Front wheel well covers
 

Probably been talked about, but is it a waste of time to create a sort of lip at the leading edge of the wheel well, directing air out away from the car. My assumptions of this being a good idea are based on the thought that the goal of wheel well covers are atleast partially desired to help with the wheel well to body transition. Am I over thinking this one?

In what way is that different from (and if so, better than) front wheel arch gap fillers as discussed in the 65+ Efficiency Mods?

i think your idea of adding a lip in the leading edge of the wheels to deflect air away would be detrimental to aero because you are now increasing your frontal area of the car....thus causing more drag

It wouldn't be adding frontal area. It would pretty much be a wheel skirt with the middle cut out so you could still turn. See the wiki page for some pictures.

When looking at the wiki I took that as more as a gap filler vs what I am talking about is more of something to help direct airflow away from the trailing edge of the wheel well. Similar to the idea of not wanting air flow through the wipers, creating a lip directs air over the wipers. My thought is that kicking air out away from the car, for the duration of the wheel well, and having the air make contact again on the other side of the wheel well where the body is smooth.

The idea is some of the benefits of a front skirt without the issue of worrying about reducing steering travel.

it isnt the same I know but ...
 

My oversized tires fill the front well there is some off set that I cant help without massive mechanical undertaking or aftermarkett offset wheels.
For that truck in particular I would have lowered it and found taller skinny tires and spaced it out to aero plane of least resistance and called it good.
It really makes good sense to do it on rear though I think the old cars looked good skirted and bound with the curb feelers. lol

i see what you're talking about, but i think making smooth transition of air over the wheel would be more beneficial.

The reason why lips-over-windshield wipers work is because the windshield wipers are stationary...so yes, air can flow up and over the wiper.


Your idea of directing air away from the wheel well might not be a good idea because 1)it'll cause more drag by increasing frontal area 2)you also have to consider that the spinning wheels themselves are already creating swirly whirly air. So if you think about it, you're just introducting swirly air from the lip into swirly air from tires.

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m...i/wheellip.jpg

a smooth wheel cover or the gap fillers from the wiki would be more beneficial.

Here is a better execution of your idea...a lip that diverts air OVER the wheel...instead of AWAY from the wheel.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...-fe-26651.html

Lip no, reduce wheel gap yes. As headwinds and crosswinds hit the car less gap the better, unlike flares and mudflaps. Drag will be increased if the gap is the same and you extend a lip from the fender liner.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tml#post385306
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.n...68885458_n.jpg

It's complicated. Your lip could act like a Gurney flap and flip air into the wheel well. Most effective would be a close-fitting inner cycle fender and a flexible outer covering like Ford used on one of their Probes. In practice, road debris, etc. makes it...complicated.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/member-fr...gt-one-tm1.jpg
http://ecomodder.com/forum/member-fr...gt-one-ms5.jpg
http://ecomodder.com/forum/member-fr...ry2012-sr1.jpg