So here's what I'm starting with:
You can see the obvious room for improvement with the deep pockets in the front bumper cover and grille. So this begs the question: what is the main goal in creating a grille or air dam cover? By this I mean is it better to prevent air from flowing under the vehicle as the air dam pockets will allow, or to attempt to force air around the front of the vehicle, or both?
This will have some design consequences for the bumper cover. It would be simple enough to just remove the louvered grilles and replace with a flat piece of material, leaving the "pockets" but blocking air from traveling through and under the truck. Would it be more beneficial to smooth the entire leading surface? Or would the difference be negligible?
For the grille block, the same holds true... if I simply fit a piece of flat material inside the grille opening, less air enters the radiator but the "pocket" remains. Ideally, should I attempt to fasten the material to the leading edge of the grille so that the deep pocket is removed?
Thanks for your input!