[FX2.3]

Originally Posted by 07b2300

Great job!! Your valence is different than mine but probably similar--by any chance do you have any pics of how you screwed it on? Is it helping your mpgs? The look of your three phases look great. Glad to see others with trucks planning aerodymanic mods.

Wondering if it is better to extend the valence vertically and following the curve of the bumper or to make a kind of skidplatelikething out of plastic that angles down between the valence and the bottom of the cross member. Because the undersides of these trucks are so dirty does it make sense to direct more air around the sides (horizontal valence extension) or is it better to push the air under, using a gentle angle sloping backwards like a skid plate? I'm guessing better to send the air around and away from the cross members and axle and spare tire, etc and I DON"T want to lose the spare tire!

Apart from the vertical valence extension I'm planning to:
1) plug either the lower valence hole
2) plug the gap between the cab and the bed/canopy
3) maybe replace the stock back bumper with PVC pipe (like a fake tube bumper). Should save some weight + drag...

It is just screwed directly into the valance then into the edging material. Ill get pics tomorrow.

I figured I would first try to limit the amount of air that goes under the truck, then try a belly pan, though I am worried about excess heat building up as I live in Texas.

Skid plate thing would be easy to make, I made a metal one but it had bolts that hung too low, a plastic/stock one would be ideal, modded of course and I just let the valance sculpt the edging as it flares out a bit right in front of the tires which has to be good to block the wind from hitting the tire as much.





I am too paranoid to take off my bumper, I was thinking of painting it and adding something to keep it from acting like a parachute.

Get some pics when your done!

Originally Posted by meemooer

Take a look at these pics i have. The factory metal skid plate is actually shaped really well. Starts off wide, and narrows down to the crossmember under the engine. a decent angle. And offroad... of man is it amazing, it acts as a... skid plate... i guess, like it helps push the mud to the side and around really easy. The FX4 one's[black] are heavy, like 25lbs, but the shiney chrome looking ones that were on some '98+ Offroad packages are only like 10-15lbs. I have that one on now
and links....
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...g/DSC00986.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...r/DSC00862.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...r/DSC00541.jpg

Stock skid plate looks ideal, though the bodylift does not help, lol.



Here's another pic of the skidplate I made with added "wings" on the side to help close the huge gap between the valance and the tire, you might try it, though I am not sure if it helped any with mpg..