Air Dam and Bellypan Material

[BamZipPow]

Originally Posted by dosco

Nice pic.

Was at H-D yesterday, didn't find it.

Next time I'm there, I'll ask.

BTW, where are you geographically? Are you in a hurricane-prone area?

We don't say the H word around here...

I'm here in Kemah, TX...just in between Houston and Galveston. Nope...not planning to evacuate during the official week of evacuation (if there is one) cause I don't want to be stuck in the same spot after 48 or 72 hours.

You should be able to find FRP panels locally besides Home Depot. Check Yahoo/Google or what ever search engine you use to look fer stuff. Prices should be close to $30.

I'm currently experimenting with Coroplast fer the front air dam. Had to cut channels so I could fold it over at a 90 degree angle.

[dosco]

Originally Posted by BamZipPow

We don't say the H word around here...

The reason I asked is that it seems the product you found is only offered in hurricane prone areas. The guy that I mentioned in the other post found similar FRP material at his H-D for emergency shuttering of windows for hurricanes, and was located in (IIRC) SC.

You should be able to find FRP panels locally besides Home Depot. Check Yahoo/Google or what ever search engine you use to look fer stuff. Prices should be close to $30.

Will have a look.

[BamZipPow]

Found them at Lowe's out here as well. Not sure they would make a good window protection as it doesn't have the same stiffness as plywood. I'm sure it would take the impact but you would still have to brace it so it doesn't collapse in. Think like 1/8" PVC sheets...that's how thin this stuff is.

[AltaGas]

Hi - my first posting to this site (just joined).


I've bought coroplast and lexan pretty cheap at places like Home Depot. (Had planned to fill in the bottom of my tent trailer - my new travel trailer's bottom is partly sealed with coroplast.) I've thought of siliconing/gluing a couple sheets together for more stiffness - may do that when I fill in under my SUV.

Landscape edging

Has anyone considered black landscape edging as an airdam extension material. I just bought some and now am trying to figure out how to attach it below/behind my existing front air dam. (Is there any value in putting a strip or diagonals "V" somewhere across middle or rear of a big SUV?)

Plastic flower pots

This gets off the topic but my Saab 9000 Aero has air defectors just in front of the rear wheels - this gave me the idea of looking at flower pots (sliced vertically) to serve the same function on my really big SUV. There's so many shapes and sizes available and they should be easy to work with - they seem somewhat viable (painted black of course - that "Fusion" brand paint should stick).

Note: right behind the front bumper of my Saab there's a nicely contoured/curved metal air deflector/belly pan - I have no idea yet what I could use to replicate that on my SUV except possibly some sheet rubber (Home Depot) backed by some sort of coating to give it the right shape.

Maybe create a mould via a the rough shape in a box of that loose sterofoam packing and sprayed with a glue to keep it from moving (then cover/smooth it with something and a roll of black plastic) - then lay the rubber in it and coat it with a stiff backing material. Geez - maybe a sandbox would work better. Other ideas?

[Antares2k6]

Originally Posted by AltaGas

Hi - my first posting to this site (just joined).


I've bought coroplast and lexan pretty cheap at places like Home Depot. (Had planned to fill in the bottom of my tent trailer - my new travel trailer's bottom is partly sealed with coroplast.) I've thought of siliconing/gluing a couple sheets together for more stiffness - may do that when I fill in under my SUV.

Landscape edging

Has anyone considered black landscape edging as an airdam extension material. I just bought some and now am trying to figure out how to attach it below/behind my existing front air dam. (Is there any value in putting a strip or diagonals "V" somewhere across middle or rear of a big SUV?)

Plastic flower pots

This gets off the topic but my Saab 9000 Aero has air defectors just in front of the rear wheels - this gave me the idea of looking at flower pots (sliced vertically) to serve the same function on my really big SUV. There's so many shapes and sizes available and they should be easy to work with - they seem somewhat viable (painted black of course - that "Fusion" brand paint should stick).

Note: right behind the front bumper of my Saab there's a nicely contoured/curved metal air deflector/belly pan - I have no idea yet what I could use to replicate that on my SUV except possibly some sheet rubber (Home Depot) backed by some sort of coating to give it the right shape.

Maybe create a mould via a the rough shape in a box of that loose sterofoam packing and sprayed with a glue to keep it from moving (then cover/smooth it with something and a roll of black plastic) - then lay the rubber in it and coat it with a stiff backing material. Geez - maybe a sandbox would work better. Other ideas?

Landscape edgeing, is a good material to start off. When I made my air dam, should have doubled it up. Another option perhaps is fiberglass. That way, you can get away with making the correct shape/curves.

Found out the hardway with the edgeing, that it does not always go around curves easily. Making some mods with fiberglass soon.

Good Luck
Joel

[dosco]

Originally Posted by BamZipPow

Found them at Lowe's out here as well.

Sorry I didn't post recently, I found it at Lowe's. Heavy and very floppy. I know coroplast is fairly floppy, but not nearly as heavy.

Didn't get a warm fuzzy with the Lowe's FG, so sitting tight at the moment.

I have been getting good mileage with P&G, so I'm still very interested in seeing what the underpan treatment will do.

I also did make a Vortex Generator from meat tray foam. Am undecided at the moment - one blew off and the other is still on, and I'm also considering making "airtab" style VGs as opposed to the "chevron" style I currently have installed.

[AltaGas]

Not the thin green stuff but the heavy black landscape edging? The type I'm thinking of is that heavy black stuff with the tubular top - I'd imagined turning it upside down for an air dam and just cutting out "v"s in the backside as it runs around sharper corners (however using a heat gun might allow it to bend more gracefully).

... even thought about running several lengths of it lengthwise as an underbelly material - maybe epoxying the edges together.

[opelgt73]

I'm not planning on doing an air dams or body paneling anytime soon, but if I were I would use aluminum panels for belly pans as plastic would get chewed up fairly quickly, and plastic for everywhere else.

If you are using FRP make sure to put the smooth side out. One side is smooth the other is rough. It's mainly used in commercial kitchens and mop closets BTW.

[almightybmw]

a note on using plastic for under tray paneling: Rally cars use 1/8" HDPE (heavy plastic skid material) and they last for seasons at a time without major issues. If you're rallying your FE car on dirt and rough gravel or rock crawling, you should worry, otherwise lightweight plastic will last forever. Your car doesn't kick up that much on the underbody on dry or wet pavement.

[Hateful]

Originally Posted by opelgt73

If you are using FRP make sure to put the smooth side out. One side is smooth the other is rough. It's mainly used in commercial kitchens and mop closets BTW.

It's been quite a while since I read it, but I believe the sticky at the top of the aero forum suggested the opposite side would be better; something about energizing the laminar flow, I think. It's a rather long thread but informative. http://www.gassavers.org/showthread.php?t=5647