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

Reply  Post New Thread
 
Submit Tools LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 12-10-2009, 02:53 AM   #11 (permalink)
aero guerrilla
 
Piwoslaw's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Warsaw, Poland
Posts: 3,753

Svietlana II - '13 Peugeot 308SW e-HDI 6sp
90 day: 58.1 mpg (US)
Thanks: 1,339
Thanked 751 Times in 477 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by MetroMPG View Post
PS: was inspired to post this topic when I saw Tim's wheel-cover-less Prius picture: :O
BUSTED!!!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Daox View Post
In my defense, I think my wheel covers are worse than leaving the wheels as is!
I've been thinking about that for while: Is a normal hubcap with lots of holes and spokes better or worse than no hubcap at all?

__________________
e·co·mod·ding: the art of turning vehicles into what they should be

What matters is where you're going, not how fast.

"... we humans tend to screw up everything that's good enough as it is...or everything that we're attracted to, we love to go and defile it." - Chris Cornell


[Old] Piwoslaw's Peugeot 307sw modding thread
  Reply With Quote
Alt Today
Popular topics

Other popular topics in this forum...

   
Old 12-10-2009, 02:55 AM   #12 (permalink)
Moderate your Moderation.
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Troy, Pa.
Posts: 8,919

Pasta - '96 Volkswagen Passat TDi
90 day: 45.22 mpg (US)
Thanks: 1,369
Thanked 430 Times in 353 Posts
I'm going to say that the average hubcap doesn't allow too much air to pass across it's surface (to get behind it), and it sticks out enough that if it were smooth, it would look like a mooneye cap, so it probably helps.

Of course, that's my opinion. Can't prove it.
__________________
"¿ʞɐǝɹɟ ɐ ǝɹ,noʎ uǝɥʍ 'ʇı ʇ,usı 'ʎlǝuol s,ʇı"

  Reply With Quote
Old 12-10-2009, 05:17 PM   #13 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Private
Posts: 282
Thanks: 2
Thanked 73 Times in 47 Posts
I don't think wheel covers in the winter are for me. Where I live and the amount of snow we get (200+ inches sometimes), I have a hard enough time with tires that get out of balance from packed snow and ice.
  Reply With Quote
Old 12-10-2009, 05:33 PM   #14 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
tasdrouille's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Mirabel, QC
Posts: 1,672

The Guzzler - '08 Hyundai Elantra GL
90 day: 33.12 mpg (US)

Got Soul? - '11 Kia Soul 2U
Thanks: 35
Thanked 86 Times in 57 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by moorecomp View Post
I don't think wheel covers in the winter are for me. Where I live and the amount of snow we get (200+ inches sometimes), I have a hard enough time with tires that get out of balance from packed snow and ice.
x2. I have a lot more problems with wheels getting out of balance with hub caps than without in the winter.
__________________



www.HyperKilometreur.com - Quand chaque goutte compte...
  Reply With Quote
Old 12-11-2009, 02:12 AM   #15 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
jedi_sol's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Tustin, CA
Posts: 929

2013 STi *SOLD* - '13 Subaru Impreza WRX STi
Subaru
Sports Cars
Team Turbocharged!
90 day: 26.59 mpg (US)

1996 Geo Metro *RETIRED from Ecomodding* - '96 Geo Metro Base
90 day: 58.68 mpg (US)
Thanks: 368
Thanked 380 Times in 238 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cd View Post
I can't help but wonder about the collective fuel consumption impact of hundreds of thousands (millions?) of vehicles that have oversize pimp wheels.

mmm OZ Superleggera's....I miss those rims. Those 17 or 18's probably weigh less than everybody's 15" steelies.
__________________







See the rest of the Sti project log:
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...log-26612.html
  Reply With Quote
Old 12-11-2009, 02:53 AM   #16 (permalink)
aero guerrilla
 
Piwoslaw's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Warsaw, Poland
Posts: 3,753

Svietlana II - '13 Peugeot 308SW e-HDI 6sp
90 day: 58.1 mpg (US)
Thanks: 1,339
Thanked 751 Times in 477 Posts
My car is butt-ugly without hubcaps, so I keep them on. Except when driving in snow chains...
__________________
e·co·mod·ding: the art of turning vehicles into what they should be

What matters is where you're going, not how fast.

"... we humans tend to screw up everything that's good enough as it is...or everything that we're attracted to, we love to go and defile it." - Chris Cornell


[Old] Piwoslaw's Peugeot 307sw modding thread
  Reply With Quote
Old 12-11-2009, 08:53 AM   #17 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
NeilBlanchard's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Maynard, MA Eaarth
Posts: 7,908

Mica Blue - '05 Scion xA RS 2.0
Team Toyota
90 day: 42.48 mpg (US)

Forest - '15 Nissan Leaf S
Team Nissan
90 day: 156.46 mpg (US)

Number 7 - '15 VW e-Golf SEL
TEAM VW AUDI Group
90 day: 155.81 mpg (US)
Thanks: 3,475
Thanked 2,952 Times in 1,845 Posts
Hi,

Quote:
Originally Posted by moorecomp View Post
I don't think wheel covers in the winter are for me. Where I live and the amount of snow we get (200+ inches sometimes), I have a hard enough time with tires that get out of balance from packed snow and ice.
I have found that smooth wheel covers have helped avoid this problem.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tml#post146135
__________________
Sincerely, Neil

http://neilblanchard.blogspot.com/
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2010, 03:32 PM   #18 (permalink)
Aero Wannabe
 
COcyclist's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: NW Colo
Posts: 738

TDi - '04 VW Golf
TEAM VW AUDI Group
90 day: 52.55 mpg (US)
Thanks: 705
Thanked 219 Times in 170 Posts
Ice imbalance

Quote:
Originally Posted by tasdrouille View Post
x2. I have a lot more problems with wheels getting out of balance with hub caps than without in the winter.
I had an interesting experience last winter after I duct-tape smoothed my factory wheelcovers. We were doing a 2+ hour drive on powder snow covered roads to go skiing. At the end of the day as we left the resort and got up to speed on the interstate it felt like the back end of the car was going to shake apart. I stopped at the next exit and there were golf ball sized chunks of ice inside both back wheelcovers. The snow kicked up by the front wheels had filled the wheelcovers from the back, melted and refrozen during the day. Shook it out- smooth sailing. Never happened before I smoothed the wheelcovers and hasn't happened since but it's possible.
__________________
60 mpg hwy highest, 50+mpg lifetime
TDi=fast frugal fun
https://ecomodder.com/forum/showthre...tml#post621801


Quote:
Originally Posted by freebeard View Post
The power needed to push an object through a fluid increases as the cube of the velocity. Mechanical friction increases as the square, so increasing speed requires progressively more power.
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-08-2010, 01:19 PM   #19 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
sarguy01's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Virginia Beach
Posts: 468

Mazda5 - '12 Mazda 5
90 day: 25.22 mpg (US)

Big D - '11 Dodge Durango Crew
90 day: 18.75 mpg (US)
Thanks: 86
Thanked 87 Times in 54 Posts
While I understand every little bit helps, there are bigger issues in the ice and snow.

I know with my old car that had snow tires on steel wheels, the big issue was not with the wheels, but with the ice and snow accumulation. When it sticks to everything, it adds a tremendous of weight as well as makes the car less aerodynamic. Plus, the added weight of the snow on the wheels themselves puts more load on the engine when accelerating and staying at a given speed.

My take is to put the wheel covers on. When it snows or when there is snow on the road, take them off.

It would take some testing to see what the real difference is.

  Reply With Quote
Reply  Post New Thread




Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Top 5 most fuel efficient tires (Lowest Rolling resistance: LRR) blackjackel General Efficiency Discussion 144 01-26-2016 12:39 AM
Discussion on tire efficiency Ernie Rogers General Efficiency Discussion 69 12-27-2014 02:17 PM
[MetroMPG.com] List of reasons why your winter mileage is so bad MetroMPG General Efficiency Discussion 34 01-02-2013 07:03 PM
OEM Near-Aero Wheel Covers Rokeby Aerodynamics 15 10-21-2009 12:37 PM



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