aerodynamic wheel hub caps

[Flying White Dutchman]

here some picture's off my aerodynamic wheel covers.

work in progress

a friend is making them

[efusco]

It kinda looks OK, but I'm skeptical that it will offer any aero advantage...esp. when it gets wet and stretches out and begins to catch more air than it's deflecting. I think just the spinning rim alone will be enough to create air catching folds in the material that will reduce your aerodynamics.

[Flying White Dutchman]

Originally Posted by efusco

It kinda looks OK, but I'm skeptical that it will offer any aero advantage...esp. when it gets wet and stretches out and begins to catch more air than it's deflecting. I think just the spinning rim alone will be enough to create air catching folds in the material that will reduce your aerodynamics.

its work in progress
this is part 1 to make polyster
i am not going to ride with some white cloth around my hub caps
when its final i got 100% plastic closed caps.

[Bob64]

Heh, that what I tried to do with plasticwrap.

pictures here:
Making Aerodynamic hubcaps and rear wheel skirts?

[happy5069]

I had something like this, from a comercial supplier, for my bicycle which worked well. I had them up to 50 mph (downhill) with no problems. On a car, however, I might be concerned about brake cooling. But I think in this case of trying to NEVER use the brake it would not be a problem unless you were coming down in the high mountains!

[NoMoShocks]

Nice,
I wish I knew an easy way to make some like these.

[Flying White Dutchman]

Originally Posted by Bob64

Heh, that what I tried to do with plasticwrap.

pictures here:
Making Aerodynamic hubcaps and rear wheel skirts?

yes i have seen those
i hope mine wil loook the same or better
maybe end of this week....

Originally Posted by happy5069

I had something like this, from a comercial supplier, for my bicycle which worked well. I had them up to 50 mph (downhill) with no problems. On a car, however, I might be concerned about brake cooling. But I think in this case of trying to NEVER use the brake it would not be a problem unless you were coming down in the high mountains!

because the prius brakes on the elec motor and i can use "B"for going downhill
then for me its not that a big problem

Originally Posted by NoMoShocks

Nice,
I wish I knew an easy way to make some like these.

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the back wheel skirts/covers ( whatever you want to call them ) is a bit of a problem because the lower part of the wheel sticks out of the car
zo you see on your drawing that its bit sticking out to. i think that Will effect aerodynamics worst then without them!

[iLLa Prius]

fiberglass is pretty easy to work with to do whatever you want. i myself would be worried about the brakes and motor not being able to be air cooled properly which can cause premature ware or failure.

[BubbaMcGeeHee]

I would have to agree.. My main concern would be Cooling of the Brakes and perhaps the Electric Motor.... Does anybody here have a best guess as to how much of a MPG gain their would be with Solid Caps? I doubt the gain (if any) would be worth the potential of warping the rotors although as noted we tend to use brakes a minimal amount.

P.S. I'm new to this Forum so you can take what I have to say with a grain of salt... If I accidentally offend anyone I'll just hide behind my couch.

[patsparks]

Originally Posted by BubbaMcGeeHee

P.S. I'm new to this Forum so you can take what I have to say with a grain of salt... If I accidentally offend anyone I'll just hide behind my couch.

But you have a bladder in your fuel tank so we must take notice of everything you say, I on the other hand have no bladder in my fuel tank so please ignore everything I say. Someone once pointed this out to me.

Not that anyone cares what I think (refer above) but the brakes on the Prius still won't get hot with full wheel covers, remember those big American land boats like Dodge Parisienes and Plymouth Belvedere that had steel disc wheels and no air flow over the brakes from outside, they did OK. There is still air flow around the back of the wheel.