the extender;
reduce a drag coefficient of the vehicle as compared to the vehicle without the extender.