Aerodynamics?
- Thread starter pods8
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Terrainist
Explorer
This aerodynamic stuff is addicting for me. If I had a shop I could see staying busy moding every extra mpg out of my vehicles I could.
Anyway, the roof. Angle up, flat, angle down in better than nothing. Or, you can go flat and then bolt something round down up there. I hear you about flat angles being easier to construct. That's why houses, campers, etc, have right angles and flats - ease of construction. If we built things round it would take longer.
Here is a link to what I was talking about with the side fairings, make sure to scroll down. http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthread.php/4-mpg-gain-mod-slide-camper-pickup-truck-15450.html
Tire skirts and wheel covers help http://ecomodder.com/imgs/knox/knox-toyota-z.jpg
Here is a list of things you can do to make a vehicle more fuel efficient. Some of the things are extreme, others informative. Who would have thunk that having an alternator cut out can lower fuel consumption 10%? Going to electric radiator fans and other useful tips. Scroll down again. http://ecomodder.com/forum/fuel-economy-mpg-modifications.php#c1
I don't know how much better fuel economy you can expect. I think 25 mpg is dreaming. 20 mpg? who knows. Fun stuff nonetheless. You can start brewing alcohol for fuel if you get fed up enough.
Anyway, the roof. Angle up, flat, angle down in better than nothing. Or, you can go flat and then bolt something round down up there. I hear you about flat angles being easier to construct. That's why houses, campers, etc, have right angles and flats - ease of construction. If we built things round it would take longer.
Here is a link to what I was talking about with the side fairings, make sure to scroll down. http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthread.php/4-mpg-gain-mod-slide-camper-pickup-truck-15450.html
Tire skirts and wheel covers help http://ecomodder.com/imgs/knox/knox-toyota-z.jpg
Here is a list of things you can do to make a vehicle more fuel efficient. Some of the things are extreme, others informative. Who would have thunk that having an alternator cut out can lower fuel consumption 10%? Going to electric radiator fans and other useful tips. Scroll down again. http://ecomodder.com/forum/fuel-economy-mpg-modifications.php#c1
I don't know how much better fuel economy you can expect. I think 25 mpg is dreaming. 20 mpg? who knows. Fun stuff nonetheless. You can start brewing alcohol for fuel if you get fed up enough.
If I go rounded it would be built in, don't feel like adding anything on. Main question in my head is "is the gain worth the work", ya know. I won't really have any flat angles, all will have some radius just from a structural standpoint its just a question of how much. The larger the radius the more in complicates the interior and takes away space.
As I said I'm not really looking for any magic number or really expecting anything, but when starting from scratch I want to consider things that would make a worthwhile improvement if its there for the taking. The windshield angle you mentioned I think is a really good one (I was already planning to limit the cab gap as much as I could and possibly put a "V" shape with a plastic flap on the underside venting the air outward depending on how bit that gap ends up).
From what I know about aerodynamics the vortex generators you are seeing on the rear of these vehicles are completely useless. It is no surprise they are increasing drag. The purpose of a vortex generator is to keep the flow from separating. In otherwords keeping the flow laminar over the surface. If you want them to do anything you should attach them at the front of the vehicle.
Two of my mechanical engineering peers did a project this past semester and found the biggest improvement you can make to gas mileage is to follow other vehicles and effectively draft off of them. If I recall correctly they found it effective to follow vehicles even out to a range of 200ft.
Two of my mechanical engineering peers did a project this past semester and found the biggest improvement you can make to gas mileage is to follow other vehicles and effectively draft off of them. If I recall correctly they found it effective to follow vehicles even out to a range of 200ft.
thebrassnuckles
Explorer
I had a jeep when I lived in england. With my 32" tires on stock gears,I would have to keep the throttle pinned in order to keep up with traffic on the highway.. unless I got behind a lorry. I would be cruising about 15 feet off the back of these big huge trucks, barely touching the throttle.. huge improvement... albeit fairly unsafe:Wow1:
Terrainist
Explorer
That's probably why I frequently have someone ridding my bumper for many miles on the highway. Think maybe I'll start looking for truck to draft behind.
K2ZJ
Explorer
When I was towing a large trailer behind my 4.0L Jeep Grand Cherokee, I would follow big trucks as well. Even far away I could feel when they were dragging me and if I slipped out I would have to floor it to keep that same speed.
It is like F1 racing, any 3 cars in a pack on the track are faster than any single car due to aerodynamics.
My Mog camper has a nonpopup overcab bed, so is 13'1" overall. The front camper wall is fractionally in front of the windscreen line but not a lot, same slope in profile though.
It returned 12mpg with 150HP, but would not no way ho sey go above 50mph on the flat. I was under the impression aerodynamics don't really have much effect at that sort of speed, but it is a brick with a brick on the back
It now has a bit more power and will go faster, but 55mph is 10mpg at Euro fuel prices.
The really annoying bit is the air pressure in front of the windscreen, there doesn't seem to be much breeze at all. Bugs land on it even "flat out", all sizes and types, and then just stroll around! You don't know how annoying that is! The cheek of the little critters! If I put the wipers on they just hop over them if they see it coming! I need a really long fly swat!
Jason
It returned 12mpg with 150HP, but would not no way ho sey go above 50mph on the flat. I was under the impression aerodynamics don't really have much effect at that sort of speed, but it is a brick with a brick on the back
It now has a bit more power and will go faster, but 55mph is 10mpg at Euro fuel prices.The really annoying bit is the air pressure in front of the windscreen, there doesn't seem to be much breeze at all. Bugs land on it even "flat out", all sizes and types, and then just stroll around! You don't know how annoying that is! The cheek of the little critters! If I put the wipers on they just hop over them if they see it coming! I need a really long fly swat!
Jason
Overland Hadley
on a journey
Not to be nit-picky, but F1 cars like to run in clean air. NASCAR cars like to run in a group.
Saw one of these coming home today. Interesting idea not sure how it would work on the back of my 4WC.
http://www.atdynamics.com/
http://www.atdynamics.com/