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Translucidus Profile
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X-TRAIL LEGEND
 


Date Registered: 05-2010
Location: Adelaide
TOTAL POSTS: 599
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Front Wheel Air Dams


I've improved the Fuel Consumption on my T31 X-Trail in L/100Kms by a value of about 1 ie from say 9L/100Kms to 8L/100Kms (on the same trip, several times, before and after fitting, from Adelaide to Port Augusta) by fitting small "Air Dams" in front of the front wheels.

The improvement generally can be from 5% to 10% depending on conditions.

These basically are attached to the front wheel well lining at the front and extend down about 65mm - shaped to match the cars general profile.

This is a well proven method of improving the aerodynamics, particularly at higher speeds; you see them on most cars now and they work by:

1/- Preventing some air from entering the wheel well, where there is much turbulance (The lower below the centre line of the wheel the better). Also prevents some air from flowing under the car in the area of the suspension parts etc that can cause a lot of drag.

The X-Trail already has small air dams in front of each rear wheel to tidy up airflow there. I have matched these front ones to the lower front profile of the car so as to blend in styling wise; at the same time being quite functional.


2/- Reducing DRAG by reducing the virtual frontal area somewhat (because some air is not being spread out to the sides by the wheels).

They also stop some water spraying forward then back onto windscreen when going through puddles.

They also improve stability in sidewinds.

They don't affect entry angle much at all so no worries there.

Overall Appearance:
Image

Image

Left Side Closeup:
Image

View of Fasteners (from Holden; their generic larger plastic fasteners as on VN/VT/VY's etc)
Drill an 8mm (could be 10mm, experiment) hole and press in bolt to secure - easy.
Image

Template - View for RHS shown - reverse for LH Side.
Mounting hole locations are shown and the line of the underside of car also.
NB The bottom of the plastic is shown at the top of this picture:

Image

Material used is 1.5mm black hobby plastic from a plastics shop - smooth one side and mottled the other and of a material that can be softened and thereby shaped, with a heat gun.

The only shaping was after mounting, to better mold to the shapes of the wheel well (you can see this in the close up of the fasteners etc by moulding to the shape of the wheel well the gap at the top that could collect mud/stones is closed up); not so much the general curve, although heating does take some stress out of the plastic. When it has cooled it goes back to being strong but in the new shape.

Enjoy emoticon







Last edited by Translucidus, 15/Jul/2010, 2:45 pm


---
2007 X-Trail T31 ST-L

Xy going vertical at Bendleby Station . . .

15/Jul/2010, 1:22 pm Link to this post Send Email PM   Send Private Message
 
Mr Xtrail Profile
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X-TRAIL FANATIC
 


Date Registered: 12-2008
Location: Sydney
TOTAL POSTS: 394
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Re: Front Wheel Air Dams


These front mud flaps were standard on my diesel T31.
The standard ones are alot smaller though - Ill try and get a pic

---
2008 T31 TL DCI 6 Speed Manual X-Trail (x-1083)
with JAOS Strut Bar, K&N filter, Mats, Rubber Boot Liner, Tints, Cargo Barrier, Towbar, glove box light, dashmat, Geo ATS 225/60/17 & now with babyseat

19/Jul/2010, 4:48 pm Link to this post Send Email PM   Send Private Message
 
cooch t31 Profile
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X-TRAIL HOLIC
 


Date Registered: 06-2008
Location: Blue Mountains, NSW
TOTAL POSTS: 5966
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Re: Front Wheel Air Dams


Thats right, the diesel comes standard with them, front and back. The petrol models only come with them on the back.

As Samuel said, they are much smaller though.

---
Tony X-891c

HERE is my D22 Navara
HERE is my old 2008 T31, ST Series1

19/Jul/2010, 5:40 pm Link to this post Send Private Message
 
Translucidus Profile
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X-TRAIL LEGEND
 


Date Registered: 05-2010
Location: Adelaide
TOTAL POSTS: 599
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Re: Front Wheel Air Dams


That's interestng that they are on the Deisel.

It might be easier to buy the Nissan one's than make your own; and they might look better.

They weren't available when I asked some months ago but if they can be bought at Nissan Dealer Parts that could be the go.

If they are small though (on the deisel) they are perhaps cut back in size so as to never hit on anything rather than improve the aerodynamics to the max.

I get offroad a bit and have never hit them on anything and you can see they match the undercar profile anyway (set back close to wheel and no lower than the other plastic bits).

Many cars seem to have the minimum size - high performance cars seem to have larger ones for obvious maximum drag and "lift reduction" (lift caused by air flow at front or back) reasons.

---
2007 X-Trail T31 ST-L

Xy going vertical at Bendleby Station . . .

19/Jul/2010, 10:25 pm Link to this post Send Email PM   Send Private Message
 
cooch t31 Profile
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X-TRAIL HOLIC
 


Date Registered: 06-2008
Location: Blue Mountains, NSW
TOTAL POSTS: 5966
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Re: Front Wheel Air Dams


I think that the front ones are part of the black arch mould that runs around the underside of the fender.
Either that or its part of the underside splash guard that runs from the front bumper to the front of the wheel on either corner.
They are tiny though, only around 100mm long x 50mm high.

Tony

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Tony X-891c

HERE is my D22 Navara
HERE is my old 2008 T31, ST Series1

20/Jul/2010, 5:35 am Link to this post Send Private Message
 
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X-TRAIL HOLIC
 


Date Registered: 01-2009
TOTAL POSTS: 1384
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Re: Front Wheel Air Dams


I'll have a look tonight and see if they are on Phillipa's exy, if they are they don't stop the water going forward....

---
Alan & Phillipa
2008 X-Trail TL White Diamond
Plumpton NSW
Our Mods
X-1112 (C)

20/Jul/2010, 12:14 pm Link to this post Send Email PM   Send Private Message
 
Translucidus Profile
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X-TRAIL LEGEND
 


Date Registered: 05-2010
Location: Adelaide
TOTAL POSTS: 599
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Re: Front Wheel Air Dams


Photo would be worth a thousand words.

Given the car is so high, some water will always splash forward - my airdams (they aren't mud flaps) do minimise this enough to be worthwhile.

This is not why you would put them on though; their purpose is mainly aerodynamic and the benefits there are tangible:

Reduce front aerodynamic lift at higher speeds.
Reduce drag and therefore reduce fuel consumption especially whilst cruising over 80Km/h (worthwhile in my experience).
Can make car quieter (less turbulant air flow under car) - no big deal on Exy.
Reduce influence of side winds.
Are not on most Exys so far and the fact they are appearing on some models show Nissan have felt they are worth the extra $2 X 100,000+ vehicles reduction of their profit.
Look good if done right.

Last edited by Translucidus, 20/Jul/2010, 1:48 pm


---
2007 X-Trail T31 ST-L

Xy going vertical at Bendleby Station . . .

20/Jul/2010, 1:43 pm Link to this post Send Email PM   Send Private Message
 
cooch t31 Profile
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X-TRAIL HOLIC
 


Date Registered: 06-2008
Location: Blue Mountains, NSW
TOTAL POSTS: 5966
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Re: Front Wheel Air Dams


The 2 on the rear of my Xy have broken off due to the Aussie bush. I can't really see why the bothered on the X Trail, for the size that they are they are just there for looks IMO.

---
Tony X-891c

HERE is my D22 Navara
HERE is my old 2008 T31, ST Series1

21/Jul/2010, 6:48 am Link to this post Send Private Message
 
Translucidus Profile
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X-TRAIL LEGEND
 


Date Registered: 05-2010
Location: Adelaide
TOTAL POSTS: 599
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Re: Front Wheel Air Dams


quote:

cooch t31 wrote:
. . . for the size that they are they are just there for looks IMO.



Actually even that size would lead to a drag coefficient reduction of about .02Cfd per rear wheel.

Manufacturers have spent a lot of wind tunnel time and money getting the Cfd (Drag Coefficient) down around 0.3 to 0.34 for most cars these days (cf .5 or more for 70's and 80's cars). eg new camry is about .28Cfd !!!

The payoff is a quieter car and one that uses less fuel and the other benefits I have mentioned previously.

The visible areas of cars have received styling and aero treatment up to now, and now it is underbody smoothing and refinement (such as wheel air dams) where the improvements can now be had.

It's a pity yours broke off; doesn't matter if you don't cruise fast (80km/h plus) though.

---
2007 X-Trail T31 ST-L

Xy going vertical at Bendleby Station . . .

21/Jul/2010, 2:02 pm Link to this post Send Email PM   Send Private Message
 
Translucidus Profile
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X-TRAIL LEGEND
 


Date Registered: 05-2010
Location: Adelaide
TOTAL POSTS: 599
Reply | QUOTE
Re: Front Wheel Air Dams


I've recently acquired a front bash plate (Second hand but originally this Forum's import) at ebay and I can report that, together with the front air dams, my fuel economy is even more improved - undoubtably due to the smoothing by the bash plate of the under side (and hence the air flow) under the engine.

They seem to be a great combination IMHO.

I routinely get 7.5 to 9 L/100kms on the highway; and around town am currently sitting on 8.9L/100kms.

That's all driving smoothly and conservatively, but not slowly.

Last edited by Translucidus, 11/Sep/2010, 10:07 pm


---
2007 X-Trail T31 ST-L

Xy going vertical at Bendleby Station . . .

11/Sep/2010, 10:03 pm Link to this post Send Email PM   Send Private Message
 


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