Considering a low, flexible air dam

[freebeard]

How do you go lower than the wheel rims and not get pulled over by the cops?



Guns, Oil, & Dirt

[aerohead]

I've no idea.Especially in California.

[MeteorGray]

There's so much stuff on the highway I'd hate to create even less clearance than I have now. My '15 Mazda3 measures about 7 inches clearance under the front bumper valance, and about 5.5 inches clearance under the streamlining panel hanging beneath the engine.

I very well may not be able to clear an armadillo laying flat in the road.

I hate to drive at night because by the time I see an object on the Interstate it's too late to move over, so straddling is about the only option left, which is a very poor one given 5.5 inches of clearance. It seems to me that to give my car even less clearance is strongly challenging the laws of diminishing returns.

So far, I haven't hit anything hard enough to cause any known damage to my Mazda, but road gators coming off an 18-wheeler caused $5K damage to my wife's Explorer, which is much higher off the ground than my Mazda.

I'm already averaging 43mpg with the Mazda. The risk of increasing the damage potential by lowering the car even more is not worth it to me. I guess it would be a different story if I drove only in town where one has time to stop or maneuver to keep from hitting something, but then the efficiency gained by a lower car in town is probably negligible anyway.

[freebeard]

I've got 3.5" to the tow hook and 5" to the crossmember. It would be less but for bump strips and the curbs they always seem to have getting in and out of gas stations. I admire the young folks with their stanced this and air-bagged that.

The problem with highway speeds is ground strikes on bridges. Even a 1.5" discontinuity running across the traffic lanes will throw the wheels enough to bottom out.

Edit: last time I took the Wheatland Ferry the river was low, so I dragged pretty badly going on. The operator rammed the other bank at speed to force the ferry up the ramp to make it easier for me departure.

[compdrag]

Look for a lip option. I'm sure there is something out there to get you a little closer, then look into something flexible if you want to go lower. I just added a lip to the front of my civic I pull off an accord and brought myself to 6inches of clearance. So when I drop it I'll be at about four inches which is plenty low enough.

[aerohead]

In an article about future Mercedes-Benz products,they mentioned that with their active air suspension,they'll go as low as 4.5-inch ground clearance for drag reduction.