With the way the front of most of these "pods" are shaped I would say the mileage difference would be immeasurable. Trailer frontal area, weight and the speed at which it is pulled are the big "mileage killers"!!

If the mileage difference would keep you from going, then you probley didn't need to go. I would say it is minimal, if even measurable. I think a hayrack makes a trailer look finished but that's my opinion, and that, + $.25 will get you a refill of coffee.

I don't know about a hay pod, but the difference in pulling between an empty hay rack (no fairing of sheet metal) and one with five bales of hay, is a little over one MPG. That's fives bales of hay, laying flat on the rack, one bale high. We were pulling with a diesel at 65 MPH.

Gard

We don't haul hay in the rack any more, tried it just the once and found it too difficult.

There have been other previous postings about difficulties with a high mounted generator. I would think just the maintenance issues and fuel supply, would make the accessibility of a lower mounting more appealing.

Gard

I dont have a hay rack on my trailer - but wish I did....but for what its worth, if you are worried about fuel consumption - speed is the killer. I can tow my trailer empty or with 4 horses and the consumption does not change very much....but if I tow 55 vs 65 there is a big difference in consumption. so just slow down a little and your consumption figures will drop quite a bit...and you dont really take that much longer to get there...

But like I said - for what it is worth....

OK, so lets go with Gard's 1 mpg, if your truck gets 10mpg a 200 mile trip without the rack  would cost you $45 (diesel at $2.25), the same trip with the rack would cost you $49.99, like I said above if $5.00 is a deal breaker then you didn't need to go anyway.

Having said all that, if you don't like a hayrack and you won't ever use it, save the $1,000 + to buy it to begin with, but the difference in fuel mileage shouldn't be a decision maker either way.

Most trucks get better than 10 mpg, so the actual cost/savings will be lower.

I pull with 4400, speed is what gets you.  I havent found a spits difference in hay rack vs hay pod.  My rack has a 48gal water tank on it, at least 14 aluminum panels that are (i think 5'), and a top mounted generator(5500) with aluminum cover.  I forgot a deep cycle AC delco battery too.  In other words a crap load.

If I would drive about 60 maybe 65 I could get probably 8 to 9 mpg.  I usually drive 70-75 and get 7.  Heavy heavy trailer.

Same truck pulling a mustang elite model with 4 horses gets 10 running 65.  Hay rack unloaded with exception to generator on that one as well.  Water tank is there but empty.

I have a 2006 Ford F350

Old trailer with out hay rack

New trailer with Hayrack but no LQ

Now granted a HayPod will have a little more air resistance than my Hay rack. but I really doubt it will make much difference. The red trailer is 6000lbs empty and the tan trailer was 16,000 lbs loaded. My mileage was within .5 mpg regardless of which trailer I towed or whether it was loaded or not. And my mileage is still with in that .5 mpg difference when I tow a 5000lb dump trailer that is only 2' tall  for the bed rails.

Around town driving I only get 14.  And an tank that has much stop and go, will be in that same range. It doesn't take many red lights or freeway on ramps to really hurt my mileage.

But if I get on the freeway and keep the speed at 70 mph. I run 18-19.  This past year I've had a 40 mile commute to work. So one stop sign between my house and freeway on ramp. 3 red lights between freeway exit and the project I'm working on. The other 40 miles is set the cruise at 70.

And yes I do fill it until I can see it in the neck.  Usually about 3 gallons after it clicks off. And actually my lie-o-meter is pretty accurate in my truck when I compare the two numbers.

I got the same mileage out of my 2003 as I do with the current 2006.

I have a roll up bed cover that I keep closed most of the time. Run Shell synthetic oil that I change every 5000miles. I keep the tire infated on the hard side, since I often hook up a trailer. And I resist the urge to drive in the fast lane.

Yes I do have a 6.0L powerstroke diesel.

Tr0y a lot of what any body gets mileage wise will depend on many variables.  Start off with how good a quality is the diesel fuel you buy. What Cetane rating does it actual have.  Winter fuel that is a mix of  No 2 and No 1 diesel has less BTU than straight No 2 fuel. Just maybe the diesel fuel I buy here in Utah has more BTU than the fuel you are getting where you live.

What the outside air temp is will also effect the combustion and power you get. The air density. ( which is altitude and temp). how many hills you go up and down on your way to work. I live in the Mountain West. But if I don't head up a canyon. My drive is fairly flat between home and work. The 6.0 Powerstroke used oil pressure to operate the injectors. If you oil is old and sheared. It it less efficient in operating the injectors. 

I do have the 285/75R18 tires. Which are 2" taller than the stock tires.  My truck runs at 1750 rpm at 70 mph. I think those tires hurt my mileage in stop and go, but once I get rolling. they help keep my rpms down. I installed that size mostly because of the increase in load capacity over the stock 275/70R18.