Air Dams - People Always Asks Me

[JumboJet]

When other TCers see my air dam, they always ask if it does any good. I will let the pictures answer the questions.

Pictures were taken after returning from a 1,250 mile trip to the Texas Truck Camper Rally in Kerrville, TX. Speeds were 60-70 mph. Some night driving.

Nose and air dam:


Portion of air dam (luna moth):


Driver side under overhang:


Passenger side under overhang:


Does it help get better fuel mileage? I can't really say, but I am not trapping as much air on the front of the TC and the noise is reduced also.

[garbonz]

Oh no, I see a new project coming on Maybe with my Yakima bars and diamondplate aluminum I have lying around, and solar panel mounts.

I'm excited

[billyray50]

gbw wrote:
Total Dodge Ram thing. Confirmed with a few other buddies that have Rams. I'll get it once and a while too, without the camper. Sometimes the winds will get near 70-80km/hr near the the eastern slopes. One friend solved it by adding anther strip of weather stripping. I've also read about adjusting the door stop so the door closes a little tighter. Some guys have tried to bend the tops of the doors.

In a strong headwind, or slightly cross-wind driving, I can feel the top of the door pulse in and out. I bet the mirror catches part of the wind gusts as well and sort of lever the door out a tiny bit as well.

Must be a Dodge ram thing. My 2006 ram does the same thing. I have bent the door which helped unloaded but not with TC on.

[Reelescape1]

Tried to add a sig but error on the site....I'll retry later.

Yep, 2007 Dodge 2500 SB, CC, 2 WD, 5.9 CDT. 2011 Lance 855. The vinyl air dam practically eliminated that and the bug issue.

[gbw]

Total Dodge Ram thing. Confirmed with a few other buddies that have Rams. I'll get it once and a while too, without the camper. Sometimes the winds will get near 70-80km/hr near the the eastern slopes. One friend solved it by adding anther strip of weather stripping. I've also read about adjusting the door stop so the door closes a little tighter. Some guys have tried to bend the tops of the doors.

In a strong headwind, or slightly cross-wind driving, I can feel the top of the door pulse in and out. I bet the mirror catches part of the wind gusts as well and sort of lever the door out a tiny bit as well.

[pjay9]

Towpro, the camper moving an 1" up or down isn't going to do anything...I have had that expereince...the chin spoiler rather than air dam expresses its purpose better...got to let air thru to eliminate vacuum issue behind the spoiler which cause issue for dirt and drag...I appears it is not a fine line of how much air getting thru...it needs to get thru, rather than solid chin.

I wonder on some of the Lances I see thatthe plastic molded fronts have a shaped lower lip...I wonder if that was an attempt to do something in relation to what we are chatting about! (maybe someone with a good relationship with Lance can find out).

[Raften]

Air pressure can do strange things to a TC. My slide can get sucked out three or four inches if the pass thru is open and there is a strong side wind hitting the non slide side.

[towpro]

I have the 2006 quad cab. with some head winds coming at me at different angles, (affected by road speed as well), the wind noise sounds like the door might be open a little(or window not rolled all the way up). I have stuck my finger in the door/body gap at top of window frame and you can feel movement like something is trying to suck out the upper window frame.

I also have the camper sitting 1" up in the bed because of 5th wheel hitch rails. I was wondering if I remove the rails and lowered camper would it make a difference? I don't think so.
Mine seems to be the drives side. Its only got 60K miles on it so I don't think the door hinge is worn.

there have been reports of this noise in the past.
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/23147198/print/true.cfm

[JumboJet]

billtex wrote:
Well this is odd...all the reports of cross wind turbulence "kerfuffles" so far are Dodge owners.

What is it with Dodge cab design that may result in this?

Looks like all Dodge cab styles are represented as well...

Thoughts?

Bill

I have experienced the window issue since the 2004 Dodge 2500 I owned. Driving west on I-40 at 70 MPH in Oklahoma with a very strong wind hitting head-on out of the south or southwest creates a vacuum on the passenger window.

After driving for hours and hours in 108F facing that strong wind, we decided to stop for the night in El Reno, OK.

The window trouble wasn't near as bad as the fellow pulling a TT with his brand new Chevrolet that had overheated.

[billtex]

Well this is odd...all the reports of cross wind turbulence "kerfuffles" so far are Dodge owners.

What is it with Dodge cab design that may result in this?

Looks like all Dodge cab styles are represented as well...

Thoughts?

Bill

[pjay9]

I built "sleep's" design and it does work very well..no bugs as for milage..NO CLUE!! no data...not going to take it off to do long tern test. I want to make it stronger rather than gutter plastic parts...BUT the critical is the air flow thru it...got to have it, plus the angle does keep the side and back cleaner as well...when i stopped at sleepy's he showed me the dust built up on the sides, we adjusted mine and washed the truck drove home another 2800 miles and voila, clean sides!

Door wind issue...yes I have it too in a heavy cross wind. Really have not paid attention if it is better with dam, but since I am not noticing maybe it helped!!! The rebuild of the TC will have a new dam on it!

Jumbo, Many thx for the percentage of air gaps...that is a great help.

[billyg]

Hi My version of the air dam is an off the shelf bug deflector for a 1999 chevy suburban . It is made by "stampede truck accessories/bug shields" and comes in clear or smoke. It is mounted inverted with 6 or 7 screws. I have no noise or bugs on the pass through wall. I can't post pictures because I don't know how to. Sorry! The stock deflector was too tall so I just sanded it to size. Bill

[jmckelvy]

billtex wrote:
hmmm...is this a Dodge (Ram) thing? So far that seems to be common.

Any others?.....

ll

Yes, mine will do it also. I did discover removing the front bug deflector helped quite a bit. It got removed by accident (closing truck hood) via not surviving -18 F last Nov.

Seriously thinking about doing an air dam.

[billtex]

hmmm...is this a Dodge (Ram) thing? So far that seems to be common.

Any others?


p.s. Sig is there...see above post. ("Quick" post = no sig.reel had no "Profile" info either= no way to determine his rig...)

Tx, Bill

[Ski_Pro_3]

I have that happen; top of driver's door starts 'flapping' with a strong wind. It's not enough to break the gasket seals, but I can see the door moving compared to the windshield pillar arm. Only happens when the camper is on and there's a strong wind.

My truck is in my sig line. Where's yours Bill?