The "Brick" gets a new air dam

[JasonG]

Well that van left me with around 260K on the odometer and piston slap.
Received a new one a month or so ago, brand new 2013 !
Seems to be running around mid 16s (see signature)

Now it's time for the new one to get it's dam.
The last one was nixed by the boss due to being made of white vinyl painted black.
The paint kept chipping off from road debris.

This time I'm trying some treadmill belt that I acquired.
Seems to be durable but is a pain to work with due to being floppy.

[Xist]

Nice! How did you do it? How are you dealing with the floppiness?

[JasonG]

It is built exactly the same as version 1 except I used lath screws for the washer head.
This morning was it's first trip.....it didn't fall off !
I need someone to eye it at 70mph to see if it's collapsing at speed.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by JasonG

This time I'm trying some treadmill belt that I acquired.
Seems to be durable but is a pain to work with due to being floppy.

That does look a bit wonky - sorry.

Here is what I did to brace a thicker but more expensive conveyor belt material.

Chin Spolier - fast/easy/cheap/effective - Page 2 - Pelican Parts Technical BBS


The photo above is of the backside, original lawn edging remains intact (along with vinyl cove base lip/splitter). The photo below shows the exterior.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-t...fective-2.html


From post #19 on page-2:

Originally Posted by JasonG

I was planning on using 18ga 2"X2" angle but had trouble locating any.
Instead we used a scrap piece of 3/4" EMT conduit.
Good thing too, the bumper is a continuous radius that would've been very difficult to bend with the angle.
After installing it we found no kickers were needed as it was very stiff from the curve ( as Euromodder said )
Once again pictures had to wait until dark.

Jason, do you have a larger image from the inside showing your lower 3/4" EMT conduit support?

It appears to just dangle, untied to any supporting structure above, and relies on the arc of the curve for deflection strength and deformation resistance.

Is that observation correct?

[JasonG]

Correct Katch, the screws you see go into the conduit.
Kicking it shows it is really stiffer than the vinyl one.
I did this one alone and caused the oilcanning, "wonky" ripples.
The screws that went in off center flexed the treadmill belt.

On one of my stops I pulled in to far and scraped a curb backing out.
Didn't have time to look at it and returned home after 10PM.

Ill get inside pictures of the conduit tomorrow.
Tomorrow I should burn through the 3/4 tank of gas that was there when I mounted the dam.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by JasonG

............The screws that went in off center flexed the treadmill belt.

That would be very hard to avoid not doing with round stock conduit.

I suspect that a very light gauge rectangular or square in section material would not have such challenges. Then again, you would be faced with the larger challenge of arcing it three dimensionally or adding beveled or wedged spacers at contact points.

[JasonG]

Originally Posted by kach22i

That would be very hard to avoid not doing with round stock conduit.

I suspect that a very light gauge rectangular or square in section material would not have such challenges. Then again, you would be faced with the larger challenge of arcing it three dimensionally or adding beveled or wedged spacers at contact points.

Yep.
Ya know the old saying "if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail" I'm an electrician.

The tank I filed this morning showed no change, but only half or so was with the air dam

[JasonG]

Success !

My sig won't change for a while (90 days avg, but the last two tanks were around 18MPG !
the engine/trans/air does better at 75mph than 65.... The TQ should lockup earlier so I'm thinking it's a fuel curve thing.

I wonder if I could sell these things ?

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by JasonG

I wonder if I could sell these things ?

They would have to a lot prettier in my opinion, and perhaps look like something one could not just do themselves.

[JasonG]

Yeah, I wouldn't pay for them either :-)
At least I'm saving gas