Wheel arch earo options.

[Eddie25]

what other options are there other than a complete wheel cover. this fender guard is something our local car shop sells. if you put it in front of the arch do you think it would deflect enough air over the arch. or would it be better to just leave the standard arch. I do not want to completely cover the wheel as I don't find it to look too astatically pleasing. you can also positioning it higher or lower in the arch to deflect air completely over a wheel arch rather than deflecting it over the first bit of the arch only to let air fall back into the rear.

[cowmeat]

That seems like it would work for my front wheels, as my back wheels are already covered. I was already thinking about doing something like this, but I didn't realize they made these commercially.

[aerohead]

As they are shown applied to the trailing wheel arch,I'm struggling to comprehend their intended benefit.It almost looks like they would aggravate the flow of any air escaping the well and blending into the outer flow alongside the car.
They might keep control some back-soiling issues during inclement weather.

[Otto]

Apply to leading edges of front wheel wells, see what happens.

I'd guesstimate that it would offset the major turbulence generated by the forward-rotating tires, which act as turbines and throw air against the fore-to-aft flow coming around the bend from the nose. This is what the BMW air curtains are designed to reduce, so maybe these eyebrow thingies would help in that respect.

[ksa8907]

Look at the new corvettes, they have exactly what you're describing.

I took this pic at the detroit auto show.
[IMG][/IMG]

[Eddie25]

Originally Posted by aerohead

As they are shown applied to the trailing wheel arch,I'm struggling to comprehend their intended benefit.It almost looks like they would aggravate the flow of any air escaping the well and blending into the outer flow alongside the car.
They might keep control some back-soiling issues during inclement weather.

yes in the picture its on the rear of the arch but I want to put it on the leading edge. that corvette wheel skirt is exactly what im trying to replicate just this will be a bit smaller. the size of the ones at the shop is about 35cm or 14 inch

[Otto]

Originally Posted by ksa8907

Look at the new corvettes, they have exactly what you're describing.

I took this pic at the detroit auto show.
[IMG][/IMG]

The Corvette wheel arch mod is in effect an admission the original geometry was lacking. Better to re-loft the fender lines to smoothly fair the airflow out to the vertical plane of the modified wheel arch*, rather than the draggy stepped addition.

That said, the draggy stepped wheel arch mod is better than the original naked fender.

* Better yet would be to add a BMW-inspired air curtain, perhaps doubling as an oil cooler exit vent.

[markweatherill]

Compare the Peugeot Ion with the non-US iMiev. (same car with a different badge)The Ion has some additions to the rear of the rear wheel arches that the iMiev doesn't.
It doesn't seem like a styling addition as it is hardly noticeable. Perhaps there is a benefit?

[freebeard]

It could very well be about:

• fitting different, especially bigger with different offsets, tires without re-engineering the fender itself.
• And integrating an inner fender liner panel and the front diverter.
• And standing proud to protect the shiny finish with a more durable rub strip.

You could make your own custom-fitted flares by cutting a curved strip and bending in into a conic section. When I did it on a VW bus the sheet metal shop sold me the shape by the pound, so I didn't have to buy a big sheet to cut a little noodle out of. If the inner arc is on a different center you can make the part wider at the top to accommodate the fender curvature. I attached with pop rivets.

A flat arch that just reduces the size opening might be most aerodynamic. Or an eyebrow that shrouds the tire over the top but allows the middle of the tire to turn out in front and back.