Quote:
Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard
Hi,
I don't think the Venturi affect applies here -- that would be for when the air is in motion and the object is stationary. This is the object is in motion through the air -- and like an airfoil wing, with a flat bottom and a longer air path over the top, you get an increase in pressure under and a decrease in pressure above the vehicle = lift.
The slope up to the rear decreases pressure (because there is greater volume for the air to be in), and this would produce some small bit of downforce -- or at least less lift.
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Ok, I have poor recall of high school physics (damn you, biology degree!). Still, I would imagine that the underside of a car, particularly if turbulence is kept low, to induce low pressure, and thus some downforce, rather than lift.
Quote:
Originally Posted by millenniumtree
That plastic hang-down bit on the xB's rear bumper pops right off!!
You take out a couple of nylon fasteners, and the whole thing pops off the car. I know because I ran over a deer. The only damage to the car (besides hair and blood everywhere) was the rear bumper. Two support tabs broke off and the lower portion of the bumper popped off clean. It was pretty easy to put it back on - the support tabs just hang there, but the bumper is pretty secure anyway. A really great design by Toyota. I was very impressed.
I have a picture or two around somewhere, but the portion that comes off is separated from the upper bumper by a clean, straight seam.
It would be trivial to take off the lower portion and fair it out with plastic.
DO IT!  |
I know it comes off, but there are a lot of metal bits hanging down between the axle and the bumper (again, besides the muffler, there are tow hooks and that wierd tab that's about 6" in front of the bumper in the center of the car). I would imagine that the simplest solution would just be to cover it all up, even if it's not the aerodynamic ideal. Cutting hunks off of my car's unibody isn't something I want to toy with.