airdam vs screen bellypan
 

I've been running a screen belly pan for about two months now... I think I'll try an extended airdam and rear wheel dams for two months and compare numbers. I am cautiously optimistic that the dams will out perform the screen.

Throw caution to the wind! Just be optimistic. :)

What kind of ideas do you have for the rear wheel dams?

Phil:

Did you make the belly pan yourself or can they be bought?
Do you have any pictures to show us of it installed on your vehicle?

Lapointe told me that he knew of it being used on a Mecedes vehicle. I do not know the year or model.


Paul

I have Photographs in my garage the rear wheel dams are made of 20 gauge steel and will be painted to match the car. The airdam has not been decided as of yet but I am leaning toward lawn edging since it it urethane and has a stiffening tube in it.

Are you setting up the rear wheel dams to be perpendicular to the direction of travel,canted to force the air out from under, or back under the car? Just curious on which way you're thinking or if you have some insight that you've seen before on it.

I was thinking slightly canted out but I'm open to ideas and suggestions. the ones I've seen have mostly been perpendicular to the flow. I'm going to keep looking in the gallery for a bit before I install anything.

My bet is that perpendicular is optimal because it extends the forward surface area presented by the wheel, lowering the pressure behind it in a more balanced way.

Canting it one way or the other risks creating larger eddy currents than might exist with perpendicular placement. Of course that may or may not be moot depending on how the airflow is behaving around the rear wheel to start with, but I suspect that most vehicles have a fairly balanced, albeit turbulent flow at that point, negating any benefit of directing the airflow one direction or the other.

In other words, like a Gurney Flap, the real goal is to impose a little more energy into the airflow to aid in seperation and reduce the amount imparted into it later.

what I've seen on insights and prius's flat to the flow is good angled back/down to match the tire is best. I'll go flat first since they are cut and bent already and I'll see what happens

interesting, is there any reason for using a screen over some other smooth surface?

also, what are your plans for the front air dam? are you worried about increasing your frontal area or are you matching the frontal area?