Jeep Cherokee "Aeromatics" (Kammback / partial boat tail)

[winkosmosis]

Since you have a Scangauge, just use it to calculate mpg. I think those fillup numbers are way too small to get anything meaningful out of them.

[JeepNmpg2]

- Update -

I haven't been on here in a while, had some personal emergencies come up, and moved, blah blah blah...

I hate to say it, but in my earlier testing I think my foot was still a little biased and the track was too short. I did drive with it on for a couple of longer trips (80 miles each way) and now I think the mileage increase is more around the 2%, rather than %8 or so.

Even worse, is somehow it got hit while my car was parked back in October and subsequentially tossed (although I did take it to get recycled as it's all plastic) as it was beyond repair. While I didn't get my money's worth in the investment, it was nice to build such a concept piece and try it out. I might make another in the future now that I've learned some lessons and from my early mistakes. I think I'm going to stick to cleaning up my undercarriage first before I go and mod the rear end (again).

[Piwoslaw]

Sorry to hear about the Kamm Hopefully version #2 will be even better, and cleaning the flow under the car will also help the new Kamm. Good luck

[winkosmosis]

Get a full width skid plate, then build off of that.

[JeepNmpg2]

I'm looking at this one from DPG Offroad - either that or I'll get a local shop to bend one for me based on these pictures and some custom measurements.

From the side:


From the back:


Instaling the plate won't be all that hard; building around the driveshaft, springs and axles will be the tough part. Not to mention insulating the area around the exhaust. Maybe I'll get lucky and find some place that has recycled street signs like I saw on a post here with a Subaru STi. I'll open another build thread when I do get to that point.

[SwamiSalami]

updates! we need updates! we care!

[JeepNmpg2]

Moved to GA for some job training, but last weekend I starting fabricating a front air dam to push the airflow under my front suspension out of black coroplast, aluminum angle stock and rivets. Pictures to follow later on today of where I'm at on it. Here is my shopping list so far:

$14 - (1) 4x8 sheet coroplast
$8 - (2) 16GA aluminum angle 8 ft stock
$4 - (2) 3/16 aluminum rivets 50 pack
$2 - (1) small angle bracket pack
$3 - (1) small 90 degree joice pack

The prices are each so the total investment is $43.

FastPlastic: I wish I had your skills with sheet metal, but I'm going to have to live with my beating/hacking on coroplast for this one.

[JeepNmpg2]

Well, my plan was to finish the pics last night, but I got distracted as always.



The first pic is just the naked front end, but you'll notice that since I don't have a stock front end anymore (below, courtesy of FastPlastic), I lack the air dam that kept most of the air out of my suspension.



so this is my remedy for that. It's actually a square sheet, but the picture makes it look odd. Also it should be noted that it will clear my tires at full turn by about 2 inches



As far as attachment points, in the front I plan to tie into the built in ones behind the bumper face (normally where you would relocate the vacuum ball from the stock setup). As far as the rear end goes, I will either drill and make a bracket on the front end of the lower control arm mounts and allow it to self-adjust based on suspension travel. Or else I may have to hang the piece off of the framerail before the suspension and find another way to support it.

[FastPlastic]

Looks good I don't remember if I really showed it but my panel actually gets smaller the father back it goes(Kind of a V shape), gave me more surface area in the front that way. I also found on the frame is a threaded hole, after a few quick test bolts I found the one that fits. here's the bracket I made, but I would recommend a little beefer one if go this route as mine is all bent out of shape and needs to be redone(plowed too many snow drifts).

[JeepNmpg2]

Down to business

Here's the bracket I made using an existing hole in the body:


Both brackets in a frontal view:


Here's a shot of the top of the pan:
*The larger hole on the right hand side, that is so that I can still access the winch clutch.


Partially hung dam, still mocking up the side panels:


Completed side panel:
*There were small spaces in the back of the bumper to fit those 'tabs' into, almost like it was a part of the design!


Everything buttoned up on the ground:






I thought I was going to sweat to death getting this thing together, but it all worked out. Overall I'm absolutely pleased and cannot wait to see where this puts my highway mileage. I've only taken it up to 75 MPH for about ten miles to feel for any shimy and check to ensure it's safe to operate the vehicle. I will say that the Jeep seems to coast A LOT further when I NC (Neutral Coast). I'd love to do some A-B-A Testing with it, but it's a total PITA to put on and I'll assume take off. It is nice to only have the very bottom of the front differential and the lower portion of the control arm exposed. The lower edge sits about .75 of an inch lower than the axle.