Lower your car to save gas?
 

Would lowering my car make it more aerodynamic? Hence yield a higher MPG? :)

I have a 2005 Toyota Corolla

Stock ride height measurement on 01 CE - Toyota Forums :: Toyota Nation

4th post down

Thanks for reply,
Geez that kinda blows. I was getting excited about lowering the car. lol
I'm really close to hitting 40mpg this week.

What have you done to be close to 40mpg? I'm sure if you look around here or similar sites will give you some possible ideas on some new things to try.

+PSI 38
+K&N Drop-in Engine Air filter
+Took out spare tire
+New spark plugs
+Changed Oil to Castro 5w30Syntec
+Applying hypermiling techniques

:) Almost 40mpg. Want to add some ideas?

(some are more radical than others, but they can only help. Biggest gains for me in MPG were through changed driving style and scangauge guidance :D)

areas to focus on for FE improvement: driving, aero, tires, weight

driving:
- get a scangauge or way to see instant MPG
- go through the "100+ tips" and do as many as you can (not sure what you already do but do what you are comfortable/safe with)

tires:
- switch to low-rolling resistance tires

aero:
- add grill blocks
- add rear wheel skirts (front are trickier to make)
- remove antenna
- remove passenger side mirror
- add belly pan
- add boattail
- add smooth hubcaps to wheels

weight:
- remove more weight (ie. back seat, passenger seat, A/C, etc...)
- lose weight from driver

Thank you for suggestions !

If only the poster on Toyota Nation had a clue. Lovely equations. Wrong assumptions!

Sure, lowering your car will reduce the wind lift you get underneith and thus add some "weight" to your car. But, it won't add any mass to your car. The "weight" we all want to reduce to improve fuel economy is actually mass (that thing that works against acceleration), not just weight in the form of downward presure on the tires.

I've read in a number of different places that lowering your car reduces wind resistance generated by under car turbulence and can thus lead to measurably improved fuel economy.

I am the original poster from TN
is there a facepalm smiley, I forgot weight != mass.

Gotta go back and relearn the basics :confused:

That turbulant air under the car acts to increase the total frontal area, or the size of the hole the vehicle must punch through the air. Lower the car = Reduce the <effective> frontal area.

Something else to consider: You have to be careful lowering your car... it's easy to screw up the alignment, create a servere bump steer condition, and do all sorts of things that can result in increased rolling resistance, negating the net effects of reduced frontal area, and maybe going the other direction by wearing out the inside of your tires prematurely (read: cost you more to drive per mile)