Would air tabs help on my red brick(08 jeep liberty)

[rav]

I have done most of the mods on my lexus ls400 and camry with great results. Now I just bought a 08 liberty and it's as aerodynamic as my house. I have read a lot about airtabs not being very useful on cars but how about the liberty as this is quite higher and the rear is blunt shaped. Any one here tied these on their SUV's? any inputs?

Thanks in advance,
Ravi

[Red]

You could give it a shot, I didn't notice much of a difference on my Wrangler with the hard top on

[basslover911]

DONT DO IT...

First of all you should have used at least Vortekz Generators (shark fins). Air tabs have WAY to much frontal area to have a net positive effect, or at least a VERY small one. TRUST ME.

Second, It will not help since you are not attatching the air to anything. And thats what vortex generators are used for. In other words, vortex generators only help sedans in the most part and coupes if the angle towards the back is greater than 10 degrees. It does not work on hatchbacks, suvs, or trucks where the air just detatches anyway since there is not more body for air to attatch to... you will only create more drag.

[rav]

Originally Posted by basslover911

DONT DO IT...

First of all you should have used at least Vortekz Generators (shark fins). Air tabs have WAY to much frontal area to have a net positive effect, or at least a VERY small one. TRUST ME.

Second, It will not help since you are not attatching the air to anything. And thats what vortex generators are used for. In other words, vortex generators only help sedans in the most part and coupes if the angle towards the back is greater than 10 degrees. It does not work on hatchbacks, suvs, or trucks where the air just detatches anyway since there is not more body for air to attatch to... you will only create more drag.

Thanks what i am really looking for is an aerodynamic spoiler like the one discussed here:

Green Car Congress: Novel Spoiler Design Reduces Fuel Consumption for Minivans, SUVs

The ones that are out there sit too high above the roof line to be functional. I wish i could find one like the one on Subaru forester, its almost perfect!!

[trebuchet03]

Originally Posted by rav

Thanks what i am really looking for is an aerodynamic spoiler like the one discussed here:

Green Car Congress: Novel Spoiler Design Reduces Fuel Consumption for Minivans, SUVs

The ones that are out there sit too high above the roof line to be functional. I wish i could find one like the one on Subaru forester, its almost perfect!!

I think you should build one

Go fancy, even - get some resistor wire, hook it up to a car battery and cut the cross section out of foam... Do it in a few sections to make it easy, and then glue them together Mounting will be the difficult part - but no more difficult than mounting any other spoiler

[Frank Lee]

You want this Jeep to suddenly become aerodynamic AFTER you buy it?

[rav]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

You want this Jeep to suddenly become aerodynamic AFTER you buy it?

Thanks that was very helpful!!

[cfg83]

rav -

Welcome to EM! Here are some good threads on the subject (maybe you've already read them) :

Where to buy vortex generator fins?

Tested: vortex generators (AirTabs) on a Toyota Corolla

As other people have suggested, you could come up with your own. If you can't justify the cash outlay for a set of airtabs, you could buy just one airtab and use it as a mold to make your own.

CarloSW2

[MetroMPG]

A partial Kammback is the tried & true route to aero improvement (at the back).

I've tested Airtabs on a minivan, and detected no difference (where I was able to detect the difference from roof rack removal, as well as a slapped together kardboard Kammback). I haven't posted the test yet, but will in the coming week or so.

Welcome to the site.

[basslover911]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

You want this Jeep to suddenly become aerodynamic AFTER you buy it?

HAHAHAHA