Maxus has an Air Dam

[mtb9153]

Well sorry to say that the Air Dam got torn off today in a parking incident.  I was parking in a parking space with no tire stop and ran into the curb stop which was high enough that it ripped the air dam completely off.  I will have to improve the mounting points to the CMax plastic undercarriage to prevent this from happening again after it is remounted.

[ptjones]

How about a rigid version that extends in front of the vehicle and doubles as a snow plow?

 

mr plow.jpg

I like the idea of turning a CMAX into a money making snow plow, what a novel idea, wonder if FORD thought of it. :lol2:

 

Paul

[fbov]

Well sorry to say that the Air Dam got torn off today ... I will have to ...prevent this from happening again after it is remounted.

With all due respect, Brother, build it how you want it to fail!!

 

You probably hadn't been under the car yet, given you  posted at midnight, so you may not yet know exactly what let go. I'll wager it did a little damage, as fasteners do when they fail. Before you reattach it, think about how you'd like it to fail the next time, as Murphy's Law tells us there will be a next time. Maybe there's a simple way to add a break-away point? I'm thinking in terms of highway sign posts, bolted to a pad set in the ground, so a vehicle impact shears the bolts rather than the car wrapping itself around the pole.

 

I'm looking at a similar modification once Spring arrives, so please lead the way! While this car is short, I seem to always go long when stopping...

 

Have fun,

Frank

[mtb9153]

Ok here's an update on my next attempt at a front air dam.  I've been researching on the net about using relatively inexpensive Styrofoam to shape and fabricate intricate shapes.  My plan as of now is to venture into a project where I have very little experience, but feel I can be successful in the end.  Fortunately here in my town there is a store called TAP Plastics which can supply me with the necessary materials and knowledge to do this project.  I plan to attach blocks of Styrofoam under the front bumper/fascia.  I will remove the black plastic pieces Ford attached under each fog light.  This will be part of the area where my design will attach to the front bumper/fascia.  I plan to design this so it will reduce the amount of air traveling under the car while still allowing enough clearance for things like driveways, parking stops, and curbs.  The likes of what tore off my first air dam yesterday.  In my head and through my internet research I should be able to shape the styrofoam into a form fitting spoiler along the shape of the front bumper/fascia.  Once that is done to my satisfaction.  I will lay fiberglass over the styrofoam to form a negative mold.  Once dry the whole creation will be removed from Maxus and I will use acetone to melt away the styrofoam leaving the fiberglas negative of my design.  Next step is to prep the fiberglas with gel-coat so the positive spoiler will be smooth in appearance which will be made from polyurethane and painted to match Maxus as close as possible.  Like I said sounds good when I read it but can I do it?  I don't have allot of experience working with composites or or polymers.  So this could succeed or fail with the cost of materials and my time being wasted.  If it works I will have a mold to make more copies if anyone likes what I have created.

Edited February 27, 2014 by mtb9153

[fbov]

Kind of a solvent-based lost-wax casting? Or perhaps more accurately, mold making? My only thought would be to hollow out the styro before the solvent melt, as the latter sounds messy the more you try to melt.

 

HAve fun,

Frank

[ScubaDadMiami]

Will the fog light attachment point be the only one, or will there be some kind of wrap around the existing structure that you will also secure under?

 

I've never done anything like you are about to attempt, but try to get advice on working with the gelcoat. If you take your time with that, I imagine that it will be a great success!  :victory:

 

Once you finish with the front, I'd sure like to see the same kind of thing for the spoiler in the rear.

 

Here's wishing you success and a great future cottage industry. :hat_tip:

[mtb9153]

Thanks for the thoughts and encouragement, we"ll see what happens in the days-weeks ahead.  I'm not real sure of the securing method to the factory bumper/fascia.  I guess I have to see how secure it will be to mount in place of the plastic pieces that are on Maxus from the factory.  If it is pretty secure I might opt with using an industrial grade gel adhesive from 3M which I have used extensively with the mounting of my first set of AeroPods.  Once they are stuck on they really aren't going anywhere without using a little force.  I haven't tried to remove the factory black plastic pieces yet to know how they are connected.

Edited February 27, 2014 by mtb9153

[mtb9153]

Ok after a little research I've decided to get the styrofoam in the quantity I would need for this project would be way too cost prohibitive so I'm thinking about shelving the idea unless someone else has a better idea?

[ptjones]

Ok after a little research I've decided to get the styrofoam in the quantity I would need for this project would be way too cost prohibitive so I'm thinking about shelving the idea unless someone else has a better idea?

When it warms up for a while I going to try out my hard foam idea out. Low cost and I don't have to worry about damaging the car if I run into something. :)

 

Paul

[mtb9153]

Paul, hard foam?  whats that all about?  Very curious.

[ptjones]

Paul, hard foam?  whats that all about?  Very curious.

The Gray  semi rigid foam I had in my lower Gill  when we visited. It is used in packaging fragile things for shipping.  :)

 

Paul

[mtb9153]

Dang wish I could remember it better.  Where do you find it?  I might could find an equivalent here on the west bank?  Is it workable, meaning trim-able, sand-able?  I wonder if it can be had in thick pieces, say 1 inch or more?

Edited February 28, 2014 by mtb9153

[ptjones]

Dang wish I could remember it better.  Where do you find it?  I might could find an equivalent here on the west bank?  Is it workable, meaning trim-able, sand-able?  I wonder if it can be had in thick pieces, say 1 inch or more?

I'm sure there are packaging shops in your area that would have it and I think it is available up to 5" thick and can be cut to size easily. It is easy to work with, cut and is flexible. Cheap too. I will try to take a picture. :)

 

Paul

[kostby]

Ever looked at that black plastic lawn edging product sold in rolls in the lawn & garden section?

http://www.lowes.com/pd_94463-32970-PRO-20CHD_0__?productId=3047740

 

I'm thinking you would mount it upside-down (round lip towards the road) on some sort of bracket similar to your first attempt.

It's definitely strong/stiff enough for highway speeds, and a few speed-bumps, IF you can find the right mounting points.

[mtb9153]

Great suggestion kostby, I'll have to look into this after I finish my rear spoiler project which currently being discussed and pictures in another thread in the accessories and modifications folder.

Edited March 28, 2014 by mtb9153

[fbov]

Since I commented on your front spoiler, you should get a chance to comment on mine!

http://fordcmaxhybridforum.com/topic/3129-tuft-testing-a-c-max/?p=44398

 

Have fun,

Frank

[Marc Smith]

any reason to not make the dam "V" shape.. withthe pointy end forward. and the legsof the V near the tires.

 

have you lookied into other cars...  the 94 Impala SS  has a black air dam  that woudl proably be wide enough to be dams for the tires as well  the 94 impala has a track width of 62.3 inches...  the Cmax track width is 60.5  which gives you a few inches of  material to play with

 

probably 50-60 bucks for the three part set..   whil enot as cheap as a DIY mod...it would have a factory look

 

 

Edited June 16, 2014 by Marc Smith

[fbov]

I considered a pointy air dam, or at least one with some curve to it. Practicalities overruled that option. I picked a shape that was flat on the plastic cover so I didn't need compound bends to avoid gaps. I also don't see pointy air dams in practice, so I suspect there's something else going on that's not intuitive. 

 

HAve fun,

Frank

[Marc Smith]

so I suspect there's something else going on that's not intuitive. 

parking lot stops and curbs maybe?  get it too far out front  you'd never be able to park the car....

 

 

maybe I'll use my ford check to buy a set from GM that fit the impala...

 

makes you wonder though if by putting on an air dam  you are upsetting the air thats moving over the carefully sculpted body pans which why the highway results showed no gains..

Edited June 16, 2014 by Marc Smith

[fbov]

 

Air dam size and placement is a tradeoff. Per the above, closer to the front has added benefits, while depth has a definite optimum. In my case, location was determined by mounting points, and depth by available materials, but with the goal of not going deeper than the existing underbody - no need to punch a bigger hole in the air, but rather a smoother one.

 

I wanted a front lip spoiler, but found what I did far more practical, and likely more robust. Let us know what your find!

 

Have fun,

Frank

[mtb9153]

Since I commented on your front spoiler, you should get a chance to comment on mine!

http://fordcmaxhybridforum.com/topic/3129-tuft-testing-a-c-max/?p=44398

 

Have fun,

Frank

 I like the design and concept Frank, might play with it as well on Maxus.  I abandoned my earlier attempt at fabricating an Air Dam after it was torn off the undercarriage by a parking lot conflict with a curb and sidewalk.  If you fully park forward in a straight in parking space with a curb/sidewalk in front of the car.  Once the tires meet the concrete stop the front bumper clears with very little room for anything hanging down much under the front bumper.  Yours just might clear.  I'm wondering how much affect it will have when driving at speed?

[ptjones]

My nest step is to run a hard foam piece between the two air dams with Velcro if I can. That way If it pulls off I can just stick it back on. We will see how that goes. :) 

 

Paul

[mtb9153]

My nest step is to run a hard foam piece between the two air dams with Velcro if I can. That way If it pulls off I can just stick it back on. We will see how that goes. :)

 

Paul

Paul sounds interesting, maybe try the heavy duty Industrial design velcro which has more and larger fibers to grab onto.  The wider width probably would work best?

[ptjones]

Paul sounds interesting, maybe try the heavy duty Industrial design velcro which has more and larger fibers to grab onto.  The wider width probably would work best?

The problem is the adhesive won't stick as good as the Velcro, I would rather have Velcro brake lose. :)

 

Paul

[fbov]

+1 to industrial Velco. I used it for wheel covers on my snows... the front came off due to wheel flex, the rears lasted the season.  In both cases, no issues with adhesive.

 

HAve fun,

Frank