Go Back   EcoModder Forum > EcoModding > Aerodynamics
Register Now
 Register Now
 

Reply  Post New Thread
 
Submit Tools LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 01-28-2011, 09:19 PM   #1 (permalink)
Enthused
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: mesa az
Posts: 4
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
wheel vortex

Durring an earlier fuel shortage some years ago, I saw & read that a ring of holes around your rims would break up a 'vortex' created by the spinning wheel. I saw 1/2" or 3/4" holes all around the facing edge of dog dish hub caps on State Highway Patrol cars, at that time. That's not the same idea as pizza dish wheel covers. Wheel vortices?

  Reply With Quote
Alt Today
Popular topics

Other popular topics in this forum...

   
Old 01-28-2011, 09:23 PM   #2 (permalink)
Cd
Ultimate Fail
 
Cd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Austin,Texas
Posts: 3,585
Thanks: 2,872
Thanked 1,121 Times in 679 Posts
I wish it was that easy.
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-29-2011, 04:24 AM   #3 (permalink)
Pokémoderator
 
cfg83's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Southern California
Posts: 5,864

1999 Saturn SW2 - '99 Saturn SW2 Wagon
Team Saturn
90 day: 40.49 mpg (US)
Thanks: 439
Thanked 532 Times in 358 Posts
catchonfire -

Never heard about that. I have liked these despite the holes because they are OEM "almost-racing-disks" :

Chevrolet Truck Hubcaps, Chevrolet Truck Wheel Covers and hub caps - Hubcaps.com



CarloSW2
__________________

What's your EPA MPG? Go Here and find out!
American Solar Energy Society
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-29-2011, 08:09 AM   #4 (permalink)
(:
 
Frank Lee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: up north
Posts: 12,762

Blue - '93 Ford Tempo
Last 3: 27.29 mpg (US)

F150 - '94 Ford F150 XLT 4x4
90 day: 18.5 mpg (US)

Sport Coupe - '92 Ford Tempo GL
Last 3: 69.62 mpg (US)

ShWing! - '82 honda gold wing Interstate
90 day: 33.65 mpg (US)

Moon Unit - '98 Mercury Sable LX Wagon
90 day: 21.24 mpg (US)
Thanks: 1,585
Thanked 3,555 Times in 2,218 Posts
It's for brake cooling.

Back in the pre-'50s, some cars had full wheel covers. I have literature for '59 Chevys where they point out the "new" slotted wheels and covers for the express purpose of brake cooling.
__________________



Last edited by Frank Lee; 01-29-2011 at 08:16 AM..
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-29-2011, 01:51 PM   #5 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
aerohead's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Sanger,Texas,U.S.A.
Posts: 16,306
Thanks: 24,436
Thanked 7,384 Times in 4,782 Posts
wheels

The way I interpret the article,is that the wheel cover itself is responsible for minimizing the vortex of an open stamped steel wheel,and the holes,as Frank has mentioned,is simply a concession to brake cooling,not the cause of the vortex reduction.
In the Sticky on mod-data here at the Aero Forum you''l find some drag data for the GM Firebird Trans Am wheel drag wind tunnel research acquired by GM designer Larry Shinoda.
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-31-2011, 07:45 AM   #6 (permalink)
aero guerrilla
 
Piwoslaw's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Warsaw, Poland
Posts: 3,750

Svietlana II - '13 Peugeot 308SW e-HDI 6sp
90 day: 58.1 mpg (US)
Thanks: 1,336
Thanked 749 Times in 476 Posts
Looks like Vekke's FleXcaps
__________________
e·co·mod·ding: the art of turning vehicles into what they should be

What matters is where you're going, not how fast.

"... we humans tend to screw up everything that's good enough as it is...or everything that we're attracted to, we love to go and defile it." - Chris Cornell


[Old] Piwoslaw's Peugeot 307sw modding thread

Last edited by Piwoslaw; 01-31-2011 at 03:47 PM..
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-31-2011, 02:23 PM   #7 (permalink)
Enthused
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: mesa az
Posts: 4
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
No Vortex?!!
Come on. I been living with this thing for 30 years.

ok, let me just nail this baby shut.
Nobody's ever seen my imaginary, inverted tornado runnin' out from the wheels.....I mean one daydream is smoke bombs in the wheel well. orange ones.

It occurs to me that rain might form up on wheel wake out on the highway.
Now don't mock & point, I live in the Sonoran desert. We get rain........
Mostly wheel wake is just a wild cloud flyin' around the wheel wells, best I recall.

Well, it was kind'a fun to imagine.

  Reply With Quote
Reply  Post New Thread






Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.5.2
All content copyright EcoModder.com