So I have been wanting to add a front air dam to my E250 to see if it will help my MPG. Finally decided it was time. I had a bunch of scrap stuff left over from other projects, so I started mocking stuff up.
There are already holes on the underside of the bumper to put bolt through, but I had to figure out how I would attach it.


I ended up fashioning a few brackets with a combination of some 90* shelving type brackets and perforated angle. Each one is held in place by 2 5/16" bolts.


I then attached the brackets to a piece of plywood that I cut to simulate the front part of the air dam.


Attached it to the van to get an idea of how it will look. I am still working on pieces for the corners so it follows the contour of the bumper.



So far so good. Hoping to have the mock up all done tomorrow, then I can use it as a model for the actual unit. Still debating on what hardware to use on the final piece. Stainless will be used to bolt the dam to the brackets, but I am not sure about attaching it to the bumper. Stainless won't rust, but it isn't exceptionally strong. A hardened bolt could work, but it could rust and I know hardened fasteners (class 8) can shear with sideways force while regular fasteners (class 5) will bend instead. Also wondering if 5/16" is strong enough or if I should go bigger. What do you think?

 

I'd think that stainless will do you just fine unless you plan to start ramming into cars with it.

 

You'll need to post up some mpg results now with this, see if you did see improvement!


I might have to do one on my club wagon as well, gives me more surface area to add more chrome and lights

 

If I was really smart I would have waited for a couple of tanks with the new IP for a before and after comparison..........but then I never claimed to be the sharpest tool in the shed. I could always pull it off for a tank or two and since it will be made out of my left overs from other projects it really only costs me some time.

So how did the new Club Wagon do on the road trip? Did the overdrive make a noticeable difference?

 

Go check out my old thread I brought back up for info on that

 

Nice results!! Getting over 20mpg out of a 3/4 ton barn on wheels is pretty sweet!!

 

I would (wood?) have thought that would hurt mileage rather then help? I see it as pushing against air that would have normally just passed under van.

 

Seems like it, but from the reading I have been doing it says it could help. I basically have the bottom of it even with the bottom of the rear differential case. "In Theory" it takes less energy to move the air out of the way with the air dam than it does to over come the drag/turbulence of the air catching on the uneven surface under the van......but we will see. I am thinking of adjusting the brackets a little to give it a slight taper from the middle to the outside edge.

 

Working on the air dam some more.


Got the corner pieces attached so it contours with the bumper


Then since I was sealing up some of the guttering that had rotted away with caulk (supposedly it dries clear)


I went ahead and filled in the joints on the air dam


Next step, after the caulk dries, will be to paint the air dam with some left over black paint I have. Then I will test it for a few weeks to see if it helps and maybe make some more design tweaks. If it helps then I will make a more finished/non-wood one.

 

Will it effect engine cooling?

 

It should create more of a vacuum underneath the van that would facilitate more air being pulled through the radiator and over the engine.

 

when you make the front dam even with the lower most part of the undercarriage then all your doing is placing the same "wall" up front cleanly.so your pushing the same wall.
the advantage you get is the air is pushed to the sides where it can then flow more free along the side of the vehicle.

adding one of these,you can feel the vehicle roll down the road more freely like you installed a little bit higher gear ratio in the rear axle is the best way i can describe it.
another nice advantage is reduced road noise too.

i frigged mine up,in that i used to have a low air dam and it helped but when i installed dual underbody boxes i never cleaned up (filled) the holes between the boxes and it just then seemed as if it was just as restrictive as if i left the air just go under the truck again instead.sure enough once i took it back off with the quad tool boxes,i didn't notice a drop in economy.

so then i just installed a more stylish type rather than nothing.
since then,i also installed my aux trans and oil coolers down under there as well so i can never run a low air dam anymore,unless i fit up grill in the center to allow to hit my coolers,but id need to clean up the massive wheel well holes between my tool boxes first or not worth it.my problem is that the front boxes remain,where the rear i had to mount to the bed and they dump,so i need to actually work at building a frame and then the air reflective material.either the big rig plastic stuff you see under the trailers,or just some diamond plate to match boxes.


iv no doubt,you'll notice a nice gain Jay.

 

Threw a coat of flat black on it. You can see from the pics that its not quite dry yet. Going to have to take it off to reach the edges and the back.

 

So..... did it help MPG? Any overheating issues with your tranny or Aux OD? I've been looking for a touring package in junk yards here in California (they actually appear more often than you'd think), but the half dozen I've found ended up being damaged in some way.

They are out there somewhere...

 

Unfortunately I never got a chance to do much of a before and after road test. I put is on before the OD and then took it off for the winter.

I can say with about 85% certainty that it did not hurt my mileage. The only road trip I made with it so far was in the early spring and it was about 8 hours south one way. Had it on for the 8 hrs down and off for the 8 hours back. Mileage was within .25 mpg of each other. Issue was that we were still on winter fuel up north and they were on summer fuel down south already. I know this because when I got back my fuel gelled from sitting in freezing temps for a couple of days when I got back. I was juat in my shop the other day looking at it and making plans to skin it with some scrap sheetmetal I have left over so I can reinstall here pretty soon.

As far as overhearing, I did not notice any issues. Temps seemed to run about the same. In theory it should aid some in cooling since it will create more negative pressure under the van and help direct more air over the radiator and through the engine compartment. Sort of like when the fan kicks in at hwy speeds.....it directs the air even though it can't move it faster then than the XXmph that you are already going.

The plan is to have it back on in the next few weeks, but not sure of any real road trips. ......maybe it will be a good excuse for one.