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

Reply  Post New Thread
 
Submit Tools LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 12-15-2011, 12:58 PM   #1 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: london, on
Posts: 339

Buggie - '01 Vw Beetle TDI Gls
Thanks: 4
Thanked 32 Times in 22 Posts
Air dam or lift kit

I understand the purpose of the airdam, but why not lift a vehicle with a suspension modification to increase ground clearance? With a belly pan it might be easier to slide through the air than to move all the air over the top of a vehicle. Given enough room under a vehicle it would slide through the air more like a v shaped plow than pushing all the air over. With the increased ground clearance and the higher pressure under the vehicle the downforce would also be negated, putting less load on the tires. Granted more of the tire would show but that could be negligible if the bottom of the car could be cleaned up enough to allow smooth airflow.

  Reply With Quote
Alt Today
Popular topics

Other popular topics in this forum...

   
Old 12-15-2011, 02:25 PM   #2 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Briggsdale, Colorado
Posts: 296

Wildfire - '96 Ford Bronco XL
90 day: 14.88 mpg (US)

Blackford - '96 Ford Bronco XLT
90 day: 20.26 mpg (US)

Y2k - '00 Honda Insight
Gen-1 Insights
Team Honda
90 day: 73.98 mpg (US)

Redford V10 - '01 Ford F250 Lariat
90 day: 15.64 mpg (US)

FireFly - '00 Honda Insight DX
90 day: 69.43 mpg (US)

LittleRed - '00 Honda Insight
Thanks: 3
Thanked 31 Times in 14 Posts
You wouldn't have smooth airflow coming out the back, which would help kill FE. If you could find a way to smooth the airflow coming AND going - then you'd essentially be an airplane on 4 poles (tires).
__________________
  Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2011, 02:42 PM   #3 (permalink)
(:
 
Frank Lee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: up north
Posts: 12,762

Blue - '93 Ford Tempo
Last 3: 27.29 mpg (US)

F150 - '94 Ford F150 XLT 4x4
90 day: 18.5 mpg (US)

Sport Coupe - '92 Ford Tempo GL
Last 3: 69.62 mpg (US)

ShWing! - '82 honda gold wing Interstate
90 day: 33.65 mpg (US)

Moon Unit - '98 Mercury Sable LX Wagon
90 day: 21.24 mpg (US)
Thanks: 1,585
Thanked 3,555 Times in 2,218 Posts
You should calculate an estimation of how much more frontal area there'd be with that much tire exposed, then figure how much the Cd would have to improve simply to match what it was pre-lifted, let alone improve on it. IIRC belly pans have been generally credited with 10% aero improvement. Plus you'd want to fair the tires in some way so they don't muck up the flow around themselves and around that nice new pan.

__________________


  Reply With Quote
Reply  Post New Thread


Thread Tools




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