Boat tail project based on a single wheel trailer...

[BamZipPow]

Current run to Lincoln NE with heavy snow dragged my speed down to 25mph during the last half of the trip. Mileage suffered a big hit down to about 21mpg. Snow and ice built up inside the wheel pant and expanded the sides out. I will probably need to remove either the ice build up or the wheel pant so I can continue my travels.

[freebeard]

Road [torture] testing continues.

An electrically heated rear wheel pant?

[gumby79]

Ice in your pants!!! No fun. Theas environmental constraints play a major roll in desine,for me . Growing up near Yosemite and having the rear tires lock from snow accumulation in open wheel wells on a fwd car.

[freebeard]

Off topic, but I thought of what you said when I saw this:


http://rollerman1.tumblr.com/post/168647919339/radracerblog-top-5-baja-car-builds

[BamZipPow]

Originally Posted by freebeard

Road [torture] testing continues.

An electrically heated rear wheel pant?

Road torture is correct! I think I will have to remove the wheel pant if there is any snow forcasted during my travels in those regions. I don't believe there is a real good design compromise that would allow aerodynamics and snow build up/dispersion at the same time without affecting the performance of either requirement.

The only real way I could heat up that portion would be to divert the exhaust to that area. With my limited budget and knowledge, there's no way I could make it electrically heated.

[BamZipPow]

Originally Posted by gumby79

Ice in your pants!!! No fun. Theas environmental constraints play a major roll in desine,for me . Growing up near Yosemite and having the rear tires lock from snow accumulation in open wheel wells on a fwd car.

Since this was the first time of playing in snow with an installed wheel pant (previous run to Iowa in the snow about 3 years ago was without a wheel pant), my simple design allowed the snow to blow out the sides. However, the snow did eventually accumulate on the tail portion and dragged it down. It bent the support rails which wasn't designed to withstand that amount of added mass. At least it gave me some ideas on how to better support the tail as well as making it easier to remove.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by BamZipPow

The only real way I could heat up that portion would be to divert the exhaust to that area.

Considering that most commercial aircraft nowadays rely on hot air bled out of the compressor, maybe it wouldn't be so pointless to use the heat from the exhaust flow to de-ice that area. I know it may sound like comparing apples to oranges, but you could try it. But it would require you to make an adjustable exhaust diffuser to blast hot exhaust gases in that area only when the heat is needed.

With my limited budget and knowledge, there's no way I could make it electrically heated.

There might be some reasonably cost-effective way to heat it electrically. Why not try some heater pad like those ones that some people are using to heat the oil sump?

[COcyclist]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

There might be some reasonably cost-effective way to heat it electrically. Why not try some heater pad like those ones that some people are using to heat the oil sump?

Wouldn't the amp draw on the alternator more than offset any minor gains in aero?

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by COcyclist

Wouldn't the amp draw on the alternator more than offset any minor gains in aero?

I'm not sure about it, but maybe the aerodynamic gains can still ofset the energy consumption. The efficiency of the heater might also play a major role on that matter.

[BamZipPow]

Well...keep in mind that I don't plan on driving in snow with Dark Aero attached in the foreseeable future. It would be easier and simpler to just remove the wheel pant if it looks like snow is in my driving range.

At least it was fun seeing what would happen.