is front air dam necessary?

[rbattelle]

If they didn't serve a purpose, NASCAR wouldn't use them and put them as close to the ground as posable. These guys have spent millions on wind tunnel test. The function is to create a vacumm that sucks the body of the vehicle down.

I argue that this dam doesn't have enough effect in terms of underbody vacuum to impact the vehicle's ability to remain properly contacting the ground. I don't have any test data to back that up. I'd also argue that the little air dam provides exactly 0 additional safety margin within the range of speeds the vehicle is capable of.



NASCAR cars also use large rear spoilers for downforce and sit within an inch or so of the ground. Does that mean we should all be strapping on lowering kits and running ricer wings? I don't care how much wind tunnel testing they've done - a NASCAR race car has very little to do with a commercially-available heavy duty truck, and not only in terms of physical appearance and aerodynamics, but more importantly because the design points are polar opposites!



-Ryan

[I don't mean to sound condescending... don't take this post that way, I'm just being practical]

 

[Hercules130]

i don't know how much a new one cost, but i can put that money towards something else. now what to do about that plastic license plate mount. it cracked the same time i kissed the snow bank.

 

[RobertP]

i took mine off and still have it. if anyone wants to pick it up i live in crofton maryland, and work in clarksville, so i can meet someone if the are close.

 

[kschaap]

Airdam

My airdam was cut off by the folks who installed my Western Pro Plow. I second your notion that it made absolutely no difference in the heating or cooling of my '03 truck. I may live in the north country up here, but it gets plenty hot in summer. When driving with the plow on it blocks the airflow through the radiator. In the dead of winter the engine gets much hotter that way than it ever does in the summer, but still nothing to worry about it seems.



PS: Can you post a pic of your airdam you wanna get ridof?

 

[BColburn]

It's there to help keep the air going around the vehicle instead of under it. It's better for the air to go over and around, than under where it causes aditional drag.

 

[JOblenes]

Take a look at PW

Whatever its use, the power wagon does not have it. No doubt because it would get torn off by offroading, but it obviously does not affect aerodynamics/cooling/handling enough for DC to insist it be there.



Jonathan

 

[JStraw]

I argue that this dam doesn't have enough effect in terms of underbody vacuum to impact the vehicle's ability to remain properly contacting the ground. I don't have any test data to back that up.

:-laf Come on now... you have no test data while NASCAR and the MOCO's do and you don't believe. Maybe the sky is green afterall

a NASCAR race car has very little to do with a commercially-available heavy duty truck, and not only in terms of physical appearance and aerodynamics, but more importantly because the design points are polar opposites!

If it wasn't for the amount of testing that Nascar does we may still be riding in model T's. Their testing and fabrication of many parts has made it's way into every day vehicles. And I believe Nascar has a truck series now too. In the overseas arena there are true heavy duty truck races. Not that an 18 wheeler worry's about aerodynamics as any wreck at any speed causes serious damage. But rig design has changed over the years towards aerodynamics.



Whats a polar opposite

[I don't mean to sound condescending... don't take this post that way, I'm just being practical]

Thanks

 

[Turbo1Ton]

If it wasn't for the amount of testing that Nascar does we may still be riding in model T's.

Come on now, I know what you mean but NASCAR was like 15 years later. At least make it something cooler like a fat fender Willy's!



Edit - BTW, it is amazing what random stuff you can come up with while sitting in a hotel room in Korea!

 

[Glen]

mine was removed by a snow bank 14 months ago. I can't tell that it's missing.

 

[2broke2smoke]

OH NO!!!!



quick somebody post a new topic so that all the guys with ranch hand / aftermarket bumpers can figure out how to put the air dam back on their new bumpers ...



that should cure all the over heating and wind force disasters!!!

 

[Diesel Power]

i took mine off and still have it. if anyone wants to pick it up i live in crofton maryland, and work in clarksville, so i can meet someone if the are close.

i live close to you and will pick it up!! you have a pm. thanks :-laf

 

[rbattelle]

JStraw - we'll agree to disagree.



-Ryan

 

[JStraw]

Come on now, I know what you mean but NASCAR was like 15 years later. At least make it something cooler like a fat fender Willy's!



Edit - BTW, it is amazing what random stuff you can come up with while sitting in a hotel room in Korea!

O. K... . O. K. , A fat fendered willey's it is :-laf

 

[JStraw]

OH NO!!!!



quick somebody post a new topic so that all the guys with ranch hand / aftermarket bumpers can figure out how to put the air dam back on their new bumpers ...



that should cure all the over heating and wind force disasters!!!

Are you trying to take all the fun out of this thread

 

[JStraw]

JStraw - we'll agree to disagree.



-Ryan

Hey,

I just did two test, one with the dam, and one without. The dam at high speed makes a noticable difference. This is a direct quote from the neighbor kid I had strapped underneath my truck.

 

[midlife crisis]

Well that settles it... . next time in the pits, I'm having Slugger throw in a round of wedge, 2 turns on the track bar, some tape to the grill, and put the necessary air dam back on.

 

[TRLRTRSH]

Guys, Just got back on after moving from Baja Mexico back to the states.

This situation presented itself last summer as we were traveling north in hot temps, 110+ in the southwest desert. The better half had broken the air dam off the truck earlier in the winter and could not replace it until we returned to the states. Out of curiosity I ask the same question then and had the same results, some say no difference in temps, well the pictures tell the difference.

Not a major temp difference but enough that I purchased a new air dam when we arrived in Prescott Valley AZ.



BajaBill