Front Air d**n Necessary?

slomo007 · October 28, 2007

As I was washing my truck today I realized how much I hate scrubbing the plastered on bugs from the front valence...the piece I'm talking about is the bottom piece of plastic under the bumper.

The reason I ask is because I wasn't sure if it was put there to possibly deflect air upwards and toward the radiator for engine cooling? Is there any functional purpose or did Chevy just think it looks good?

I took it off and it looks like a truck in the front....which is the way it should look, at least IMO. I haven't driven it yet so don't know if it creates any problems like wind noises or anything else.

Talking about a 2007 Silverado NBS. By the way, I spelled it "d a m" in the title and it auto editted.

VMax2007 · October 28, 2007

You'll lose about 1/4 mile per gallon on the freeway, but that's it. A lot of people take these off. I haven't yet, but I'll be surprised in mine makes it throught the winter.

slomo007 · October 28, 2007

Strange, why would you lose mileage by taking away a wind barrier?

VMax2007 · October 28, 2007

Aerodynamics

Zembonez · October 28, 2007

Aerodynamics

Very true. The top side of your truck is far more aerodynamic than the bottom side. The air dam keeps more air from going under the truck and creating turbulence.

slomo007 · October 28, 2007

Aerodynamics

Very true. The top side of your truck is far more aerodynamic than the bottom side. The air dam keeps more air from going under the truck and creating turbulence.

Thanks for the explanation. Maybe I'll just put it back on for long road trips. Figure it doesn't help me much on my 7 mile drive to work through stop lights.

Looks a heck of a lot better without it, and easier to clean.

VMax2007 · October 28, 2007

Aerodynamics

Very true. The top side of your truck is far more aerodynamic than the bottom side. The air dam keeps more air from going under the truck and creating turbulence.

Thanks for the explanation. Maybe I'll just put it back on for long road trips. Figure it doesn't help me much on my 7 mile drive to work through stop lights.

Looks a heck of a lot better without it, and easier to clean.

Just leave it off, it's not worth the $1 you might save on a 1000 mile trip.

slomo007 · October 28, 2007

Aerodynamics

Very true. The top side of your truck is far more aerodynamic than the bottom side. The air dam keeps more air from going under the truck and creating turbulence.

Thanks for the explanation. Maybe I'll just put it back on for long road trips. Figure it doesn't help me much on my 7 mile drive to work through stop lights.

Looks a heck of a lot better without it, and easier to clean.

Just leave it off, it's not worth the $1 you might save on a 1000 mile trip.

Smartass.

Viking fan huh? I'm an OU grad so obviously an Adrian Peterson fan also. You guys got a steal to get him that late in the draft....he should have been the first overall pick based on talent alone. He'll probably try to run over one too many people throughout his career, making him retire early, but I'm guessing he'll go down as one of the best RBs in history. I know that's a tall order at this point of his career....but the guy is freakishly talented. Congrats on getting him, hopefully he can turn the Vikings around.

VMax2007 · October 28, 2007

Smartass.

Viking fan huh? I'm an OU grad so obviously an Adrian Peterson fan also. You guys got a steal to get him that late in the draft....he should have been the first overall pick based on talent alone. He'll probably try to run over one too many people throughout his career, making him retire early, but I'm guessing he'll go down as one of the best RBs in history. I know that's a tall order at this point of his career....but the guy is freakishly talented. Congrats on getting him, hopefully he can turn the Vikings around.

Too bad we don't have a QB, or a decent coach. AD (All Day) is the only bright spot on the team right now and the only reason to watch them sorry losers.

But I am not a "fair weather" fan, I watch them even when they suck. It's almost as much fun to pick on them as it is to root for them when they are contending. Less disappointment this way...LOL

topdj · October 28, 2007

I got a question, if a stock NBS truck seems to lean forward making windshield act like it has a higher degree of rake, does anyone think the leveling kit 2" on the front end will cancel out the effects of the increased wind resistance from air making it under the truck VS air hitting the windshield at its new lower rake. so far I have seen no change in MPG with the leveling kit. Which seems to validate my theory.

Woodcutter · October 28, 2007

When you start out with these trucks at roughly 16-20 mpg and figure in the actual mileage losses from removing the valance or leveling the front, the difference is very negligible. Especially when you see how much these mods improve the aesthetics!

I took my lower valance off, then put it back on because I was worried about possibly losing a fraction of gas mileage... then realized how stupid repeating this process is. It's back off again for good!

chevyhutch · October 28, 2007

When you start out with these trucks at roughly 16-20 mpg and figure in the actual mileage losses from removing the valance or leveling the front, the difference is very negligible. Especially when you see how much these mods improve the aesthetics!

I took my lower valance off, then put it back on because I was worried about possibly losing a fraction of gas mileage... then realized how stupid repeating this process is. It's back off again for good!

Hey Woodcutter, how do you remove the front air dam ?

i was just asking a guy the other day if you could remove that thing, and he said it would mess up the air flow under the truck and look bad also

can someone posts some pics with it removed ?

Woodcutter · October 28, 2007

When you start out with these trucks at roughly 16-20 mpg and figure in the actual mileage losses from removing the valance or leveling the front, the difference is very negligible. Especially when you see how much these mods improve the aesthetics!

I took my lower valance off, then put it back on because I was worried about possibly losing a fraction of gas mileage... then realized how stupid repeating this process is. It's back off again for good!

Hey Woodcutter, how do you remove the front air dam ?

i was just asking a guy the other day if you could remove that thing, and he said it would mess up the air flow under the truck and look bad also

can someone posts some pics with it removed ?

It's easy and takes about 5 minutes. There are about ten plastic clips that can be pushed out using a screwdriver and two clips on either end in front of the tires that come off with a phillips-head screwdriver. Look close at my sig, it's off in that picture.

Also, if the airflow is now messed up, I can't tell a difference.

bosro · October 28, 2007

I've been waiting to do this for while now,hunting season is here and very likely the valance will not make it thru the season.

On another note after raising my truck 2" it definitely does not get the same MPG,may be close to 1mpg less....... don't know if I want it getting even worse!