The art of the lawn edging air dam

[oil pan 4]

We take tools, materials and equipment and employ them in way never imagined.
Using lawn edging and PVC water pipe as an air dam has to be about as far away from the intended use of these products as one could imagine.

It all started when I bought the roll of lawn edging about 2 weeks ago, unrolled it and put a loaded tool box on each end to straighten it and it didn't work that great. When I took the tool box off one end it tried to roll back up.
So to straighten it I am jammed 1/2'' PVC water pipe into the round end of the edging.

I have completed the aluminum backing/foundation for my lawn edging air dam and attached it to the bumper. Now its time to add the lawn edging. The backing is made of 6061 angle bar aluminum, 2024-T3 and lots of #8 self tapping sheet metal screws.
I decided to use the 2024-T3 because I have had it on my metal shelf for years collecting dust, not used it because you cant weld it and it really does not want to bend.
I did this because the air dam needs a strong foundation or its just going to tear off or bend against the force of the wind and not do anything.

To join the 2024-T3 to the PVC reinforced lawn edging I have decided to use more #8 self tapping sheet metal screws and bonded neoprene washers.

Since lawn edging and PVC are so cheap and light I may double layer it up for increased strength incase I hit another raccoon.

I'm going for about 8'' of ground clearance so I shouldn't hit anything else.

More pics tomorrow before I paint it black.

[justme1969]

I have been contemplating a v dam under the car to move any massed ground compressed air out behind the rear tires.
I believe this will be a rudimentry attempt to have a boat tail effect without one. It wont have the complete effects but should create less vaccume turbulence and draft the compression layer over the car closer to the ground behind. corvetts and ferrari have similar under pan channeling but its much shorter and ridgid.
I want to incline mine and let the tails drag over 2" obstacles like my side skirts do now.
It sounds hokey in writing but the design is sound and should blend wheel side compressed air into a more defined line past rear of car.
ok sorry Hijacked your thread and most folks will have no clue what im describing anyhow!
Thanks again I needed your PVC Idea for structure to the bottom that can handle 3mph speed bumps lol.

[MetroMPG]

Subscribed. Looking forward to more.

[oil pan 4]

Here is a pic of the air dam, before I pull it off and paint it.
I am going to trim a few inches off the part of the air dam in front of the wheel so it lines up with the lines of the wheel well opening.

[kach22i]

That might make certain people think twice when backing into it by parking by braille (when they feel a bump).

Some car bumpers seem to line up perfectly with carefully crafted chin spoilers on trucks.

It's a problematic world.

[Frank Lee]

That doesn't look like lawn edging.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

That doesn't look like lawn edging.

I think he's adding the plastic edging over the aluminum.

I think the aluminum looks daunting and should remain the outer surface.

[jedi_sol]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

That doesn't look like lawn edging.

Agreed, it looks like some sort of metal material.

The title of this thread is very misleading

[oil pan 4]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

That doesn't look like lawn edging.

The aluminum is the foundation. It is a backing. The lawn edging and aluminum will over lap as opposed to trying to screw flimsy lawn edging to something and expecting it to stand up to 70mph winds.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by jedi_sol

Agreed, it looks like some sort of metal material.

The title of this thread is very misleading

Misleading?

Right, because some reading is required - I get it.

Originally Posted by oil pan 4

I have completed the aluminum backing/foundation for my lawn edging air dam and attached it to the bumper. Now its time to add the lawn edging. The backing is made of 6061 angle bar aluminum, 2024-T3 and lots of #8 self tapping sheet metal screws.