Quote:
Originally Posted by euromodder
Not just racing trucks, but just about all Euro cabover trucks.
And looking at the different truck models on the MAN website, it looks like they too have gone for blocked grilles  |
Also note shape of front fender, they have extended top to continue straight back instead of traditional arc, door is shaped to let air go from gate and follow top of fender, bumper is wide and shaped so that it might direct air over wheel area and there seem to be small air dam too.
Our trucks need to comply with EURO norms and those are getting tighter and tighter by every revision, there is really tight policies so truck makers are forced here to take great measures of aero too, engine emissions are very limited, also noise, tire noises too and there are limits of rolling resistances of tires you can use on trucks, next 20 years will bring much bigger restrictions so they have to take actions to improve aero.
Rear ends however here are same as they were at 80's, more or less
If you think about these air fences, wouldn't those small airdams at front of wheel classify as air fence too?
Front bumper edge and area from bumper to front wheels underside of car could be considered perhaps some sort of aerofoil, there is typically rounded edge, shape above, hood, nosecone are kind of aerofoil as air travels greater distance above than it does at below, so maybe in that way one could think that fences really would work.
Mercedes was probably first one to use those fences at front corners of cab, I think that I saw those 20 years ago already and felt they were common and normal back then, they might been there already at 80's, but my memory is not so great that I could say for sure when they did appear and what their function was, reduce noise or improve aero, either way it is probably improving aero:
Thing is of course different with windshield being angled, but for van or truck front corners, maybe something to test?