Jeep Cherokee Aeromods - Page 9 - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

Memorytwo · 08-23-2008, 10:19 PM

NICE! im gonna have to get on this, whered you get stainless or gavelized sheet metal?

FastPlastic · 08-23-2008, 11:28 PM

It's galvanized sheet metal I found in the Home heating and cooling section at Lowes. It's a little weak so you have to reinforce it in places (still need to add a cross brace behind my skid plate, has more play then I like). But it's cheap, lightweight and easy to find (about $7 a sheet).

FastPlastic · 08-25-2008, 07:47 PM

So I decided I wanted to run five of the grill blocks but after testing I found it was getting a little warmer then I wanted. After look at the grill and the openings I had left. I found that it wasn't getting a whole lot of air through the radiator. Most of it was traveling around it. So I used a little galvanized steel to redirect some of the air. I went ahead and painted it because it's behind the grill and harder to get to then the others.

Sadly in the process of putting the grill back in I managed to crack one of my grill blocks, Oops. A little 2000 pound epoxy should hold it till I cut a new one.

Red · 08-25-2008, 07:54 PM

Weird, I would have a figured a 98 XJ would have had the factory radiator air deflector things stock. My TJ has two heavy plastic/rubber flaps that flank the evaporator forcing air into the rad and not around.

Memorytwo · 08-25-2008, 08:07 PM

weird, why didnt you do the deflector all the way up?

FastPlastic · 08-25-2008, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by achang1

weird, why didnt you do the deflector all the way up?

I didn't do it all the way up because I couldn't find a good way to secure it. I looped the piece around the pipe leading to the radiator and have it bent like a spring so it stays in place.

FastPlastic · 08-26-2008, 02:32 PM

The next part of the under body work. I noticed a large hole on the driver side axle under the spring. From the looks of it the air flows over the axle and in to the hole, then has no place to go. The lower section had a lip I could wrap around so I'm not worried about that staying in place. But the upper section didn't, so all I did to secure it was cut the metal wider then the opening, then bend the sides a bit, giving me a decent pressure fit. It takes a screw driver and a lot of prying to get it out. So I'm guessing I won't have any problems with it. I also covered up the passenger side while I was at it.

nascarnation · 08-26-2008, 03:24 PM

Looks nice, great work!

Smoove · 08-26-2008, 04:06 PM

You are very thorough - nice work! Have you seen any improvement yet?

Also, would your axle deflectors be of any benefit to the rear axle or maybe even the trans cross-member? Or are you just systematically working your way back?

MazdaMatt · 08-26-2008, 04:18 PM

I just used those same galv'd HVAC sheets to build rad ducting into my race car. Very easy to work with, light weight and reasonably stiff when you've added some seams. If you had one of those rollers used to reinforce floor boards on the "custom garage" shows, then it would be pretty stiff, i think.