Quote:
Originally Posted by grins2go_brett
I've been lurking and watching this build thread with great interest. I have a 2007 Dodge Sprinter for my business. A boat tail is not an option for me since I have to open the back doors all the time. However, a belly pan is something I'm seriously considering. I've learned a lot from your trials, pains, descriptions, and pictures and I'm very appreciative of not only your effort to do the project, but document it so thoroughly for everybody here.
Now, my question is: what kind of MPG's were you getting before you made any aero mods? I'm just trying to put 15-17 mpg into perspective. I'm in the 16-18 mpg range myself. Thanks!
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The first run to Phoenix after the mods showed 17.26 mpg, verses original mileage of 12.5 to 13.2 for the same trip. The second trip with the belly pans yielded 16.64, but that was not comparable as there were several events going on that diminished the overall result.
The return trip is what convinced me the pans are not helping at this point, but knowing how rough it was under there to begin with makes me think there are some things going on that I don't understand yet. Time and testing will tell.
The results with the boat tail make it a no brainer to me that this is where serious gains are to be made, pans or not. Is there any chance of making a boat tail for your Sprinter that would split in the middle and fold outwards like the big rig trailer tails? A tail that swings upwards out of the way comes to mind but the weight and the 'sail' factor when it was up there might be problematic.
I have a local RV dealer that sells a lot of your type of vehicle and they are very interested in this build. I'm taking the vehicle over for them to see next week. I'll take a look at one of their vans and see if anything comes to mind. Thanks for the input.