Go Back   EcoModder Forum > EcoModding > Aerodynamics
Register Now
 Register Now
 

Reply  Post New Thread
 
Submit Tools LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 06-21-2014, 01:16 PM   #1 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Illinois
Posts: 475

Oh Deer - '03 Ford Ranger XL
90 day: 33.97 mpg (US)
Thanks: 55
Thanked 91 Times in 72 Posts
Airdam thoughts

As many of you know, I am no aero genius like so many of the regulars here. I don't understand the specifics of laminar flow and such, just the bare basics of trying to move air efficiently around a vehicle. That being said, I had an idea while driving home the other day and thought I'd see what you all thought. This is just an idea mind you, not something I am planning on unless it were to prove to be effective. You will also see that I am obviously no Picaso when it comes to Paint.

I know adding an airdam under the bumper is the easiest way to go. Probably the least expensive too. But I was imagining melding an airdam and side skirts into one flowing piece. Something like these really bad pictures. Any thoughts?






Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	Airdam.png
Views:	362
Size:	5.9 KB
ID:	15231   Click image for larger version

Name:	Airdam 2.png
Views:	367
Size:	8.6 KB
ID:	15232   Click image for larger version

Name:	Airdam 3.png
Views:	359
Size:	8.7 KB
ID:	15233  
__________________
If nice guys finish last, are you willing to pay the price to finish first ?




  Reply With Quote
Alt Today
Popular topics

Other popular topics in this forum...

   
Old 06-21-2014, 01:40 PM   #2 (permalink)
EcoModding Apprentice
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: The Netherlands
Posts: 114

Volvo 360 - '85 Volvo 360

Peugeot - '01 Peugeot 306
Thanks: 47
Thanked 96 Times in 34 Posts
From what I've seen, I would suggest the black outerline of the car to have the best shape, with rounded edges maybe.
  Reply With Quote
Old 06-21-2014, 01:56 PM   #3 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Tampa, FL
Posts: 1,745

Volt, gas only - '12 Chevrolet Volt Premium
90 day: 38.02 mpg (US)

Volt, electric only - '12 Chevrolet Volt Premium
90 day: 132.26 mpg (US)

Yukon Denali Hybrid - '12 GMC Yukon Denali Hybrid
90 day: 21.48 mpg (US)
Thanks: 206
Thanked 420 Times in 302 Posts
I am also no aerodynamic expert, but I am fairly certain you would be better off to have the air dam in front of the wheels and incorporate wheel spats. The degree of roundedness is not of chief importance, but rather keep air from slamming into the wheel openings and creating turbulence under the vehicle.
__________________




  Reply With Quote
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to ksa8907 For This Useful Post:
mcrews (06-21-2014), Xist (06-21-2014)
Old 06-21-2014, 02:40 PM   #4 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
mcrews's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Texas
Posts: 3,523

The Q Sold - '02 Infiniti Q45 Sport
90 day: 23.08 mpg (US)

blackie - '14 nissan altima sv
Thanks: 2,203
Thanked 663 Times in 478 Posts
First, shooting past the front wheels is not a good idea on any of the three.

the chevy corvette has a dam that sits way back. But that is for clearance of the very low nose.

do a belly pan....it's a LOT MORE fun!!!!!!!

Check out the link in my signature.....
__________________
MetroMPG: "Get the MPG gauge - it turns driving into a fuel & money saving game."

ECO MODS PERFORMED:
First: ScangaugeII
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...eii-23306.html

Second: Grille Block
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...e-10912-2.html

Third: Full underbelly pan
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...q45-11402.html

Fourth: rear skirts and 30.4mpg on trip!
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tml#post247938
  Reply With Quote
Old 06-21-2014, 02:41 PM   #5 (permalink)
herp derp Apprentice
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Lawrence, KS
Posts: 1,049

Saturn-sold - '99 saturn sc1
Team Saturn
90 day: 28.28 mpg (US)

Yukon - '03 GMC Yukon Denali
90 day: 13.74 mpg (US)
Thanks: 43
Thanked 331 Times in 233 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by ksa8907 View Post
I am also no aerodynamic expert, but I am fairly certain you would be better off to have the air dam in front of the wheels and incorporate wheel spats. The degree of roundedness is not of chief importance, but rather keep air from slamming into the wheel openings and creating turbulence under the vehicle.
Or think of it backwards. figure out how to make front wheel spats first, and then see if you can make an airdam work with them
  Reply With Quote
Old 06-21-2014, 02:51 PM   #6 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
aerohead's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Sanger,Texas,U.S.A.
Posts: 15,861
Thanks: 23,922
Thanked 7,207 Times in 4,640 Posts
airdam

If the air dam is for the Ranger,I'm giving you a link to the NASCAR Truck Series.
The race cars are below Cd 0.29 and the trucks only suffer from the bed vorticity and turbulence.
The noses are essentially 'ideal' although we must allow for approach clearance with driveway ramps etc..
Your air dam should move the air around and over,never under if you can avoid it.
If the air dam must be underneath,it still must get the air directed to in front of the tires.
http://www.jayski.com/schemes/2013/t...emleftside.jpg
__________________
Photobucket album: http://s1271.photobucket.com/albums/jj622/aerohead2/
  Reply With Quote
Old 06-22-2014, 12:02 PM   #7 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Illinois
Posts: 475

Oh Deer - '03 Ford Ranger XL
90 day: 33.97 mpg (US)
Thanks: 55
Thanked 91 Times in 72 Posts
Thanks to everyone. I know I can come up with some crazy ideas sometimes.

Aerohead....I wish I could make the grille area of my Ranger look like that NASCAR truck but mines pretty straight up and down. I had a 100% upper grill block that seemed to help but I had to remove it when the fan clutch went to heck. Until I get the E-fan done it's back to open upper grille. I relocated the license plate to cover the center portion of the lower grille. Between the two they seemed to help quite a bit. What is the purpose of the white horizontally flat part of the front bumper arrangement? It looks like it extends forward of the bumper and is attached by some sort of "turnbuckle" piece. Is it an aero feature or just to keep debris from under the truck?

I have some heavy duty rubberized conveyor belt that I have wanted to use to make the side skirts from. I had thought that I could make them lower and they would flex over speed bumps and such but I am afraid they will distort when 60 MPH air hits them.

My aerocap has hit a major snag and I have to do some re-designing. The shape will remain the same but the "skeleton" wasn't able to hold the "skin" very well. It sagged horribly. Back to the drawing board for that project. Oh well. I'm not giving up on it.
__________________
If nice guys finish last, are you willing to pay the price to finish first ?





Last edited by hat_man; 06-22-2014 at 12:05 PM.. Reason: Rotin Speeling
  Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to hat_man For This Useful Post:
aerohead (06-23-2014)
Old 06-23-2014, 05:54 AM   #8 (permalink)
Too many cars
 
Gasoline Fumes's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: New York State
Posts: 1,568

CRXFi - '88 Honda CRX XFi

Insight 256 - '00 Honda Insight
Team Honda
Gen-1 Insights

Insight 5342 (no IMA) - '00 Honda Insight
Team Honda
Gen-1 Insights
90 day: 66.3 mpg (US)
Thanks: 1,316
Thanked 781 Times in 465 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by hat_man View Post
What is the purpose of the white horizontally flat part of the front bumper arrangement? It looks like it extends forward of the bumper and is attached by some sort of "turnbuckle" piece. Is it an aero feature or just to keep debris from under the truck?
That's a splitter. Creates downforce and also sends air around versus under. I have one on my car.
__________________
2000 Honda Insight
2000 Honda Insight
2000 Honda Insight
2006 Honda Insight (parts car)
1988 Honda CRXFi
1994 Geo Metro

  Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Gasoline Fumes For This Useful Post:
aerohead (06-23-2014)
Old 06-23-2014, 01:20 PM   #9 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Illinois
Posts: 475

Oh Deer - '03 Ford Ranger XL
90 day: 33.97 mpg (US)
Thanks: 55
Thanked 91 Times in 72 Posts
Wouldn't the added down force somewhat hurt FE or are there enough gains to offset the losses?

Another idea I have seen is a front bumper shaped something like this one. Is there a purpose to it being angled back towards the front in the lower half or is it just someone's idea of an interesting design? Would it have a somewhat "splitter-like" effect?

The reason I ask is that I had thought about removing the plastic vertical "air dam" below the front bumper valance and replacing it with a second valance. I would invert it and bolt it together using the existing mounting holes. It's shape would resemble the V shape of the one in the picture but not to the same extremes. It also wouldn't cost $250. I can get a lower valance for about $20 from the pick-n-pull. I saw a picture of the same idea on a red Honda CRX once, but I have no clue where it was.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	Ranger Bumper.jpg
Views:	57
Size:	123.0 KB
ID:	15253  
__________________
If nice guys finish last, are you willing to pay the price to finish first ?





Last edited by hat_man; 06-23-2014 at 01:30 PM..
  Reply With Quote
Old 06-23-2014, 06:19 PM   #10 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
aerohead's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Sanger,Texas,U.S.A.
Posts: 15,861
Thanks: 23,922
Thanked 7,207 Times in 4,640 Posts
splitter/downforce/mpg

Quote:
Originally Posted by hat_man View Post
Wouldn't the added down force somewhat hurt FE or are there enough gains to offset the losses?

Another idea I have seen is a front bumper shaped something like this one. Is there a purpose to it being angled back towards the front in the lower half or is it just someone's idea of an interesting design? Would it have a somewhat "splitter-like" effect?

The reason I ask is that I had thought about removing the plastic vertical "air dam" below the front bumper valance and replacing it with a second valance. I would invert it and bolt it together using the existing mounting holes. It's shape would resemble the V shape of the one in the picture but not to the same extremes. It also wouldn't cost $250. I can get a lower valance for about $20 from the pick-n-pull. I saw a picture of the same idea on a red Honda CRX once, but I have no clue where it was.
On the racing trucks,the low dam and splitter help with high speed stability.It also helps their fuel economy in the race.
The jutting splitter helps approximate the jutting nose of a proper half-body as you see in the following image.Anything like it is beneficial as long as its got enough ground clearance for real world driving

__________________
Photobucket album: http://s1271.photobucket.com/albums/jj622/aerohead2/
  Reply With Quote
Reply  Post New Thread


Thread Tools




Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.5.2
All content copyright EcoModder.com