windshield airflow

[lunarhighway]

cool



i still haven't gotten round to building something similar but i recently came across this article

http://www.autospeed.com/cms/A_2445/article.html

FE improvements seem limited but than again they did tested it on an old prius... the wipers do have their own pocket... mine just sit there facing the airflow.

i use flatblades now... a bit pricy and average wipe quality, wich might be due to the standard arms not delivering adequate pressure, but the rubber is durable and they look much more aerodynamic when not in use, also they do actually wipe better the faster you go.

still the whole setup is an aerodynamic mess so if i can find some good material i'll try to make something like basjoos did. i think i can get away with a fairly small gap between the windshield and the fairings.... i justy have a hard time finding good stuff to make it from.

btw basjoos what are the vertical strips at the edges of your windshield? are they to prevent water from going over the edge onto the sidewindows? some newer cars seem to have windshields that are resessed quite a bit is this something similar?

[dosco]

Why don't you give the VGs a shot?

This is the "Experiments" forums, right?

[GasSavers_RoadWarrior]

I've always thought front window air deflectors may be a help for this because well designed ones make more of a radius with the A pillar and allow clean edge separation, so the flow can shed cleanly, then maybe reattach cleanly further back. Another thought would be to try a type of slat there, a director vane type thing. I used to think also that those windshield shades looked like draggy pieces of crap, but have been wondering if the ones that are slotted at the back end, might actually help steep angled screens turn the air at the top better and stick it to the top of the cab rather than it trying to carry on another foot or two and make a big vortex.

[Minicity]

On the topic of air moving around the A pillars, I have often wondered, and may possibly try this if no one else has, about the use of slats. STOL aircraft have used fwd wing slats to keep laminar flow over the wings at high angle of attack. Would the same be possible attached to the A pillar? or would it just be a source for added drag without any benifit?

[GasSavers_RoadWarrior]

yes, that's basically what I was meaning, didn't want to call it a "slat" per se though since I perceived a slight difference in how it would work.

[Minicity]

The other side to putting actual slats on the A pillar is that the would be subjected to a good amount of wind stress as the air would be traveling behind them as well. They would need to be fastened securely.

Anyone not sure of what wing slats are......
http://www.zenithair.com/stolch701/7-design-wing.html

[GasSavers_RoadWarrior]

Yeah, don't think it's a job for double sided tape. First you've gotta have a thin and rigid slat... difficult... unless you carve them from old skis or something... or a good hardwood maybe... or bend them from aluminum sheet... then you've pretty much gotta drill and tap holes in your A pillar to fix them good... or use an epoxy mount.. not real good for fine tuning position. Maybe could drill into the back of the A pillar, and have a "round the corner" mounting bracket...

[Minicity]

I had thought of making them from either 18 guage steel and welding it or rivited aluminium. Basically making a mini wing with airfoils and a spare which then be attached to a top and bottom base. Your right, it would have to be attached to the pillars by screws, welding, etc. The attachment points at the spar ends could allow for some movement to adjust as needed until an optimum point was reached.

[paladin_omega]

Originally Posted by cfg83

zpiloto -



Would this be a situation where a "hood lift" would help, i.e. where spacers lift the rear of the hood up? If 6 inches is too high for you, you could compromise between lift and style, and reduce the drag of the wipers. But I think you would need to fill in the triangular gap that is created on each side between the fenders and the hood.

CarloSW2

I've though about doing this after seeing Steve Soto's civic in a Honda tunning magazine. It hides the wipers nicely and the gap it creates could be filled with something.

http://www.hondatuningmagazine.com/f...ack/index.html