| Author | Message | ||
     Rick Cordova (Imx) Member Username: Imx Post Number: 72 Registered: 08-2002 |
Has anyone added a fairing to their adventure rack that has 4 Hella 4k's? If so can you post a photo? I would like to add something to get better gas milage and I dont want to remove the lights. It would need to be cut around the lamps and angled to move the air over the rack and lights. Any ideas? | ||
| Craig Kobayashi (Koby) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Koby Post Number: 835 Registered: 02-2002 |
Rick- Adding a fairing isn't going to get you any better mileage. It may end up making your mileage worse. | ||
| Rick Cordova (Imx) Member Username: Imx Post Number: 73 Registered: 08-2002 |
I was thinking that if the air can go over the rack easier it may help w/mileage. Right now the lights and the rack is like an air brake due to the air hitting the lights like a wall. I can see why a fairing may decrease mileage, I just think it may help better than having nothing (but a wall) to move the air over. I don't know for sure, that is why I'm asking for help. Craig thanks for the comment, can you give more feed back as to why you feel it may make it worse, or a way that may make it work? Thanks | ||
| Reed Cotton (Reedcotton) Senior Member Username: Reedcotton Post Number: 288 Registered: 01-2003 |
Hmmm... Might not do anything to the gas mileage, but might have some effect on wind noise. Then depending on the design, the other possible benefit might be a slight glare reduction when using the lights. (Or it might also increase the glare). You could fair in the entire front with a large piece of bent plexiglas. Or you could take a sheet of aluminum, shape it, then add cutouts for the lights. I have seen pictures of Discos on various expeditions with "spoilers" on their racks, but these are more like big billboards, and their use may be for the signage that they carry. Something to think about instead of work I guess. | ||
| Craig Kobayashi (Koby) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Koby Post Number: 839 Registered: 02-2002 |
The four 4Ks you're running on the rack are more than effective at reducing the wind howl generated by the bare adventure rack. Other roof racks I've had were just as noisy even with a fairing. I think a fairing could make mileage worse because it would force the Disco to use even more energy (read reduce efficiency) to deflect air that would normally flow underneath the roof rack. | ||
| traveltoad (Traveltoad) Member Username: Traveltoad Post Number: 88 Registered: 11-2002 |
I had a fairing on my rack without lights. It did nothing for the gas mileage. It didn't reduce the wind noise, it changed the wind noise a little, but no reduction. Not worth the effort, unless you like the looks. | ||
| Rick Cordova (Imx) Member Username: Imx Post Number: 74 Registered: 08-2002 |
Craig air flow under the rack is a good point. If I can come up with something that can work that wont cost to much I'll give it a try and post some photos & to no avail I'll have to concider changing my lights to the Hella oblong type they used on the Treks. Thanks again for the help guys. | ||
| Reed Cotton (Reedcotton) Senior Member Username: Reedcotton Post Number: 290 Registered: 01-2003 |
Traveltoad- Got any pictures of it? This is an adventure rack. Aerodynamics were not a primary, (or even secondary) design feature. Airflow under the rack? Is this a fully loaded rack, or an empty one? (How many times a minute does a swallow flap its wings?) I guess there is now a market for Adventure Rack belly-pans. (Those cross bars tend to whistle too.) If the rack is empty, like they are most of the time when wind noise and MPG are a factor, the air flow will start to burble behind the fairing, spoiler or whatever. this will put the noise rigth about even with the drivers head. It will also be a source of drag. So add Pelican cases to smooth out the top airflow, and sand ladders to stabilize it. Or really do it right- Front fairing, belly pan, top cover and tail cone, all steamlined for best airlow. After all that you might knock the noise down, but the added weight will probably increase the MPG. Of course the real trick is to do all the above and still retain the stairstep shape of the adventure rack. As a design exercise this is fun, and it might even be fun to build one, but your going to need the complete package to gain any advantage. How about large '50's style fins on the sides whith internal sand ladder mounts (just open up the back hatch and slide them in.) The Disco would start to look like it had the space shuttle sitting on top. (Depending on your viewpoint, this is either really cool, or really NOT!) Ok, enough fantasy. The clear light covers for the 4K's appear more curved than the stock flat covers, this may help. I don't know though, I can't afford then yet. Rick- I seriously doubt that the oblong lights will make a significant difference, but if you are giving away your 4K's I could always use a couple of spares.  | ||
| Craig Kobayashi (Koby) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Koby Post Number: 842 Registered: 02-2002 |
Or put flooring on your rack, like I did. This is why I consider my rack to have a top and bottom. | ||
| Reed Cotton (Reedcotton) Senior Member Username: Reedcotton Post Number: 291 Registered: 01-2003 |
What kind of floor did you put up there? That new plastic floor looks nice but a bit $$$ (for me). Plus I would need to cut a hole or two so I could let some light through the sunroof. I guess it's ESP for me. But then I don't really care about the sound anyway. But it should look good. | ||
| Craig Kobayashi (Koby) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Koby Post Number: 844 Registered: 02-2002 |
http://www.expeditionexchange.com/deathvalley/PB280187.JPG  | ||
| thom mathie (Muskyman) Senior Member Username: Muskyman Post Number: 527 Registered: 11-2002 |
i built a fairing for mine in about 15 min one day after hearing my wife complain for 6 hours on a trip last summer. the noise was reduced by a huge amount and the truck takes less peddle to stay at 75mph on the freeway. I would guess that there is a minor improvment in MPG but I hate doing the calculation of MPG it just makes me feel bad about my truck  | ||
| Jeff Mclaird (Granitedisco) Member Username: Granitedisco Post Number: 119 Registered: 08-2003 |
Wonder if the Jeep/Nissan RR fairings could be made to fit ? Jeff | ||
| thom mathie (Muskyman) Senior Member Username: Muskyman Post Number: 529 Registered: 11-2002 |
my fairing | ||
| Craig Kobayashi (Koby) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Koby Post Number: 845 Registered: 02-2002 |
Thom- Sounds like you expended energy removing the wrong source of incessantly annoying noise. Did you take that hunk of shit off your roof rack? It doesn't look like you have lights on your rack. Seriously, the four 4Ks do a remarkable job at cutting down the wind noise. | ||
| Jeff Mclaird (Granitedisco) Member Username: Granitedisco Post Number: 120 Registered: 08-2003 |
Nice Fairing Craig - That's the kamp-rite fairing isn't it Jeff | ||
| thom mathie (Muskyman) Senior Member Username: Muskyman Post Number: 530 Registered: 11-2002 |
Craig nope that hunk a shit is still up there and it does knock the noise down by a huge factor it does look like shit , but it also keeps the stuff up there pretty clean, right now we have salt and slush on the roads around here and comming and going from the lake house 340 miles away the rack is key to carring all the shit we "need" for our weekend fun . thom | ||
| Reed Cotton (Reedcotton) Senior Member Username: Reedcotton Post Number: 293 Registered: 01-2003 |
Thom- Does dipping the Disco in mud help with the noise? Craig- A fairing with a flying bridge. I'm impressed. -Reed | ||
| Craig Kobayashi (Koby) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Koby Post Number: 846 Registered: 02-2002 |
The Tent Cot is indeed in a good location for the fairing, but I was referencing the flooring. | ||
| Reed Cotton (Reedcotton) Senior Member Username: Reedcotton Post Number: 294 Registered: 01-2003 |
I did see the flooring too. But by envy would not let me even acknowledge it for a while. But now the feeling has moderated, and I can admire the fine deck you have there. | ||
| Craig Kobayashi (Koby) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Koby Post Number: 848 Registered: 02-2002 |
The flooring revolutionized my camping experience. I could actually dust off before settling into the tent and sleep in a clean sleeping bag. This was not possible when the tent was on the ground. Secondly, I actually felt safer sleeping on top of my car. Also, the view in the morning was spectacular. | ||
| Reed Cotton (Reedcotton) Senior Member Username: Reedcotton Post Number: 297 Registered: 01-2003 |
Works for me. So maybe the solution for whole fairing/floorboard/ windnoise thing is to drag my neighbors old teardrop trailer out of the bushes and bolt it to the roof rack? BTW - Thats a real nice view! -Reed | ||
| Lawrence Tilly (Beowulf03809) New Member Username: Beowulf03809 Post Number: 11 Registered: 12-2003 |
Craig, what kind of tent is that? Lawrence | ||
| Matthew A. Barnes (Discoveryxd) Senior Member Username: Discoveryxd Post Number: 307 Registered: 08-2003 |
https://www.expeditionexchange.com/tentcot/ "Tent Cot" How do you like yours up on the rack Craig? If it works well, and is pretty secure up there, then maybe I'll just have to get one. Matt | ||
| Craig Kobayashi (Koby) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Koby Post Number: 857 Registered: 02-2002 |
I refuse to sleep on the ground anymore. I love my Tent Cot, and sleeping on the roof is an exquisite luxury. Sleeping with a Thermarest on a cot is pretty damn comfortable. My Thermarest fit perfectly both on top of the cot and against the borders of the tent meaning that whenever I rolled over in the tent the Thermarest stayed in place. Those you you who have tried to stay on top of a Thermarest in a regular tent know that it's a rare night when you stay on the Thermarest all night long. Not only was the TentCot comfortable, but it was super fast to set up too. I usually camp with a 3-pole dome tent, taking about 10 minutes to set up. The Tent Cot sets up in just a couple of minutes. I was pleasantly surprised to see that I was able to set up the tent faster than my friend could set up his Flip Pac tent. This meant that I was well into my second beer before he had even popped his Engel open.  I used two ratchet straps to hold the tent down, and it was really solid. I was setting up the tent and for kicks I rocked the Tent Cot back and forth just to see how stable it was before I committed to sleeping on the roof, and the whole truck swayed back and forth. The Tent Cot was definitely stable on the roof. http://www.expeditionexchange.com/deathvalley/PB280157.JPG I kept my sleeping gear on the roof rack in my Pelican 1650, so everything was immediately accessable, making it very easy to both set up and break camp. I will never go back to sleeping on the ground. It's unlikely my Tent Cot will ever touch dirt. |
