considering rear turbulence management

[Philip1]

I currently have a brace of vortex generators on the back of my wagon. I haven't seen any change in my mean FE since adding them so I am thinking about an experimental deflector. It would be placed slightly behind the hatch seam and sit at about a 15* (from level) angle downwards. I am also planning to add some side skirt extenders that start at the pinch weld and flare out at the rear wheels( borrowing ideas from LMP cars of old).

[trautotuning]

Can you take pictures of the vortex generators to see how they are placed, how far from the edge, angle, etc.

They might be a tad bit off but not sure. Some pics will help.

[Philip1]

here you go placement across the car




and this is the placement from the back of the car.

[Philip1]

I also think that underneath the car could use some touching up. The area between the rear suspension and back bumper especially.




I am also planning to add functional side skirts. Here is the bracket I added to flare them out in front of the rear wheels.



more to come

[trautotuning]

the rear could use A LOT of touching up. Get some plexiglass from Lowes (shouldnt be more than $15 for all the panels) and just screw them on there.

As far as the vg's, the roof rack could (and probably is) causing a lot of turbulence in that area so the effect of the vg's there is going to be far less (since they need laminar flow aka smooth flow of air). However, i think they still help but just very little.

Do the underside of the rear, that is going to have a big impact.

[GasSavers_BEEF]

I called a local sign shop and am getting a 4 x 8 foot sheet of coroplast for $20 and plan to smoothe out the underside of my car some. my Bday is coming up. that is going to be her (my wife's) presant to me ( I know, cheap). I plan to use the interior panel plastic snap pieces to hold the panels on with. that way if they fall off, they won't mess any tires up like sheet metal screws.

I try to watch out for the other guy even though he isn't watching out for me.

[95slowone]

hmm, when was the last time u had an alignment? sure looks like a lot of camber there.

[Philip1]

the car was aligned last month. yes there is some camber and no I can't do anything about it just yet. I am hunting for the adjustable lower control arms but so far nothing. I am however defying logic and getting FANTASTIC MILAGE!!!

[GasSavers_Mr_C]

I would guess that the camber wouldn't hurt your mileage, but it is a warning sign that things may be out of wack... so good catch 95slowone.

philip1, I am glad to see you are on top of it. I wonder how many people out here are are doing relatively extreme things to improve mileage and then have thier alignment out of wack so they are loosing most of it.

-Mr_C

[GasSavers_Vman]

Has anyone tried the chemical coating one can put on teh rear of a vehicle to reduce air resistance?

http://www.slipstreamfs.com/