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Andyinchville1 · 08-02-2020, 01:47 AM

Hi All,

I know many people try to increase wheel aerodynamics by installing Pizza Pans onto their wheels (I did too but when I switched to aluminum wheels to save weight I lost my easy ability to attach the pans to the wheels ( for the steel wheels I screwed the pizza pans onto hubcaps and then pushed the hubcap assembly onto the wheels .... yes, the pans rode out a little but I figured something is better than nothing and it was an easy attachment method .... unfortunately I could not see a MPG increase when I did that... maybe because the pans mounted to the hub caps stuck out too far from the actual wheel and caused turbulence ?

Anyways, in looking closer at my new rims and tires (factory VW Avus rims with 205 75 R15 Ecopia 422 Plus tires, even if I flush mounted the pans to the wheels themselves, I saw that tires overhang the flush mounted pizza pans ...

I am assuming unless I went with wide rims, the face of the pizza pan equipped wheels the would most likely never match the sidewall of the tire therefore causing a place for turbulence to start (I hope you can understand what I am saying without pics)...

I think a solution for that would be to get rubber or heavy nylon (water resistant rot resistant) in the form of a disk than can be glued to the sidewall of the tire near the point of maximum "bulge" .... THEN viewed from the tread area looking back , the outer "face" of the tire will be flat with no "pocket" where the typically recessed wheel would be .... I believe THIS would give a tire MAX aero.

NOTE that the cover has to be taut yet somewhat flexible when glued to the sidewall since a tire will flex when driven but it has to be tight enough to not excessively flutter i the wind so as not to disturb aero.

To make tire pressure checks possible and access to the lugnuts possible I thought about maybe fastening with velcro or if gluing simply haveremovable access panels.

I suppose ideally, the wheel would have to be sealed so water can't splash into the glued covered area (from the back side of the wheel) so dirt doesn't build up and cause potential abrasion where the glued on fabric or rubber disc meets the sidewall.

I hope you can envision what I am saying without pics.

What so you think of this idea in terms of better wheel / tire aero ?

Thanks in advance for any and all input.

Andrew

08-02-2020, 01:47 AM	#1 (permalink)
Andyinchville1 EcoModding Lurker Join Date: May 2016 Location: Virginia Posts: 44 Thanks: 1 Thanked 20 Times in 15 Posts	//// Tire / Wheel aerodynamics ///// Hi All, I know many people try to increase wheel aerodynamics by installing Pizza Pans onto their wheels (I did too but when I switched to aluminum wheels to save weight I lost my easy ability to attach the pans to the wheels ( for the steel wheels I screwed the pizza pans onto hubcaps and then pushed the hubcap assembly onto the wheels .... yes, the pans rode out a little but I figured something is better than nothing and it was an easy attachment method .... unfortunately I could not see a MPG increase when I did that... maybe because the pans mounted to the hub caps stuck out too far from the actual wheel and caused turbulence ? Anyways, in looking closer at my new rims and tires (factory VW Avus rims with 205 75 R15 Ecopia 422 Plus tires, even if I flush mounted the pans to the wheels themselves, I saw that tires overhang the flush mounted pizza pans ... I am assuming unless I went with wide rims, the face of the pizza pan equipped wheels the would most likely never match the sidewall of the tire therefore causing a place for turbulence to start (I hope you can understand what I am saying without pics)... I think a solution for that would be to get rubber or heavy nylon (water resistant rot resistant) in the form of a disk than can be glued to the sidewall of the tire near the point of maximum "bulge" .... THEN viewed from the tread area looking back , the outer "face" of the tire will be flat with no "pocket" where the typically recessed wheel would be .... I believe THIS would give a tire MAX aero. NOTE that the cover has to be taut yet somewhat flexible when glued to the sidewall since a tire will flex when driven but it has to be tight enough to not excessively flutter i the wind so as not to disturb aero. To make tire pressure checks possible and access to the lugnuts possible I thought about maybe fastening with velcro or if gluing simply haveremovable access panels. I suppose ideally, the wheel would have to be sealed so water can't splash into the glued covered area (from the back side of the wheel) so dirt doesn't build up and cause potential abrasion where the glued on fabric or rubber disc meets the sidewall. I hope you can envision what I am saying without pics. What so you think of this idea in terms of better wheel / tire aero ? Thanks in advance for any and all input. Andrew __________________ 2003 Jetta TDI Wagon, 5 sp, 210K miles, Stock.....for now!