6% Improvement from... 3 aero wheel covers?

[guudasitgets]

I just bought some almost completely covered cheap hubcaps, they looked ok but I got better MPG after they broke and I took them all off

[cfg83]

t vago -

Your early results are in-line with my "prediction", but only time will tell. If you have them on for one week and off for the next week and the weather is the same for each week, I think you will get a good chunk of data for comparison.

CarloSW2

[Fat Charlie]

How much actual research is there on the placebo effect of aeromods? The tests would have to be quite long- we'd need to ABA at least twice with the driver never knowing if the mod was installed or not.

guudasitgets- how long had you been hypermiling when you installed them and how long did they last? I can't believe that flat wheel covers could have had a negative effect on your FE, could you just have gotten better in the meantime?

[NeilBlanchard]

I got ~6% as well, in the winter when the denser air has more drag. I already had rear wheels skirts and partial front wheel skirts; so yes smooth wheel covers matter.

They need to be flat (like "coupe" pizza pans/trays) to be more effective. I first had domed stainless steel covers, and I saw an improvement going to plastic covers with (all but one) opening covered in foil tape, and even slightly better with pizza pans pop riveted to the same plastic covers (with no holes).

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by Fat Charlie

How much actual research is there on the placebo effect of aeromods?

Is there any placebo effect then ?

The real problem is the day-to-day repeatability - and the simple fact that many of us are continuously getting better @ hypermiling

[t vago]

I had to take off the wheel covers. It seems that zip tie anchors don't like to be subjected to bumps in the road.

So...

A (7/12)
W: 59.0 miles / 2.76 gallons = 21.4 MPG
H: 59.2 miles / 2.85 gallons = 20.8 MPG
T: 118.2 miles / 5.61 gallons = 21.1 MPG

B (7/16)
W: 59.0 miles / 2.62 gallons = 22.5 MPG (+5.3%)
H: 59.2 miles / 2.76 gallons = 21.4 MPG (+3.3%)
T: 118.2 miles / 5.38 gallons = 22.0 MPG (+4.3%)

A (7/22)
W: 59.0 miles / 2.78 gallons = 21.2 MPG (-0.7%)
H: 59.2 miles / 2.90 gallons = 20.4 MPG (-1.7%)
T: 118.2 miles / 5.68 gallons = 20.8 MPG (-1.2%)

[NeilBlanchard]

I lost the front right pizza pan cover in the past ~24 hours. I didn't notice when it fell off, so I will be making a new one -- they sent me 5 pizza pans, and I had to buy another 4 pack of plastic covers. I think I will try TWO wire retention rings?

Until I make that, I'm using one of the 2 remaining stainless steel domes -- the steel finger are failing and the darn thing squeaks constantly as I drive. It is quite noisy -- the steel wheels and 50PSI Nokian H's must flex a fair bit?

This is getting old...

[redyaris]

NeilBlanchard I have one thing to say; Team Toyota, 52.4 mpg and climbing. You had better get that hubcap replaced soon.
I also have that squeaking noise from my moon hubcaps. So far I have not found a durable solution.

[cfg83]

t vago -

Originally Posted by t vago

I had to take off the wheel covers. It seems that zip tie anchors don't like to be subjected to bumps in the road.

So...

I used 4 zipties per wheel for one of my wheel cover iterations. It never failed, but the cover itself was a super thin "tow away zone" sign, so the zipties were not heavily loaded :

Wheel Covers using bicycler DIY ...



I abandoned it because it wasn't as "pretty" as my current pizza pan design and I hated getting my hands all brake-dusted up when I wrapped the zipties around the back of the wheel.

CarloSW2