CARGaerO t'ailer; a hitch-mounted boat tail (Pontiac Vibe) - Page 3 - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

Weather Spotter · 08-12-2012, 08:28 AM

Good job!

The exhaust deflector looks 90% the same as mine.

what are your plans for sealing it to the car to keep air from sipping in at the bottom and trying to push the tail off?

Tango Charlie · 08-12-2012, 04:09 PM

Not planning on any sealing per se. Just going to keep it as close to the car as I can. The diffuser's front edge is pretty close to the lower surface of the bumper. I don't think there's a lot of high-speed airflow there, as it's right behind the rear axle and muffler. Take a look at it come Labor Day and tell me what you think.

I'm planning to eventually install a rear belly pan which will help air flow transition onto the boat tail.
But it won't happen before Labor Day.

Weather Spotter · 08-12-2012, 04:53 PM

the belly pan is a good idea.

Do you have a good place for tuft testing? It could be a fun thing to do will all our tails. they we can all compare notes and help each other make their cars better.

turbovr41991 · 08-12-2012, 05:00 PM

awesome progress! I keep looking at my tow hitch wanting to start something...

Weather Spotter · 08-12-2012, 05:01 PM

do it do it do it

KamperBob · 08-13-2012, 01:29 AM

I'm toying with the idea of a helmet cam. As a chase bike I could record video of tufts on the road. Being smaller I'm thinking less "hand on the scale" effect in terms of adjacent lane proximity and possible interactions between vehicles skewing up data. Thoughts?

Weather Spotter · 08-13-2012, 04:37 PM

but a bike is aero dirty, it leaves a big wake.

Tango Charlie · 08-13-2012, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by turbovr41991

awesome progress! I keep looking at my tow hitch wanting to start something...

Like WS urges, just do it! I've been looking at my hitch and luggage carrier forever. Just gotta take the leap.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Weather Spotter

Do you have a good place for tuft testing?

Yeah, sure do! There's a several mile stretch of four-lane less than a mile from the house. There's a stoplight in the middle of it, but with a little luck you can catch it green.

Tango Charlie · 08-13-2012, 08:21 PM

KamperBob; I like that idea. If you stayed way over by the white line and trailed behind the test vehicle a bit, it should work fine, I think. Want to meet up with JethroBodine, Weather Spotter and I on labor day?

Weather Spotter · 08-13-2012, 09:46 PM

Any good places to do coast down tests? back roads with no traffic are needed. with two matrix family cars with tails I want to see the difference.

Is yours a manual or auto?

we could even swap tires and run ABA on each others car to see how LRR tires help us.

my nose cone might even fit your car