[JLong80]

Call me crazy, but a friend and I were brainstorming - because we like to make attempts at (or at least dream of) making rediculous(ly useful) modifications - and came up with a stupendous idea...

so here it is... a tow attachment on the front bumber that extends a strong electromagnet (perhaps made from a wire spool and half of a dumbell), which would be used on the highway to connect to the bumper of a tractor trailer, causing the truck to pull your tacoma long distances with minimal gas usage. Construction should be amazingly simple, although it does raise several obvious legality (not important) and safety (important) concerns.

......please, discuss.

 

[Greg_Canada]

Call me crazy, but a friend and I were brainstorming - because we like to make attempts at (or at least dream of) making rediculous(ly useful) modifications - and came up with a stupendous idea...

so here it is... a tow attachment on the front bumber that extends a strong electromagnet (perhaps made from a wire spool and half of a dumbell), which would be used on the highway to connect to the bumper of a tractor trailer, causing the truck to pull your tacoma long distances with minimal gas usage. Construction should be amazingly simple, although it does raise several obvious legality (not important) and safety (important) concerns.

......please, discuss.

I may have been drinking a little bit, but i find your idea ingenious yet hilarious.
I nominate you to try it... just watch out for flying re-treads~!!!

 

[BRB GTG PP]

It's been thought of by A LOT more people, but no success yet.

 

[JLong80]

I noticed that scientificsonline.com has several strong electomagnets that are well priced.. but it would be very simple for me to fab one and hook it to a transformer and adjust the current to find the magnet's saturation point.. and a capacitor would ensure that the current would gradually decrease when the magnet is turned off, alleviating any risk of the iron retaining its magnetic properties (if any).
I wouldn't imagine that it would not take too large of a magnet to pull a car that is drafting behind a truck travelling at 55+ mph. One concern is using non-magnetic hardware behind the magnet, to prevent the coil from magnetizing the entire frame (who knows how that would affect the engine).:doah:
Another concern is making sure that the magnet is able to remain in place and withstand enough pressure under emergency stopping or any evasive maneuvers initiated by the truck driver.

....... please discuss.

 

[Enola Gaia]

Uhhhhhh... There's also the issue of generating enough power to run the electromagnet ... You're not going to get enough out of a 12V system ... :thinking:

 

[tour4fun]

How about one pushing from the back too :thinking: ?

 

[JLong80]

Uhhhhhh... There's also the issue of generating enough power to run the electromagnet ... You're not going to get enough out of a 12V system ... :thinking:

well, thats what makes transformers so helpful. and the wire I use would affect the amount of current i need.. for instance, large wire will need less turns but high current, and small wire will need many turns with little current. my understanding is that the voltage wont make much of a difference. And I could could remove the battery from the electrical system while the magnet is on, causeing the magnet to use the excess from the alternator (possibly making an alt. upgrade needed)

 

[trdtoy]

No need for a magnet behind a big rig. My bro drafted one on the interstate for about 1/2 mile with his big arse dodge with it in neutral! :lol: You would be amazed on how much air is being sucked towards the back of the trailer within 10 feet or less from it..........

 

[JLong80]

No need for a magnet behind a big rig. My bro drafted one on the interstate for about 1/2 mile with his big arse dodge with it in neutral! :lol: You would be amazed on how much air is being sucked towards the back of the trailer within 10 feet or less from it..........

well that certainly supports my theory that I won't need a "strong" magnet. However, I am not one to drive several thousand miles all within a few feet of a truck's bumper... unless I have a connection that will safely allow me to read, play cards, and watch jenna jameson movies while saving a drum of gasoline.

 

[sputnik767]

I think that a magnet the size and that you are proposing will create an immense magnetic field all around your truck. Unless you have a way of orienting the field directly in front of your truck (impossible as far as I know), you will probably fry your computers.

 

[Xrundan]

Well, just so you know, my father is a long haul truck driver, and with the cost of deisel fuel these days, he (and most other truck drivers) are watching their fuel consumption VERY closely. Not to mention the fact that NO truck driver (if alert and responsible) would let you get close enough to him/her to have a magnet hold you to the trailer.

I think this is the stupidest idea i have EVER heard in my entire life. I am hoping that you have thought of the safety issues you mentioned earlier, and come to realize that this idea is not worth your life, or the life of ANY driver out there trying to make a living for his family. Just speaking from the truck-driver's perspective here.

 

[GreenBean]

Well, just so you know, my father is a long haul truck driver, and with the cost of deisel fuel these days, he (and most other truck drivers) are watching their fuel consumption VERY closely. Not to mention the fact that NO truck driver (if alert and responsible) would let you get close enough to him/her to have a magnet hold you to the trailer.

I think this is the stupidest idea i have EVER heard in my entire life. I am hoping that you have thought of the safety issues you mentioned earlier, and come to realize that this idea is not worth your life, or the life of ANY driver out there trying to make a living for his family. Just speaking from the truck-driver's perspective here.

I think this idea was to be taken with a grain of salt

 

[JLong80]

I think that a magnet the size and that you are proposing will create an immense magnetic field all around your truck. Unless you have a way of orienting the field directly in front of your truck (impossible as far as I know), you will probably fry your computers.

well, with a short core and a plate on the front, I should be able to make the field spread outwards as opposed to forward and backward. and I can test the magnet (before its applied to the truck) with some nails or something behind it to make sure that I dont make it so strong as to reach more than several feet behind the magnet (or into the grill).

 

[Xrundan]

I think this idea was to be taken with a grain of salt

CRAP.......im not smart enough to know what that means.......DANGIT:doah:

 

[GreenBean]

CRAP.......im not smart enough to know what that means.......DANGIT:doah:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grain_of_salt

 

[Chris D.]

just get one of those 250lb magnets, then hit the brake to seperate..
Your just needing it to attach, its not like theres going to be much resistance..
It shouldn't take much just to get ya connected.. Your over thinking it..

I've pulled a car with some rope that was only rated at about 200 pounds..
Very slowly yes, but very doable..

I truely like the concept.. get some sort of spring loaded damper setup on it so the slack wont jerk ya around too bad.. Just you watch, this will catch on and they'll start using fiberglass or aluminum covers on their bumpers.. then your screwed..

 

[JDM'ized]

This attempt looks more interesting to me:
http://www.haltech.com/whoshot_honda_eco_shell.htm

From the article: "....and finished 36 out of 212 cars averaging 764km per litre of fuel in the 2005 EcoShell in Nogaro (France)....."
764 km = 475 miles per liter
1 liter = 0.26417 gallons !!!!!
So...for those of you that have a hard time to picture this. The car is capable to travel 475 miles with only .26417 gallons.
For those of you that still don't get it. The car can travel 1798 miles with only 1 gallon !!!!

 

[Chris D.]

Heres one of em..
And their rockin Maiden for the video!! :headbang:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6k5S85DEIQ

embedding doesn't work on thos post?!?

 

[JDM'ized]

6...6...6...the number of the beast...:headbang:
Nice find Chris !

 

[Parke10]

http://videos.streetfire.net/toprated/1/2421093d-d063-4ea5-89b3-98a500aa04d9.htm

this guy talks about the same idea.. i think..

fast fwd it to 8mins 40secs to hear it.. or watch the whole thing ,its pretty damn funny