Looks like an edge but doubt it has much edge left.. and I plan to get rid of the flares..
So a level truck is best? no rake?
I might make an aerocap during the summer, looks simple enough..
I think Frank Lee is correct on this.I have an old HOT ROD Magazine article which deals with body rake,and older cars experienced a slight drag reduction when the nose was dropped slightly,if it was dropped a little more,it began to go back up.Ford may have already designed rake into the Ranger.Don't know.And short of having a wind-tunnel,it would take a lot of trial and error to isolate the ideal angle.
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maybe a lip spoiler at the end of the cabin would help. a lot of hatchbacks and breaks have this. perhaps even a small kammback that attatches to the roofline and sides, and slighthly angles inward. it wouldn't compromise the looks or usefullness of the truckbed much but might do a lot for aero if done right.
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aer·o·dy·nam·ics: the science of passing gass
Aero articles I've seen indicate a slight nose-down attitude to be beneficial for Cd.
Most of my thoughts on aerodynamics first center around symmetric airfoils just because they are the "ideal," but you are right. Being a funky, cambered "airfoil," the ideal AoA will vary based on the specific car.
The lowest drag solution will be one where the car generates no lift (Cd,0). Ideally, I think that should be achieved by setting the car's incidence angle to zero and cancelling any lift with downforce (e.g. a venturi). Raking the car, as Tasdrouille said, increases frontal area.
In the real world, rake would probably be a more practical solution, but that Ranger seems a little excessive.
Many trucks, like my Ranger, have some rake. My assumption had been that this was for load carrying, so the truck would level out rather than squat.
But, it's possible there is an aerodynamic benefit as well. Would that be different than the benefit of an air dam?
An SAE paper I looked at this morning ( its old an from Fiat) had results from wind tunnel studies for scale models.Their take on airdams was that for a clean-bottomed vehicle an airdam could actually increase drag.For a dirty-bottomed vehicle they would probably help.Since the Ranger has a torture-chamber for an underside,my guess is that the airdam is for you.CAR and DRIVER's Pinto and Z-car projects both saw mpg improvements with airdams.They are an industry standard now for passenger cars. Corvette and Firebird Trans AM run very deep airdams,however,they are "bottom-breathers" with no grilles,and take in all their air from below the bumper.Try to get as much air around the Ranger as you can.
An SAE paper I looked at this morning ( its old an from Fiat) had results from wind tunnel studies for scale models.Their take on airdams was that for a clean-bottomed vehicle an airdam could actually increase drag.For a dirty-bottomed vehicle they would probably help.Since the Ranger has a torture-chamber for an underside,my guess is that the airdam is for you.CAR and DRIVER's Pinto and Z-car projects both saw mpg improvements with airdams.They are an industry standard now for passenger cars. Corvette and Firebird Trans AM run very deep airdams,however,they are "bottom-breathers" with no grilles,and take in all their air from below the bumper.Try to get as much air around the Ranger as you can.
Since the Ranger has a torture-chamber for an underside,my guess is that the airdam is for you.
As another Ranger rider, I'd be interested in installing an airdam. However, this is the first I've even considered the idea, and I'd appreciate some pointers. Are we talking about a commercial product, and if so, where does one get one? If this is something I have to build, please direct me to needed information.
Lane
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Lane Lester
1971 VW Super Beetle
cut and screw on.. I have the XL valance so I really dont mind drilling holes into it..
The price is sure right for the material. And I have the XL valance as well, but I'm not sure where you put the strip. It looks like mine already has a dam... but I may be completely off base about what one is and where it goes.
Lane
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Lane Lester
1971 VW Super Beetle
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