Aerodynamic mud flaps

[Tesla]

I just stumbled across this concept the other day, for those that need to keep them in place may be a good solution.
Basically there are a couple of different variations, they come as various louvred and grilled designs, the idea is 50-70% of the air passes through, but 90% of the water spray is channeled down to ground. Trucking papers quote circa 3% FE improvement along with safety improvemennts by reducing sidespray, hence improved visibility.

Has anyone tried anything like this?

[Frank Lee]

links/pics?

[Tesla]

Here's some links, both text & videos.
Vortex Splash Guard
Aerodynamic Mud Flap : V-flap, Saving fuel cost & providing road safety
Eco-Flaps

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN8cKL8n6g4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Aab5rV-Cq0

Did some more reading, probably more in the order of 1.5% for the trucking area & likely around 1% for pickups & 4x4's, I just wondered if anyone had looked at them, for those that need to keep mudflaps on.

[RunningStrong]

Simple, effective. I like it.

[meangreen]

Originally Posted by Tesla

I just stumbled across this concept the other day, for those that need to keep them in place may be a good solution.
Basically there are a couple of different variations, they come as various louvred and grilled designs, the idea is 50-70% of the air passes through, but 90% of the water spray is channeled down to ground. Trucking papers quote circa 3% FE improvement along with safety improvemennts by reducing sidespray, hence improved visibility.

Has anyone tried anything like this?

Just by looking at it ...common sense tells me Vortex Splash Guards are the only "legit" option ... having dibs on first design ( Patents commercialization ) Air flows through & is clearly forced down. Their sleek slats look like high performance lemons air extractors for cooling engine, brakes and spray dispersion for better traction. Seems they had benefit of engineering the most practical design and everyone else is evidently a knock off. Could it be vortex is the only one that offers for cars and Pickups for a reason ? Would you want a "fly swatter" ( they reference themselves by ) hanging off your sport car or pickup ?

For starters since you can see straight through the others', commons sense also tells me... air, tar & road grime spinning upwards from the tire would flow straight up onto fenders/rocker panels ... What baffles my mind is, besides the fact ( for such reasons )they are unavailable for the car market ... how could they ever have been approved for road use- when we have a hard enough time navigating in heavy rain to begin with while following a Semi under normal white knuckled conditions - let alone being subjected to a barrage of sand blasting, tar sticking, road-grime assaulting debris to flow straight through a "Semi flap" ! onto my car ! until I have the chance to pass ... Seriously? Imagine following on the roads to Alaska ? These other ones have up to a 1/4 opening straight through Semi tractor/Trailer allowing up to 1/4 inch. Conversely, Vortex's removable tow guard has tons of testimonials from RV folks protecting their towables on the roads to Alaska ... I'm just say'n ...Hope this helps !

Regardless one thing for sure is logic screams they'll all reduce drag and side-over spray while saving fuel and the environment !

[freebeard]

While I can see a mudflap as necessary to control spay, I think their just cheap and ineffective compared to a cycle fender that's fitted closely enough to minimize the turbulence caused by the spinning tire.

Out of the way of direct air flow behind the tire, how much difference can they make?

[meangreen]

Originally Posted by freebeard

While I can see a mudflap as necessary to control spay, I think their just cheap and ineffective compared to a cycle fender that's fitted closely enough to minimize the turbulence caused by the spinning tire.

Out of the way of direct air flow behind the tire, how much difference can they make?

In the age of the aerodynamic revolution .... All the difference see what Viio had to say through CFD .. Viio great work I might add

PS. Sorry that the pics aren't attached.... since I'm new here it won't let me include any links .. but if you go straight to Viio's link its worth the trouble .. you also can find by searching Title " Mudflap delete modelled in CFD "

Viio take heart, since vehicle protection matters to you the vortexsplashguards.com ones above that Tesla above (03-18-2012, 01:54 AM) mentioned lets you have best of both worlds -protection without the drag

Originally Posted by viio

Today I removed my mudflaps after a bit of indecision. I did a bit of CFD to test, and came up with these results.

The flow lines are a bit hit and miss - there is definitely much less turbulence (and drag) inside the wheel arch but the air is more turbulent behind the wheel now. However, the mudflaps appear to be creating downforce - check out the larger number of lines heading down to the floor with the mudguards on.

Now when we look at the "Cut Profile" through the mudflap section - this is more like it. Red areas are slowed down air i.e. drag. and there are a lot more of them. This is the view which made me ditch them from the car.

[freebeard]

" Mudflap delete modelled in CFD " is an interesting post. Thanks.

Trucking papers quote circa 3% FE improvement along with safety improvemennts by reducing sidespray, hence improved visibility.

I wonder if that's 3% improved over plain mudflaps or no mud flaps

[mackerel]

Somehow an aerodynamic mudflap still sounds like a kosher bacon double cheeseburger.

[slowmover]

Glad this thread started. I was about to order the MOPAR molded mudflaps for my truck. The latest MICHELIN tires pick up gravel and my nine year old paint is really starting to suffer just two months along. The Vortex vented pieces may be the thing. About 2/3's the price I was expecting to pay, as well ($70/four, shipped).

Between elephant-ear towing mirrors added last week (and a big convex spot to be added to each side, besides) and now the need for mudflaps I really am getting the old man RV'er look a'happenin, ha!

I've expected a mpg loss of 1% + . . but hadn't thought about heat being trapped. The hotter the day the worse the problem. There will be days where my tires load limits of 3,195-lbs/tire will be tested. And brakes exercised out close to their limits.

freebeard, close-fitting fenders on trucks only work for a limited number of types and job descriptions. Where I work we'd have to break them off once the mud jammed up everything. I'd hate to think about the build-up on the brakes, etc.

.