- Joined
- Oct 12, 2016
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- Location
- Westchester, NY
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- JLU Sahara
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- #1
Airfoils, air dams, you know those things that sit at the front of roof racks (things us Wrangler owners are famous for adding on), like this shot from the awesome Gobi rack for the JL
Ok: stupid question...what are they really for? The air foils that is. Less noise, keeping the rack forced down on the rooftop, less wind resistance (i.e. better MPG), looks and appearance, all the above, more, none?
I asked because I made one out of wood for my DIY roof rack https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/diy-no-hole-roof-rails.10580/#post-317925 (not a shameless plug.)
It looks like this.
I used a table saw with its blade at an angle to cut the bottom end of the board, thinking this was "the thing" to do (as if I know much about aerodynamics).
It its current form air can flow under it. Is this a bad thing (I want to guess it might be). Should I lower it and angle it so air can't flow under it?
Does it even make a difference and should I just remove it?
(BTW: additional cross members to that shown temporarily go on top for things to attach on to, e.g. large cargo boxes, etc. as needed, albeit at the expense of being able to open a soft top or take off hard top Freedom Panels.)
It its current form it doesn't get in the way of opening the soft top to Sunrider position or removing Freedom panels in the hard top configuration. I'd like to keep it that way even if discarding the air foil is indicated
Thoughts? I'm aerodynamically challenged. I need a primer in this stuff.
Thanks.
Ok: stupid question...what are they really for? The air foils that is. Less noise, keeping the rack forced down on the rooftop, less wind resistance (i.e. better MPG), looks and appearance, all the above, more, none?
I asked because I made one out of wood for my DIY roof rack https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/diy-no-hole-roof-rails.10580/#post-317925 (not a shameless plug.)
It looks like this.
I used a table saw with its blade at an angle to cut the bottom end of the board, thinking this was "the thing" to do (as if I know much about aerodynamics).
It its current form air can flow under it. Is this a bad thing (I want to guess it might be). Should I lower it and angle it so air can't flow under it?
Does it even make a difference and should I just remove it?
(BTW: additional cross members to that shown temporarily go on top for things to attach on to, e.g. large cargo boxes, etc. as needed, albeit at the expense of being able to open a soft top or take off hard top Freedom Panels.)
It its current form it doesn't get in the way of opening the soft top to Sunrider position or removing Freedom panels in the hard top configuration. I'd like to keep it that way even if discarding the air foil is indicated
Thoughts? I'm aerodynamically challenged. I need a primer in this stuff.
Thanks.
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