Lowered the Ranger with light weight rims..

[07b2300]

Originally Posted by FX2.3

Little screws into the valance.. I need to add more as we have had some strong wind lately and I like to over do things

Great job!! Your valence is different than mine but probably similar--by any chance do you have any pics of how you screwed it on? Is it helping your mpgs? The look of your three phases look great. Glad to see others with trucks planning aerodymanic mods.

Wondering if it is better to extend the valence vertically and following the curve of the bumper or to make a kind of skidplatelikething out of plastic that angles down between the valence and the bottom of the cross member. Because the undersides of these trucks are so dirty does it make sense to direct more air around the sides (horizontal valence extension) or is it better to push the air under, using a gentle angle sloping backwards like a skid plate? I'm guessing better to send the air around and away from the cross members and axle and spare tire, etc and I DON"T want to lose the spare tire!

Apart from the vertical valence extension I'm planning to:
1) plug either the lower valence hole
2) plug the gap between the cab and the bed/canopy
3) maybe replace the stock back bumper with PVC pipe (like a fake tube bumper). Should save some weight + drag...

[meemooer]

Take a look at these pics i have. The factory metal skid plate is actually shaped really well. Starts off wide, and narrows down to the crossmember under the engine. a decent angle. And offroad... of man is it amazing, it acts as a... skid plate... i guess, like it helps push the mud to the side and around really easy. The FX4 one's[black] are heavy, like 25lbs, but the shiney chrome looking ones that were on some '98+ Offroad packages are only like 10-15lbs. I have that one on now
and links....
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...g/DSC00986.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...r/DSC00862.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...r/DSC00541.jpg

[FX2.3]

Originally Posted by 07b2300

Great job!! Your valence is different than mine but probably similar--by any chance do you have any pics of how you screwed it on? Is it helping your mpgs? The look of your three phases look great. Glad to see others with trucks planning aerodymanic mods.

Wondering if it is better to extend the valence vertically and following the curve of the bumper or to make a kind of skidplatelikething out of plastic that angles down between the valence and the bottom of the cross member. Because the undersides of these trucks are so dirty does it make sense to direct more air around the sides (horizontal valence extension) or is it better to push the air under, using a gentle angle sloping backwards like a skid plate? I'm guessing better to send the air around and away from the cross members and axle and spare tire, etc and I DON"T want to lose the spare tire!

Apart from the vertical valence extension I'm planning to:
1) plug either the lower valence hole
2) plug the gap between the cab and the bed/canopy
3) maybe replace the stock back bumper with PVC pipe (like a fake tube bumper). Should save some weight + drag...

It is just screwed directly into the valance then into the edging material. Ill get pics tomorrow.

I figured I would first try to limit the amount of air that goes under the truck, then try a belly pan, though I am worried about excess heat building up as I live in Texas.

Skid plate thing would be easy to make, I made a metal one but it had bolts that hung too low, a plastic/stock one would be ideal, modded of course and I just let the valance sculpt the edging as it flares out a bit right in front of the tires which has to be good to block the wind from hitting the tire as much.





I am too paranoid to take off my bumper, I was thinking of painting it and adding something to keep it from acting like a parachute.

Get some pics when your done!

Originally Posted by meemooer

Take a look at these pics i have. The factory metal skid plate is actually shaped really well. Starts off wide, and narrows down to the crossmember under the engine. a decent angle. And offroad... of man is it amazing, it acts as a... skid plate... i guess, like it helps push the mud to the side and around really easy. The FX4 one's[black] are heavy, like 25lbs, but the shiney chrome looking ones that were on some '98+ Offroad packages are only like 10-15lbs. I have that one on now
and links....
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...g/DSC00986.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...r/DSC00862.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...r/DSC00541.jpg

Stock skid plate looks ideal, though the bodylift does not help, lol.



Here's another pic of the skidplate I made with added "wings" on the side to help close the huge gap between the valance and the tire, you might try it, though I am not sure if it helped any with mpg..

[07b2300]

Great job on the one you fabbed. Yeah, that stock one might be easier. I'll look around the junkyards for one as it would bolt right on. But I might just go with the lowered valence as it's also easy to add. Unlike your fords my mazda valence sculpts straight back on the end so if I go that route I'll have to fab a little frame to hold it. As it would go right across the front it might work better than a skidplate anyway as that would push the air right into the rear end and back tire and doesn't do anything for the lower control arms etc. And while it wouldn't be as good offroad, it needs to be strong enough to not break off if it has to drag over something... But if I find a stock skidplate, especially the lighter one, I'll probably just do that instead.

Yeah I'm a little nervous about taking the back bumper off too especially with the way people park their cars by feel around here, and might just do something to plug the scoop effect on the sides too.

I'll post pics as I go, but right now I'm in the process of moving (great time to have a truck!) so it'll take me a few weeks to get to it all.

[COMP]

i look at that and want to stream-line the I-beams to

[FX2.3]

^very extreme ideas..

but ideas..

I forgot to get pics of the valance.. might have to wait till my day off..

[quik666777]

wondering for the short term before you put on the rear cover, if you or anyone else in these forums has done the covered cab vs. no cab vs. tailgate up vs. tailgate down vs. no tailgate. vs. mesh tailgate thing.

I remember they tested it on Mythbusters at 55mph on the highway and mesh tailgate was the winner (full cab was too much weight, tailgate up or mesh/web tailgate was winner apparently made a big smooth air bubble in the back of the truck). No idea if anyone has better results or a clearer test for it in here. I'm assuming your back cover will be super lightweight and aerodynamic but while your testing and modding may be something to think about that seems very quick and easy.

[07b2300]

Yeah that is a surprising result from tailgate up, but supposedly the bubble of air works... I haven't tested, I need my canopy. But it does rake down a little on the back end. It didn't seem to affect my mpgs even though it weighs at least 50 lbs.

Hey, since the tailgate up works because it makes an air bubble, I wonder if one did the same in reverse--put an air dam under the back bumper like an upsidedown tailgate, and then make a dam around the sides and and under the front like one big flat edged box--I wonder if it would trap air into a bubble like the mythbusters test. Of course it would be harder to test with styrofoam or ping pong balls! But it would be a heck of a lot easier than trying to put some kind of pan under the entire truck.

Neat aerodynamic ideas there FX2.3, but by the time you have a different nose and different tail you might as well just buy a prius! But I'd love to have a canopy like that! It would be really neat to have some tent material under the section that angles back and when one tilts it up, voila, a westfalia ranger all ready for camping!

[FX2.3]

Originally Posted by quik666777

wondering for the short term before you put on the rear cover, if you or anyone else in these forums has done the covered cab vs. no cab vs. tailgate up vs. tailgate down vs. no tailgate. vs. mesh tailgate thing.

I remember they tested it on Mythbusters at 55mph on the highway and mesh tailgate was the winner (full cab was too much weight, tailgate up or mesh/web tailgate was winner apparently made a big smooth air bubble in the back of the truck). No idea if anyone has better results or a clearer test for it in here. I'm assuming your back cover will be super lightweight and aerodynamic but while your testing and modding may be something to think about that seems very quick and easy.

I have no idea..

Originally Posted by 07b2300

Yeah that is a surprising result from tailgate up, but supposedly the bubble of air works... I haven't tested, I need my canopy. But it does rake down a little on the back end. It didn't seem to affect my mpgs even though it weighs at least 50 lbs.

Hey, since the tailgate up works because it makes an air bubble, I wonder if one did the same in reverse--put an air dam under the back bumper like an upsidedown tailgate, and then make a dam around the sides and and under the front like one big flat edged box--I wonder if it would trap air into a bubble like the mythbusters test. Of course it would be harder to test with styrofoam or ping pong balls! But it would be a heck of a lot easier than trying to put some kind of pan under the entire truck.

Neat aerodynamic ideas there FX2.3, but by the time you have a different nose and different tail you might as well just buy a prius! But I'd love to have a canopy like that! It would be really neat to have some tent material under the section that angles back and when one tilts it up, voila, a westfalia ranger all ready for camping!

I use a powerwasher to see where the water goes.. cheap way to see aero and it gets the truck clean..

I am thinking of just saving the money for another project or just save it to save it. I will still do the side skirts as I have enough material, but I am to tired of spending money. Never thought I would say that, guess Im just worn out. Worked 26 hours in the last 3 days

[07b2300]

Saving money is always good. Get some rest and I'll bet you get jazzed on the mods again--especially if that rest is in the form of a road trip at over $4 a gallon! It adds up to some money savings too, but over the long haul. There are other reasons of course -- air quality, global warming -- but even more, what could be more fun than a weekend crawling around under your truck? LOL