Why no wheel spats

[botsapper]

We always make spats in efforts to improve aerodynamics as we've seen them in the world of race car technologies. Unfortunately, their rarity in current models is based on car designers' preferences. Designers and manufacturers prefer fitting large wheels/tires in their wheel wells and visually line them up to the outer edges of the car body lines. Practical wheel spats require more clearances. The wheels would either have narrower tracks or require wider body lines. Currently the wheels are pushed out widest for the fashionable and preferred 'stance' look, for a more stable and 'purposeful' design.

https://www.carthrottle.com/post/wha...-them-anymore/

[MetroMPG]

Am I wrong in thinking they should be referred to as skirts, not spats?

Tomato, tomato?

[gumby79]

The majority of buyers have no clue...
So the Manufacturer has to build what sales. And form over function is what sales . Otherwise every car on the road would look like the template and trucks would have a factory Aero Tonto. The only difference betweenevery make or model would be size .and how do you keep up with the Jones's if they are all the same. And its bad marketing to infringe on a patent. Look at the Jeep lawsuit for the mil. spec. HMMWV grill appearing too simmer to a Jeep. We ,the American tax paying public, almost had to replace evry HMMWV hood in existence. The corts finaly stoped the madness by saying your trademark Grill is not infringed apon because this vehicle was never intended for public distribution. There was a clause in the contract specifically stateing they were NEVER to be SOLD. .. They made it to the public because a carpenter contractor BARTERED services for goods . No exchange of money therefore no problem. The contract for the 2nd gen HMMWV closed this loop hole. So no mil spec OD or Turbo HMMVEs on the road.

[botsapper]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Am I wrong in thinking they should be referred to as skirts, not spats?

Tomato, tomato?

Believe Car Throttle is London-based. In US we call it skirts.

[MetroMPG]

OK, now that we have that settled, I can go read beyond the first paragraph.

[Vman455]

BS alert!

"Firstly, using spats meant that the rear tyres had to be narrower to allow for a larger clearance, which intrinsically affected the handling and overall dynamics of the car. Also, any air that does inevitably make its way under the spat and into the wheel arch is essentially trapped. This will lead to a high pressure within the wheel arch along with a build-up of heat as the friction force between the tyre and the road builds up converts somewhat to sound and heat energy. This will invariably increase the pressure of the tyre itself, thus risking a possible blow-out if the pressure was allowed to reach over normal operating figures (normally 30-36 psi).

Going back to the 1940s, SAAB decided it would be a great idea to apply spats to the front wheels, enclosing them like the wheels on the aeroplanes that they had been designing during WWII. Unfortunately, this led to some fairly catastrophic results – especially in countries where snow was prominent like its native Sweden – as the front arches would clog up with compacted snow and grit, locking the steering in place."

Both of these claims need some serious documentation to back them up.

[freebeard]

I suggest adding air-quotes around 'spats' in the title.

Vman455 — The first claim is specious but the second one is more valid. It also happens on the Bonneville Salt Flats.

Beyond stance, skirts also don't show off the blingy rims. The solution is air curtains.



Sometimes the old ways are the best.

[gumby79]

I have experienced the snow packing on 2 different cars a 87 Hyundai XL fwd and a 06 Subaru Forester awd both in west cost wet sticky snow even with open wells . Hear in Montana its well below freezing so far this year and it is hardly sitcking in the wheel wells at all on my pu. However I have ben seeing a lot of cars with bearly enough space for the tires . Mother natures spat filled the gap. And then used the space between the wheel wells to blow her nose. Good and bad for aero , and a massive weight penalty. Not to menchen trying to hang chains when there is 0.25" clearance around the tires that has turned into ice from the friction of the tires hitting on bumps. Gota love winter to live in my neck of the woods.

[Goldenstate]

Long ago my parents had a 1949 Pontiac that had rear wheel covers or "Pants" as my father called them. They were from the factory and fit real well. To remove them, one simply reached up under the cover and released a simple spring loaded lever and off they came. Being made from steel, they were a bit on the heavy side for a young kid. A simple process it appeared and off they came each time he washed the car. They seemed to collect dirt and mud during the wet weather. I often times was assigned the task of cleaning the dried mud on the lawn while he washed the rest of the car where I could never reach. At that time I had no clue that they had anything to do with improved mileage and felt that they were pure cosmetic in value.

More recently I increased the size of the factory front wheel spats on my 2014 Ford Fusion. Made them one inch taller and 2 inches wider to cover more of the front tire width. Used Coroplast with flat black paint and they look almost factory. Designed and installed rear wheel spats based on the spats of a friends Toyota and installed them. Since the installation in early November, winter fuel blend has made itself apparent but my mileage has stabilized at slightly higher levels than ever before so I must have done something right. Have ordered a Scangauge and may do some testing after it arrives.

[freebeard]

'Pants' is the term of art for a full teardrop aero-body enclosing fixed landing gear.

I have a set of fiberglass fender skirts for my car, but they don't fit because the center clamp (of three) interferes with the axle's end. My current plan is to replace with a Dzus fastener-type camlock made with latches from old VW bus gas flap doors. Then I can use the OG square-drive church key and have that little flap that covers the hole. Something for next swap-meet season.