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Old 12-03-2009, 11:11 PM   #32 (permalink)
Nerys
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Location: Levittown PA
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"If there is sufficient lift to affect traction then it would also reduce rolling resistance and improve gas mileage."

I doubt that. There are 2 rolling resistance numbers primarily in effect here. Bearing drag (virtually NILL for our purposes) and Rubber Patch drag. Theoretically if you lift the car up the contact patch becomes smaller reducing drag.

but by generating lift you create more aero drag. since the law of the universe is entrophy I am betting the aero drag you create is greater in impact on your mileage than the miniscule rolling resistance you decrease. I fully admit I don't really have a clue what the figures would look like but I did goto school for AE (ended up not liking where it would take me) and my butt check says the above is probably a good bet. Especially since parasitic drag is a FAR FAR smaller factor than Frontal/Base drag. (I mention this because adding a boat tail increases one but decreases the other but the other base drag has a far greater impact than parasitic drag so you get a net gain)

Frank is a royal pain in the ass and is sometimes pretty harsh or blunt (borderline rude and trollish) but he does have a lot of GOOD info and experience by the sounds of things.

there are cars that have LIFT ISSUES at normal speeds 45-60mph. The beetle was one example which is why they added the little spoiler to them IIRC.

get a nice 50+mph cross wind and the things would slide right off the road :-)
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