Airtab® FAQ's: Airtab

How is an Airtab® attached to the truck and trailer?

Double sided adhesive tape for most applications and for those vehicles with slightly uneven sides where tape would not provide a good bond, a polyurethane glue.The tape is Acrylic and has no petroleum products....More

What are they made of and will they take extreme temperatures?

The Airtabs™ are made with Centrex® 810. The materials have been chosen for their UV performance and additional UV protection is added. We keep a watch for new materials all the time. Once fitted, they form a very strong...More

What are the ideal installation conditions?

Airtabs™ should be installed with the surface temperature of the vehicle +40°F (+5 °C) or warmer. All surfaces must be dry, clean of all contaminants and cleaning solvents. Simply put, the cleaner, dryer and warmer the b...More

What colour is an Airtab® ?

White and Black are the basic colours, although for large orders we can colour match in the injection molding. ...More

How many do I need?

Measure the sides and the roof of the Vehicle at the back. They are placed 3 per running foot (4” inches on center) spaced as shown in the Install Guide...More

Can they placed farther apart than 4" - I have some unequally spaced ribs on my trailer.

Placing them closer together than 4" causes some slight interference, and obviously requires more Airtabs™ . Much as we'd like to sell more, closer spacing is counterproductive....More

Can they be painted?

Yes, in accordance with the specification of the paint you have chosen. Some paints such as Krylon Fusion from Sherwin Williams is made specifically for Plastic and does not require a primer. ...More

Does the Airtab tape have any petroleum in it?

No the tape is an acrylic base. ...More

I am going to put Airtab® s on my tractor and trailer after I have it painted. How long should I wait before I may attach the Airtab® s?

I would check with the painter and read the paint specification. Once the
painter or manufacturer says the paint is cured you can apply them....More

Do the Airtab® have to be painted prior to being fitted?

Not necessary, but installed prior to painting the vehicle, they will blend in even better. ...More

How long does it take to fit a truck and regular trailer?

You can install the Airtabs™ yourself. If its your first install expect to spend an hour or so, reading instructions and getting familiar with the placement. For subsequent installs we estimate about 20-30 minutes for a ...More

What tools are required to fit a truck and trailer?

• Sufficient Airtab® s, spacing templates, tape measure and masking tape.
• Automotive soap & water, degreaser (if necessary), rubbing alcohol, Varsol or any paint thinner. Do not use Windex and other glass cleaners.
• S...More

I am operating a fleet of tractors that have over the cab fairing and side fairing. The dealer represented to me that because of the aerodynamic design, I would be operating at with maximum aerodynamic efficiency provided I maintained a tractor-trailer ga

First of all, Airtab® complement any existing aerodynamic kits regardless of the
gap. Tractor trailer gaps of less than 15" are often impractical due to turning requirements and loads on the steering tires. In any case,...More

Has NASA ever tested the product called Airtab® manufactured by Aeroserve Technology?

NASA tested the basic shape that is used by Airtab® . They found them to be the lowest drag vortex generator they had seen. There are several technical papers written on vortex generators and other drag reducing devices,...More

Has NASA tested the Wheeler vortex generator, which was what the Airtab® design was based? And is NASA currently using a vortex generator in their wind tunnels?

NASA has tested the Wheeler vortex generator quite extensively, and published the results in a number of technical papers. It is our understanding that NASA is using a variant of the Wheeler VG in their wind tunnels to i...More

Will the Airtab® have any effect on drag reduction with a tractor-trailer gap less than 18 inches?

Airtabs™ are particularly effective in cross wind conditions as they help minimize the flow of air across the gap to the "downwind" side of the trailer. If there is a measurable wind, inherently crosswinds will be a fact...More

How close to the back of the tractor or trailer?

The Airtab® should not be placed any farther than 14 inches from the trailing edge of the tractor or trailer. ...More

Is that measured from the Airtab® to the trailer, or from the trailing edge of the tractor to the trailer?

Correct – much farther forward from the back of the tractor (or trailer) and a good deal of the effectiveness is wasted against the vehicle. Place the Airtabs™ within 8 to 10" from the very back of the vehicle. The dista...More

Is it True that the vertical separation of each Airtab® can not be closer than 4 inches (point to point) and no farther apart than 6 inches.?

There is no maximum distance apart, but prudence would dictate about 5-6". If we need, say 75 at 4"on center to have a 3% improvement in fuel economy effect at the back of a trailer, spacing them at 8" on center would pr...More

What is the spacing for Airtab® placement?

Airtab® are normally spaced about 1" apart at the wide end, (4" on center between the pointed ends). This spacing can be adjusted, if needed. Each kit contains sufficient Airtab® to equip a tractor or a trailer of normal...More

Would you recommend putting Airtabs on the top of the Air-conditioning units on top of my RV?

Yes, these units stick up into the air flow and cause drag, the Airtabs placed on the will help reduce this drag. The same rules apply, use three per foot....More

I have been in the transportation business many years and have never heard of the Airtab® . How long have they been in use?

Airtabs™ have been quite a long time in development. We wanted to make sure we had the materials, mounting methods and so on right before we hit the market in a large way. We also obviously wanted to make sure they did w...More