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08-11-2006, 02:15 PM
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#1
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I should be WORKING now
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Eastern Ontario
Posts: 4,791
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Side mirrors
You often hear people talking about removing side mirrors to reduce drag. Is it effective or worthwhile? That's what this thread is about.
Last edited by MetroMPG : 11-28-2007 at 07:56 AM.
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08-11-2006, 02:21 PM
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#2
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Flying Under the Radar
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Raliegh, NC
Posts: 1,694
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Someone posted a link to a study that indicated between 0.03 and 0.06 for the mirrors depending on the shape. Maybe someone could dig up that link?
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08-11-2006, 02:21 PM
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#3
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I should be WORKING now
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Eastern Ontario
Posts: 4,791
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Last edited by MetroMPG : 11-28-2007 at 07:56 AM.
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08-11-2006, 02:23 PM
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#4
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Flying Under the Radar
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Raliegh, NC
Posts: 1,694
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At least I got the 3 and the 6 right.
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08-11-2006, 02:38 PM
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#5
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granny just passed me
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 1,200
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I don't think mirrors afftect your car that much. If you hold your arm out the window doing 60. How much air force is pushing back on your hand maybee 5-10pounds. But if your a FE fanatic why not take it off.
__________________
2008 EPA adjusted:
Distance traveled by bicycle in 2007= 1,830ish miles
Average commute speed=25mph (yes, that's in a car)
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08-11-2006, 02:39 PM
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#6
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I should be WORKING now
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Eastern Ontario
Posts: 4,791
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Yeah, good memory, Dan! Whereas I forgot both the numbers, and the fact that a mirrors thread had started and petered out once already.  (See my EDIT notes in the first post.) |
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08-11-2006, 02:43 PM
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#7
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I should be WORKING now
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Eastern Ontario
Posts: 4,791
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by kickflipjr
I don't think mirrors afftect your car that much.
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It's all relative. I'd just like to quantify it.
OK, I'll fire up Dan's spreadsheet tool later and translate it into some theoretical miles per gallon.
Last edited by MetroMPG : 11-28-2007 at 07:58 AM.
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08-11-2006, 03:07 PM
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#8
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I should be WORKING now
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Eastern Ontario
Posts: 4,791
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Because a Google search is quicker than firing up the aero tool spreadsheet (which I will still do, later)
Last edited by MetroMPG : 11-28-2007 at 07:58 AM.
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08-11-2006, 03:37 PM
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#9
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*shrug*
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 7,406
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Are you going to camera things up, have that wicked big rear view mirror, or just go without?
I'm surprised that my windsheild wiper would only account for .01 but my mirrors would account for .03-.06. I guess the rear wiper does point foward though...
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08-11-2006, 03:47 PM
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#10
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I should be WORKING now
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Eastern Ontario
Posts: 4,791
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If it turns out it's really worth taking mirrors off, I may go for a combination approach
Last edited by MetroMPG : 11-28-2007 at 07:59 AM.
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08-12-2006, 08:45 PM
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#11
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I should be WORKING now
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Eastern Ontario
Posts: 4,791
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I de-passenger side mirrored the Flea
Last edited by MetroMPG : 11-28-2007 at 07:59 AM.
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08-12-2006, 08:58 PM
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#12
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*shrug*
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 7,406
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take a week off from work!
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08-12-2006, 09:00 PM
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#13
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I should be WORKING now
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Eastern Ontario
Posts: 4,791
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The thought crossed my mind. 
I may just take the next day off that's calm (good for testing). |
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08-12-2006, 09:17 PM
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#14
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I should be WORKING now
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Eastern Ontario
Posts: 4,791
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Using the aero/rr web tool I made based on Dan's spreadsheet, my car theoretically gets 56.7 mpg (US) @55 mph
Last edited by MetroMPG : 11-28-2007 at 08:00 AM.
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08-12-2006, 09:19 PM
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#15
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*shrug*
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 7,406
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certainly makes it worth testing, i think, |
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08-12-2006, 09:33 PM
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#16
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I should be WORKING now
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Eastern Ontario
Posts: 4,791
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Yeah, I would say so. It's not so small as to disappear into experimental variability noise - if it's true.
For testing, I'd likely remove both mirrors just to be safe (larger effect), and then halve the results if I end up just taking one off permanently.
Last edited by MetroMPG : 08-12-2006 at 09:37 PM.
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08-13-2006, 03:49 AM
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#17
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Texas
Posts: 390
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mirrors
I read the areo thread and I decided to purchase a pair of carbon fiber mirrors off of ebay in April. I've never got around to posting pictures for them yet... I am officially making no claims other than they look great and I can actually see more than the stock mirrors...And they are tinted so I can look at SUV's headlights without hurting my eyes at night...
Before (front view)
After (front view)
Before (rear view)
After (rear view)
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1996 Honda Civic LX. I love that Honda is expanding in America...It shows that pushing for technology rather than pure profits is finally paying off for them!
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08-13-2006, 03:55 AM
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#18
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Texas
Posts: 390
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Also
I had my windshield wipers off for 3 months (I had one on in the picture) it wasn't exactly legal...but we have been in a severe drought for a year now. I didn't need them on the occiasional shower because of Rain-X (it really works) Sorry for the randomness.
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1996 Honda Civic LX. I love that Honda is expanding in America...It shows that pushing for technology rather than pure profits is finally paying off for them!
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08-13-2006, 07:16 AM
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#19
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Flying Under the Radar
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Raliegh, NC
Posts: 1,694
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Dude, love the paint job. Blue flames!
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08-13-2006, 09:06 AM
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#20
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I should be WORKING now
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Eastern Ontario
Posts: 4,791
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Just to clarify - the Chalmers report (just re-reading it now) states a 3-6% reduction in drag, not a Cd .03 - .06.
Last edited by MetroMPG : 11-28-2007 at 08:01 AM.
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08-13-2006, 11:16 AM
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#21
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*shrug*
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 7,406
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haha, blue flames. but yeah, those mirrors look keewwwwl, how do they attach in there? it's it fab or stock mounting? ever do the y5 minime?
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08-13-2006, 11:51 AM
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#22
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Texas
Posts: 390
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mount
It uses the stock mounting location. The connecting rod (from base to mirror)has a ball at the end of it so you can adjust the position of the mirror and you lock it down with a lock washer and nut.
The mirror weighs 3 ounces! The aluminum bracket is almost 2 pounds though, I should have purchased the carbon fiber fab sheet and made it flush mount.
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1996 Honda Civic LX. I love that Honda is expanding in America...It shows that pushing for technology rather than pure profits is finally paying off for them!
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08-13-2006, 11:53 AM
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#23
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*shrug*
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 7,406
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Hmm, darn, it seems like darin couldn't use on then for the style of the mounting, |
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08-13-2006, 12:00 PM
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#24
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Texas
Posts: 390
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If he has a 96-00 civic it will fit. Those are fake screws on the front, I dont know why they did that. I should have clarified. I think this mount was made for a coupe however. Its curve doesn't quite match the one on my 4 door.
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1996 Honda Civic LX. I love that Honda is expanding in America...It shows that pushing for technology rather than pure profits is finally paying off for them!
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08-13-2006, 12:02 PM
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#25
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I should be WORKING now
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Eastern Ontario
Posts: 4,791
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If I had a motorcycle mirror hanging around, that might do the trick. My Ninja 250 had nice sized mirrors... And I'm not so concerned about weight as frontal area & Cd.
This afternoon I'm going to look at the folding Forkenswift mirror approach with the smaller convex circle on the "aft" end when folde back for highway use. I think that's a good hybrid approach (and I've got the mirror already). We'll see.
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08-13-2006, 09:37 PM
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#26
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I should be WORKING now
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Eastern Ontario
Posts: 4,791
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Undertook a little project this afternoon: replaced my stock non-folding but otherwise aerodynamically shaped driver's side mirror with a folding but otherwise not very aerodynamic mirror from the red Forkenswift car.
Last edited by MetroMPG : 11-28-2007 at 08:02 AM.
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08-13-2006, 09:38 PM
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#27
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I heart FUH2.com
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Winston Salem, NC 27104
Posts: 163
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how much were they tomauto? I would have to say the reduced frontal area in the new mirrors is at least a compromise in stock mirrors vs. no mirror. My '85 CRX Si hasn't had a pass. side mirror in years....I scored an HF delete plate in the junkyard and adapted it, then sold the mirror recently for $16. I wanted to get a 300mm rearview to make up for it but I haven't found one I like yet. Mak
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'85 CRX Si Original EW3 @ ~238k...suck it Detroit
'89 CRX HF-Z1 Project "FrakenRex" ~ 97% complete, 3% annoying hangups... SHE LIVES!
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08-13-2006, 11:50 PM
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#28
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Texas
Posts: 390
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F1 Mirrors
APR Performance makes the mirrors.
http://www.aprperformance.com/
I found the mirrors on a e-bay listing for 78 dollars shipped to me! APR sells them for 275 plus shipping. I like them very much, everybody in my town asks, how can you see out of those?? I tell them its better, than they wont take my word for it.
__________________
1996 Honda Civic LX. I love that Honda is expanding in America...It shows that pushing for technology rather than pure profits is finally paying off for them!
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08-14-2006, 10:05 AM
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#29
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meat popsicle
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Mojave
Posts: 1,789
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Remove all your mirrors and get a wink mirror. You could even buy a couple of those CVS digital camcorders for $20-30 each and extend the lcd or camera connections (whichever's easiest) from where the camera is to where you are for blind spots.
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08-14-2006, 03:33 PM
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#30
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granny just passed me
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 1,200
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Is there anyway you could have side mirrors on the inside of the car that still function?
__________________
2008 EPA adjusted:
Distance traveled by bicycle in 2007= 1,830ish miles
Average commute speed=25mph (yes, that's in a car)
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Linear Mode
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