Making the XJ more Aerodynamic!!

[rav]

Now, we all know our venerable XJ's are as aerodynamic as a house, but i was glancing gassavers.org and came across some cool ways to reduce the drag like using air tabs as VG's (www.airtab.com ), the only problem being with the way the rear hatch is designed, it would be hard to put the tabs on the sides. I already have a Lund deflector on the rear so putting tabs on the roof is not an option.

Just wanted to see opinions about making the jeep more aerodynamic, anybody here experiment with a bigger air dam?

Any inputs will be appreciated as always.

ravi

 

[98XJROKS]

Maybe it would keep the tires on the rocks and you could get rid of the lockers? Or maybe a hood scoop? Jk.....on a serious note, nah don't do it.

 

[bjoehandley]

Why does the phrase "sucker bait" come to mind here................................

I'm also guessing the mileage improvements would be for the people behind the equiped vehicle.

 

[wolfpackjeeper]

good luck with that, the only way to make an xj aerodynamic would require a lot of sheep metal and fiberglass, and then it would just look stupid

 

[nick86]

How in the hell do think your going to make a brick cut thru the air?

 

[rav]

How in the hell do think your going to make a brick cut thru the air?

That is why i asked for ideas to help it get slightly better. Just want to reduce some drag.

 

[BBeach]

If you've got the factory roof rack and dont use it, then you could remove it. Not much else you can do.

 

[alex22]

It would take a "body kit" resembeling the front of the old dodge daytona to start to improve aerodynamics.

~Alex

 

[1bolt]

There's a guy writen about on Gassavers that made a Toyota Tacoma get 32MPG say what you will about the 22RE but it's no gas sipper, it's a great engine but my old pre-taco got 22MPG on a good day of pure freeway driving. Another Taco in my familly get's 20-21 MPG daily driving.

The MPG savings was almost pure aero improvements. Some of you might be surprised how much a brick can be improved... To start with the underside is a huge aero drag, smoothly blocking some of the radiator openings and a front air dam would do some good.

That said there's no arguing that what you'll end up with will draw giggles and pointing, and various assaults on your manhood. And will not be off road worthy, which is the primary point of owning a Jeep.

 

[Dr. Dyno]

good luck with that, the only way to make an xj aerodynamic would require a lot of sheep metal....

Baa.

 

[rav]

Baa.

Dr Dyno, you should have a better answer for me than that!!:dunno:

 

[westvirginia24976]

Sheep metal Rav. SHEEP! That wasn't meant for you.

 

[1bolt]

sheep metal, you know the new heavy metal sub genre? darker and more disturbing than death metal...

 

[rav]

Sheep metal Rav. SHEEP! That wasn't meant for you.

LOL!! I know, I was just taunting him as Dino is a Jeep Guru!!! and I am his follower!!

 

[wolfpackjeeper]

eh, thats what I get for drinking and surfing at the same time, baaaaahhhhh

 

[DirtyMJ]

The SCCA guys ran air dams, or at least a few of them did...

http://mwphoto-misc.smugmug.com/gallery/2606062#137471849-A-LB

However, it might not have been to improve aerodynamics, but more to prevent front end lift-off? I am not sure, I have little information on the old SCCA race trucks.

 

[jeepnuts311]

i knew a guy who put a ton of those air tabs on his Ram 3500 with a cummins. He put them on the sides of the bed and on the roof. He also didnt bother with a tonneau cover (probly best improvement for a p/u)...all it did was make people ask why? They really didnt help, they were pretty lame looking, IMHO.

-Tim

 

[BBeach]

Doesnt the mitsubishi evo MR have something like this?

http://forums.evolutionm.net/printthread.php?t=105644

 

[DirtyMJ]

Those are vortex generators. They're not too common on cars. Mostly because they don't work on a lot of applications. However, on airplanes they're pretty common, especially with STOL applications.

The prevent boundary layer seperation at a higher angle of attack by inducing a disturbance into the air flow. I don't know much about fluid dynamics, but I know they do work because I've seen their affects on planes. They'll work on that mitsu because the angle of the back window is great enough to warrant them, but not too great for them to be inneffective.

These tabs are a similar idea... But they ain't gonna work on the abrupt end of an XJ. Or on the end of a trailer... Between a cab and trailer I could see them possibly working.