The quest for MPG - new aero bumper for the T100

[Blackbird]

I'd love to show you how it looks like but I cannot figure out how to upload images to the TN server (if it's even possible).

Anyways, I basically built a complete bolt-on piece that replaces the bottom half of the front bumper with a new, deep, smooth piece.

Moti

[BamZipPow]

Can't wait to see it. You can git a free Photobucket account and upload to there. It will list the img links under the piccies. Just click and paste those here.

[Blackbird]

Finally got them loaded .

So, starting with unbolting the bottom piece off, a pretty easy task -



Then, cutting the PVC sheet to desired height, I went with 14" height at the center which gives an approximate 8" of ground clearance.
It's the same as our Prius.

The flange for the sides was folded with a heat gun on a steel stud -





With both side flanges folded, I drilled hole in the flanges using the original piece as a template.
Drilling from the center out, I started hanging the new bumper on the truck using the original fasteners -



Sides were trimmed to length at the wheel wells -



I used aluminum U channel and bar for bracketry, all riveted together and bolted to the frame.
Side arm -



Center support -



Final product -



Moti

[BamZipPow]

Looks great! Now you just need an adjustable grill block...

Have you thought about enclosing the bottom of the air dam? Going by this article you could probably attach something similar to their splitter that would enclose the bottom of the air dam and be effective. There are other articles on there that might be of interest...

[Blackbird]

I thought about a lot of different things and this is just the first stage of my project.
I'll continue as time permits .

Moti

[BamZipPow]

How much did you spend on yer supplies and where did you git them from? What's the total cost fer the front dam so far?

[BamZipPow]

I just picked up a roll of 14" x 10' aluminum flashing from Home Depot. Gonna give this a try but I'm gonna put it over the existing air dam...

[Blackbird]

Just make sure it doesn't flex too much at speed.
My cost was about $35-40 total.

BTW, though I have yet to verify th numbers at the pump, I can already report an improvement in gas mileage because I know where the fuel gauge needle is at what mileage and it definitely moves slower this time.

Moti

[BamZipPow]

Just had a crazy idea...I hate to throw things out.

Drop the original air dam 6" lower and fill in the space with something. I have to leave the middle open fer my transmission cooler but I'm thinking of putting a sliding door on there so I can open it when I need the cooling and close it when I don't...

I've moved the front license plate up on the bumper so I'll have enough room to work with fer the opening on the cooler. I thought about making the plate the door but I didn't want to take the chance of it falling off and gitting a ticket at the wrong time...

Costs so far fer the 1/4-20 12" thread all, 10 nuts, 3 packages of 4 T-nuts, 20 1/4" cut washers, and a 5' section of stiff poly tubing was $13. I still have to do the cover and the door. Will git piccies up when I git them all worked out...

[BamZipPow]

Here's a quick mockup of the dropped air dam:


That drop is about 6". The original air dam is about 5-6". That leaves about a 8" clearance to the ground or other objects like curbs, dips, speed bumps, and parking stops. I'll probably put a splitter on the bottom to break up the air and provide some sort of initial belly pan fer the engine bay.

[BamZipPow]

Ended up going with a 5" drop instead because the thread all was 12"...cut in two left about 6"...and I needed something to thread on to the nuts.



I still have to build a suitable skin to go in the gap. The gap skin will allow me to access things without tearing the complete air dam off.

[BamZipPow]

Well...I'm finally done...fer now. It didn't help that the bumper is all askew from being a former work truck. Body damage isn't a big thing to me fer this truck as it was cheap.

I did my coroplast with the ribs up and down specifically fer the bending. I found out that the best way to heat up the coroplast is on the outside of the bend. That way the plastic stretches to fit the bend. Make sure you hold it in it's shape until it cools.

I still have to make a cutout and door system fer the transmission cooler I mounted in the middle. Might have to put some metal grid screen on there so it doesn't take any rock hits to take it out. That wouldn't be a good thing on the road to find out you've got a leak.

Right side

Front view

Left side

Right corner

Left corner


I still have more tweaking to do. I can always add a lower drop just by screwing it into the lower part of the air dam the times I travel on the highway and not have to worry about parking or speed bumps.

I'll probably eventually remove the coroplast and go with some FRP panels as they are cheaper than coroplast and thinner (.09).

[BamZipPow]

Fergot to add a few piccies.

I flattened out the T-nuts so it would pull up on the original air dam...




Also with the gap covered up with white coroplast...I might be able to add some LED lights behind it and make it as a parking light or part of my turn signals!

[BamZipPow]

Made an adjustable grill block to go with the new air dam. Made them from coroplast as I had scraps left over from the sheet of coroplast.

The idea is to have an adjustable grill block so when you need more or less air traveling through yer grill...you can adjust that from the inside of the truck.

First I built the slats fer the top and second row in the grill. I thought about making one fer the bottom slot but figured that I would still need that regardless of what the temp was. That may change in the future.

I made the slats 2" deep and made notches in the back to accomodate the grill supports. I have them taped in place with some clear packing tape but I'll move to something more permanent once I git my other supplies figured out. Fer now, I'm gonna tape them in the open mode while I'm trotting around town. As I go fer the long drive, I'll tape the top row in the closed mode fer the day and then the 2nd row will git taped down fer the night drive.

Here's the first row with the tapered edge in prototype white!


2nd row added


I painted them black so they wouldn't be as prominent. With the coroplast in the horizontal (open) mode, it blends in nicely with the grill and it's barely noticeable.


Both rows closed


Both rows open


Top view

Side view

[BamZipPow]

So I decided to add another piece of coroplast and drop the clearance to about 1" from the ground now. I'll have to be extra careful around parking curbs and the like. But if it gits crunched up a bit...I can easily pull it off and replace it.