Gas Mileage

I will be doing some playing this week with my new to me TV and the rpod.  Its a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 Club Cab with a hard Tonneau cover installed.  I did find wedge that I.m thinking of picking up at a discount store to see if that would do anything.  

     I hope that Forest River gives a reply on the aerodynamics of the RPod design. Because what is being said in these posts could effect how many RPods they sell. I would not want potential buyers to be misled.     David

Welcome KJR.  Don't write them off yet.  Even with the drag issue they fit many other needs that may outweigh the downsides.  In a perfect world FR will find a solution like the ones we've discussed here and mpg/power won't be a problem.  I haven't heard back from FR yet.

A couple of follow-up conclusions.  It appears that your mileage will be about the same regardless what tow vehicle you are using.  However, trying to pull any 2,000-4000 lb trailer up and down some steep mountains with a 4 or 6 cylinder engine would be quite different that towing with a large V-8 or diesel. I traded in my 6-cyl Jeep Liberty for a full-sized V-8 pickup because I found that the Liberty's engine really didn't have the compression coming down mountain roads to adequately slow down the rig. I don't like my vehicles to red-line in second or first gear or  burning out the trailer's electric brakes!
 The frontal area of the trailer seems to be the most important factor in determining mileage and by how the displaced air is allowed to flow back behind the trailer, not the weight of the trailer.  During the fall simulations, I added a 'square' rear end to the Pod shape and didn't find a significant change in the 'vacuum bubble' sizes and intensities.  Adding small foils to the rear of the tow vehicle did make a slight difference.
I did not add a large foil to the rear of the Pod shape because I couldn't figure out how either Forest River or I could ever beef up my Pod's rear structure to keep a big foil from pulling out of the aluminum framing.
I will, however, do some simulations with larger foils mounted higher on the rear with greater attack angles.
As a conclusion...if you want the least air drag and subsequent better mileage...I think you need to buy a 'pop-up' to get the frontal area down. But I personally didn't want the hassle of cranking up and down my trailer every time I traveled.  My sister had one on which the lift mechanism completely jammed at a campsite.  They ended up cutting the lift cables and hauling it with the dropped roof home.

Far from having any expertise in the measurement of air resistance, I can only rely on and relate personal experiences.  Just a month ago I was towing a full size Prowler which was 8' wide by 23 long weighing in a 4000lbs and now I am towing an RP-177  that is 6' wide,, 17' long weighing in at 3000lbs. Although accelaration with the R-Pod is better, I do feel the «air brake» as described by others when I get to the 50-55 mph range.  Evidently, the frontal area, as well as the rear for that matter would be much less.  Height is the same to within a few inches, the a/c is slightly lower profile on the R-Pod.