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06-19-2006, 05:39 PM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 593
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Extended air dam?
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/.../message/54197
"Quick thing to think about, The other day I went ahead and did the airdam mod to the front of the Iroc. (couldn't find an S-10 so used a Tahoe air dam).
The air dam atached to the underside of the front facia (bumper cover) and I've verified that it doesn't buckle under speed by having someone drive beside/in front while on the freeway. Ground clearance in front is now less by about 5 to 6 inches but shouldn't be a problem since car is not lowered any. Enough of the description of the mod now on with the question....I've got a factorg MPG economy gauge installed out of a lebaron which works fine. After the mod my avg MPG has raised another 2 mpg. (been using the car as a daily and trying different things out on it). Freeway average is now running in the 33 to 35 mpg on the gauge and verified with the gas fillups/checking mileage."
Using plastic lawn edging...I extended the from air dam down to around a 5" clearance. It is now around the same height as the majority of components under the car. Not sure I gained mpg though.
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06-19-2006, 06:06 PM
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#2
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*shrug*
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 7,406
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An undertray is much better and eliminates the need for an air dam, which is why I'll be using the undertray,  |
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06-19-2006, 06:09 PM
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#3
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Constantly Spouting Off
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Alberta, Canada
Posts: 589
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Yeah, but air dams can look cool. Though I'm not certain about that lawn edging...that stuff looks bad on lawns.  
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06-19-2006, 06:57 PM
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#4
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3 pedals>*
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,024
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the best mods should remain hidden. Besides if they are hidden nobody will bother you, especially cops.
I removed the duct tape residue and now nobody pays attention to my bumper at all.
Look at the Ferrari F430. Everything is under the car.
If it's under the car and showing that's bad. You could get pulled over really fast. Metrompg did such a good job on his skirts that I doubt he will get pulled over because they look stock.
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06-19-2006, 07:01 PM
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#5
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I am a banana
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 1,481
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I had a thought today as well, what would happen if you only lowered the front end of a vehicle, by lets say one inch, that way the car would leavle out, insted of sit with it's nose in the air when you pile stuff in the trunk, I realize this wouldn't apply to those of you who can travle with an empty car, but I ralmost alwas have 100+ pounds of stuff in the back, and that stuff tends to stay there almost all the time, when I don't need that stuff, I don't normaly need to drive a whole car around.
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06-19-2006, 07:03 PM
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#6
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Flying Under the Radar
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Raliegh, NC
Posts: 1,694
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Dunno why wheel skirts would get you pulled over.  |
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06-19-2006, 07:05 PM
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#7
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3 pedals>*
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,024
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by krousdb
Dunno why wheel skirts would get you pulled over. |
because cops might think they might fly off. If they don't look like they belong on the car the cops will get suspecious.
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06-19-2006, 07:15 PM
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#8
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Flying Under the Radar
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Raliegh, NC
Posts: 1,694
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Compaq888
because cops might think they might fly off. If they don't look like they belong on the car the cops will get suspecious.
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I dont think cops can pull you over because they think something is going to fly off. Only if something appears to by flying off. If you do it right, they wont fly off. I have had cops pass me while carrying 2x4's, pipes, plywood, matresses and many other things sticking out of the back or tied to the roof of my car. I have never been stopped. |
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06-19-2006, 07:25 PM
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#9
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3 pedals>*
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,024
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well here you'll get pulled over quick even sometimes for no reason. So it's good to have stuff hidden or else there will be a mess of tickets
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06-19-2006, 07:27 PM
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#10
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Flying Under the Radar
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Raliegh, NC
Posts: 1,694
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I haven't been pulled over in 23 years. I guess Im just lucky.
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06-19-2006, 07:29 PM
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#11
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3 pedals>*
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,024
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by krousdb
I haven't been pulled over in 23 years. I guess Im just lucky.
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people get pulled over here so often that traffic schools give them discounts when they come back.
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06-19-2006, 07:37 PM
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#12
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Flying Under the Radar
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Raliegh, NC
Posts: 1,694
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I think I have mentioned this before but you should move to another state. You complain so much about California, its a wonder that anyone still lives there.
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06-19-2006, 07:47 PM
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#13
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*shrug*
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 7,406
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Compaq888
well here you'll get pulled over quick even sometimes for no reason. So it's good to have stuff hidden or else there will be a mess of tickets
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Like the gun and the dead body? Or perhaps the crack and the little pipes... |
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06-19-2006, 07:48 PM
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#14
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I am a banana
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 1,481
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I agree that keeping you car clean is a good idea, both to keep the cops for bothering you, altho I did drive 7,000 miles acrose country, and back with the front of my red crx ductaped together after hitting a pole a few weeks befor I started the trip, and no cops seemed to notice that the whole front of my car was duct tape, however I did have a few friends question how safe it was to ride in.
I've had a fair number of people comment on how much they like how my car looks, small spots of rust and all, then I say something about "and it gets 50+mpg" and their jaw drops, some people care about image, and if they have a choice of getting better mileage and looking like a dork, or getting poor mileage in a clean looking car, then that explanes why some people shop for new cars by what color they are, that is why the first mods I do tend to keep my car looking "normal", it's then going to be more appealing to the public.
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06-19-2006, 08:07 PM
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#15
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3 pedals>*
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,024
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I personally favor performance but if the exterior is stock you'll get less attention.
I also favor fuel economy over looks but why not have both. All my mods are as effective as they can be even though they are hidden.
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06-20-2006, 08:26 PM
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#16
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ECO-Driver
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Pflugerville, Tx
Posts: 1,409
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by SVOboy
An undertray is much better and eliminates the need for an air dam, which is why I'll be using the undertray, |
I think you're right. I added an airdam that extended down to 4" off the ground. FE acutally dropped by almost 1 MPG. So I started cutting the center out of the airdam to where the dam is basicly covering the wheel portion of the car. Showed a very slight increase in FE. I decided to leave it on there just because it looked better than previous one and it helps hold the belly pan on.
Glad I don't live in CA I be pulled over all the time because of my "Nerd Mobil". |
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06-21-2006, 08:49 AM
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#17
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Just a Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Poconos PA
Posts: 304
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by SVOboy
Like the gun and the dead body? Or perhaps the crack and the little pipes...
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ROFL. That was a coffee out the nose moment! |
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06-21-2006, 08:52 AM
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#18
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Junior Member
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 85
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I have a 2.5" lawn edging air dam. It sits about 2.9" off the ground.
It's been on for quite a while now (3+ years) and has taken a beating. Still looks decent (if you think lawn edging looks good at all ), but could use replacing.
The reason I'm posting is that maybe I can do some A-B-A testing when I go to replace it. I'll try to keep as much data about the testing as possible so that I can report back with some level of fidelity. |
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06-21-2006, 09:01 AM
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#19
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Member
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 593
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My air dam extension just happened to end up about 5" off the ground...cause that's how wide it was. But it also happens to extend down about to the general ground clearance height under the car.
Hydrogenboost guy extended the dam down almost to the ground?
http://www.hydrogen-boost.com/May%202005.html
"I think it is quite easy to draw a conclusion about the air dam at both speeds. The air dam did not cause less drag and higher mileage. It indeed did quite the opposite. The air dam caused a lower mileage in all cases. This could be explained by the fact that it was causing quite a bit more wind resistance because of the increase frontal area of the vehicle with the air dam attached. Loses about -3.9% mpg at 55 mph..."
When I first put the vortex generators on the back of my car I had a couple of Deputies follow me for awhile in one town...they wanted to sell me some bubblegum? |
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06-21-2006, 11:48 AM
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#20
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|V3|2D
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: southern nj
Posts: 1,516
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you have to find the balance between increasing your frontal area and reducing the air flow under the car. the real key is to have the air dam that doesnt change the frotal area at all and extends lower infront of the wheels. you have to remember, the air dam is not an aerodynamic shape at all, you need to have something behind it in order to deal with its wake.
a properly designed air dam and belly tray working together will give you the best increases. and there is a lot to think about while creating the air dam.
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don't waste your time or time will waste you
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06-21-2006, 01:17 PM
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#21
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ECO-Driver
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Pflugerville, Tx
Posts: 1,409
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[quote=ZugyNA]My air dam extension just happened to end up about 5" off the ground...cause that's how wide it was. But it also happens to extend down about to the general ground clearance height under the car.
Hydrogenboost guy extended the dam down almost to the ground?
http://www.hydrogen-boost.com/May%202005.html
"I think it is quite easy to draw a conclusion about the air dam at both speeds. The air dam did not cause less drag and higher mileage. It indeed did quite the opposite. The air dam caused a lower mileage in all cases. This could be explained by the fact that it was causing quite a bit more wind resistance because of the increase frontal area of the vehicle with the air dam attached. Loses about -3.9% mpg at 55 mph..."
I confused . You said in your first post that the airdam increase your FE by 2 MPG. Most test point to just the opposite. Did you do something different with the airdam? Go any pic's? |
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06-21-2006, 03:17 PM
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#22
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Constantly Spouting Off
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Alberta, Canada
Posts: 589
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I think he's quoting various people from various forums...
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06-21-2006, 07:40 PM
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#23
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Member
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 593
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Yep...those are just 2 mentions I know of about air dams...one gain...one loss...
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06-22-2006, 05:46 AM
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#24
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Baby Killer
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 836
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Quote:
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well here you'll get pulled over quick even sometimes for no reason. So it's good to have stuff hidden or else there will be a mess of tickets
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That's precisely why I never carry ganga in any car.
That's also why I want to make everything on my Triumph look like it came that way from the factory. I expect to get hasseled less than most people who may have extensive mods, as no one hardly even knows what this car is anymore!
People have mistaken it for a Ferrari 275GTB, Jaguar E-Type, and even an old 50s Corvette. |
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06-23-2006, 06:26 AM
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#25
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Member
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 593
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Sounds like a GT6?
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06-23-2006, 08:59 AM
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#26
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*shrug*
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 7,406
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GT6+, yo, I'd love a GT6 but it'd be hell to import one.
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06-23-2006, 06:55 PM
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#27
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Baby Killer
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 836
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You can find them in America. They aren't too expensive, just rare as all hell. You could get a clean, rust-free example for around $3,000 or so. I got mine for $1,200.
I think I have the only one in St. Louis. You see a lot more Ferraris on the road than you do Triumphs, let alone a GT6.
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06-24-2006, 04:57 AM
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#28
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Member
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 593
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Over the years I've had a TR2...2 TR3s...TR4...Spitfire....drove a GT6 one time. Loved those cars...except for the room under the steering wheels...generally poor heaters...road and wind noise. But you darn sure knew you were driving a car when you were in one.
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