Front Fender/Wheel Skirt Idea....

[justpassntime]

I was doing some measuring on my Accord and I would need a 3.75" gap filler all around the tire. The front of it could bubble out slightly and taper towards the rear or the wheel well and would not have to move with the tire to allow for clearance.

I think I would make the top of it attach to the fender and the lower pieces front and rear made out of a heavy plastic that could be shaped and molded with heat to retain the desired shape. The lower pieces would attach to the top piece and to the front bumper and the rear piece to the wheel well.

Any ideas on a heavy plastic material suitable for this.

[MechEngVT]

Originally Posted by justpassntime

I think I would make the top of it attach to the fender and the lower pieces front and rear made out of a heavy plastic that could be shaped and molded with heat to retain the desired shape. The lower pieces would attach to the top piece and to the front bumper and the rear piece to the wheel well.

Any ideas on a heavy plastic material suitable for this.

ABS plastic isn't very exotic, is very durable, and it thermo-forms. A lot of industrial and automotive parts are vacuum-formed from ABS. I've heard that ABS is harder to heat to a workable state than some other plastics like polystyrene or polyethylene. Keep in mind you'll want to work with thin sheet as opposed to blocks, but not so thin that as you heat and work the plastic it'll stretch/tear. You'll probably want to stay with .090" or 1/8" and above, but 1/4" is probably too thick to work by hand.

For availability you might have the best luck with polyethylene. You should be able to order sheets of many thicknesses of HDPE from industrial supply catalogs or possibly local stores, but I wouldn't hold my breath for Home Depot or Lowe's to have it.

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by justpassntime

Are the broom strips on trucks or busses for aero or for flying debris?

I think they do at least a dual function.First,they do a little streamlining,second,during inclement weather,they protect surrounding motorists from splash and spray.Aero and safety,a good match!

[MazdaMatt]

Does anybody use a gurney flap on the leading edge of front wheel wells? These are often used on race cars to generate a low pressure bubble in the wheel well. This could really help cars with rad ducting and brake ducting as well because the wheel wells would help to pull out that hot air.

[garys_1k]

Originally Posted by MazdaMatt

Does anybody use a gurney flap on the leading edge of front wheel wells? These are often used on race cars to generate a low pressure bubble in the wheel well. This could really help cars with rad ducting and brake ducting as well because the wheel wells would help to pull out that hot air.

I think the best thing, regarding drag, would be to keep the air under the car from blowing out through the wheel openings. Those spinning wheels impart a LOT of kinetic energy to air, all at the expense of fuel economy. In fact, I'd like to figure out how to add fairing on the inboard side of the wheels (particularly the fronts) to keep the underside air from positively being able to migrate out past the wheels/tires. Perhaps a coroplast assembly mounted on the strut and knuckle to let it steer/bounce with the wheel.

[MazdaMatt]

...just add an airdam underneath that follows the contour of the wheel well. I think those are on a lot of race cars too. The idea I mentioned would actually lower the pressure in the wheel well, lowering the air density and lowering the amount of kinetic energy added to the air in the wells by the wheels. It would also allow for even smaller grill openings and more directed cooling air.

[Cd]

Originally Posted by MazdaMatt

Does anybody use a gurney flap on the leading edge of front wheel wells? These are often used on race cars to generate a low pressure bubble in the wheel well. This could really help cars with rad ducting and brake ducting as well because the wheel wells would help to pull out that hot air.

I did a simplified version of this. I drilled a 1/2" hole in the top of my wheel well. There is normally a rubber grommet there.
It was done on the Superbird ( that is what those backwards facing scoops cover - the holes in the fenders )
Our cars dont get up enough speed to make use of the idea ( right ? ) but I did it just because I felt like it.

[justpassntime]

Originally Posted by MechEngVT

ABS plastic isn't very exotic, is very durable, and it thermo-forms. A lot of industrial and automotive parts are vacuum-formed from ABS. I've heard that ABS is harder to heat to a workable state than some other plastics like polystyrene or polyethylene. Keep in mind you'll want to work with thin sheet as opposed to blocks, but not so thin that as you heat and work the plastic it'll stretch/tear. You'll probably want to stay with .090" or 1/8" and above, but 1/4" is probably too thick to work by hand.

For availability you might have the best luck with polyethylene. You should be able to order sheets of many thicknesses of HDPE from industrial supply catalogs or possibly local stores, but I wouldn't hold my breath for Home Depot or Lowe's to have it.

Thanks for the info

[donee]

Hi MazdaMatt,

Not sure if I have ever heard the plastic dams in front of wheels called Gurney Flaps. The Gurney Flap is the 1/2 inch or so piece right at the rear of the rear spoiler.

[lunarhighway]

technically they're not gurney flaps, but they work somewhat the same.

problem is these plastic dams don't really have a common name.

i prefer to call them wheel dams (or suspention dams) but i've seen them called wheel strakes, wheel fairings, airdeflectors... etc

these terms however also refer to other (automotive)devices makeing it difficuly to look up anything speciffic on the web. i can't find much reference to how these dams actually work.