T-100 belly pan...

[BamZipPow]

Heard something scraping on the ground and made it home to figure out what it was.

Front hinge on the right side of the diffuser failed. I guess the diffuser flexes more at the axle than I expected it to.

Got some gate hinges that are made out of 1/4" stock. Hopefully these will hold up better after I git them bolted in.

[freebeard]

How big was the older hinge? What failed—leaf, pin or fasteners?

[BamZipPow]

Originally Posted by freebeard

How big was the older hinge? What failed—leaf, pin or fasteners?

The hinge was a 3.5" simple hardware hinge that I initially installed during my design phase. The pin looked fine as well as the fasteners holding the hinge on the rear belly pan and to the rear diffuser. The trailing leaf failed and broke at the 1/4" bolt hole on the diffuser side.

[freebeard]

Originally Posted by Albert Einstein

"If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?"

[BamZipPow]

The diffuser is back on the truck again!


Updated rear hinge point...

[BamZipPow]

Finally picked up a 4'x8' sheet of 1/16" thick aluminum diamond plate to build the rear belly pan and rear diffuser from.

I should be able to use some slotted angle to use as attachment points fer the multiple rubber straps that will keep the rear belly pan and diffuser tucked to the rear axle. I should also be able to install the hinges on the inside of the bend as well. There won't be any wood on this portion of the belly pan at all. I'll use some vinyl base board to isolate the aluminum from the steel so no galvanic corrosion will occur between them. I'll be upgrading to stainless steel fasteners as well.

Will it make a big difference if the diamond side faces outwards towards the ground?

[freebeard]

That's a good score. (Someone was just telling me about the aluminum sheets they use for freeway signs.) That's a nice piece, I'm hoping you can just drill a few holes and not have to cut it up a lot.

I would think diamond plate down would be like hundreds of little vortex generators, all working at cross-purposes to each other, but gently combing the airflow to sooth and relax it.

Besides, face up — nobody could see it.

[BamZipPow]

Originally Posted by freebeard

That's a good score. (Someone was just telling me about the aluminum sheets they use for freeway signs.) That's a nice piece, I'm hoping you can just drill a few holes and not have to cut it up a lot.

I would think diamond plate down would be like hundreds of little vortex generators, all working at cross-purposes to each other, but gently combing the airflow to sooth and relax it.

Besides, face up — nobody could see it.

I've been trying to source some highway signs to work with but I haven't found a source yet.

There will be only one cut to make two pieces fer the rear belly pan (just before the rear axle) and the rear diffuser. Both will be reinforced with aluminum angles and slotted angles. It will be pretty much a straight replacement fer the initial Coroplast setup that I originally started out with.

[BamZipPow]

Rear belly pan built and installed!

[freebeard]

Are they floating on the spring leaves? It appears the bungees snug them up. what locates it sideways, just the front hinges?

You'll need to carry a 4" mirror on a salfie stick so you can show people the underside.