Hey guys we just built this new 19" front bumper with a 5" rubber skirt. This big bumper has already improved our gas mileage around town 1/2 to 1 mpg. I'm not sure why but I'm guessing from air getting under the truck and causing drag. What do you guys think?

 

The old bumper

 

That looks good. Yes that bumper will help MPG's. I added a 6 inch air dam below my '88 E250's bumper and saw a slight improvement in MPG's plus the van was more stable at highway speeds on windy days. I may go ahead and look at ways to make a bigger(lower) one now.

 

We can make more if someone is interested.
Sales@lowandmean.com
928-255-0230
LM

 

neat, looks good with black wheels and with the wide stance on a cube van, but i'm guessin it would look pretty strange on a single rear wheel van. Have you done one yet?

 

Your name wouldn't happen to be Mad Max would it?

 

The side skirts likely have as much to do with MPG improvements as the front air dam does. Now you need to make a tail section to minimize rear drag.

 

Absolutely makes sense. the underside of most vehicles are far from smooth, if the air is passed over the top/sides then it reduces the drag and improves performance in a few ways.

 

Looks great, nice work! A lot of 18 wheeler's are using the side skirts on their trailers to improve MPG and stability. Air dam has to be a good help too. I think you'll see your highway mpg increase a higher % than what you've seen in town. Mike

 

I don't know. I don't really care for the way it looks. I don't care if someone else does that, but I wouldn't do that to a van or anything else. I doubt the 1MPG would result in enough savings to justify the cost.

 

Well yeah, look at NASCAR cars; underbody turbulence on vans and trucks is pretty bad (no smooth belly pan here) so I'm sure it would help measurably to run a low skirt like that on the front. There was a guy on some forum that got his Ford Explorer up to 30 mpg using a low skirt like that in front. But here in Michigan, I'd be plowing a lot of snow in the winter with that, and scraping it on steep driveways.

Yours looks pretty cool, though, especially considering the business connection. Low and Mean indeed!
George

 

Suspect the Break Even Point might be way out there. Even for interstate cruisers. Would think speeds under 60 MPH see aerodynamic benefits drop off sharply.

What I frequently encounter driving also suggests a short life due to inevitable road bed collisions. Would give the even lower 'skirt' under the door less than a week on my rounds. And that's IF the truck was parked out on the road & I walked the last 1/2 mile. No way on Earth that would make it on my jungle driveway. Afraid the big old trees put down roots that are Lower & Meaner.

Guessing vehicle has Low Rider air suspension?


Am curious IF extensive dam & skirts help or hinder air flow thru radiator & tunnel?

Doubt the spikes on front hubs would pass any state inspection?

Always liked being able to slide under an Econoline. Took running boards off Club Wagon the day after I got it, b/c I had to jack it up, to get under, to inspect exhaust problem.

 

As part of the company image the dam/skirt work well.
As to the real world I do hope that 5" skirt is enough.

 

[quote=Club Wagon;10985166]
Am curious IF extensive dam & skirts help or hinder air flow thru radiator & tunnel?
quote]

The air dam and skirts would keep air out from under the vehicle creating a low pressure area. The air passing through the radiator will have an easier time to exit the engine compartment by exhausting into this low pressure area. More air through the radiator results in a cooler running engine.

 

Airdams work.
A simple example is NASCAR.