Front Lip?

[atalakoub]

Not sure what it is called, but i have managed to catch the lip under the bumper on a few things already. Anyone remove this and have pictures? Is there a good reason for it?

Thanks

 

[KMeloney]

I'd call it an air dam. There are some folks here who have removed it (or cut it, even). Personally, I'd rather tag IT on something than the painted front fascia. Also, I don't like the looks without it (on standard height and lowered trucks) -- looks too high in the front without it, imo.

 

[felixgun]

I'd call it an air dam. There are some folks here who have removed it (or cut it, even). Personally, I'd rather tag IT on something than the painted front fascia. Also, I don't like the looks without it (on standard height and lowered trucks) -- looks too high in the front without it, imo.

I'd sand that sucker down and paint it color matched if I had a black tahoe.. unfortunately mine is white and it would look terrible because then the front of the truck would appear (illusion of course) that it was lower....

 

[OklabyGodhoma]

It is there for "ground effect" and also engine cooling. They are not that expensive to replace and just start remembering it's there to quit tearing it up

 

[emann_01]

engine cooling????? please explain

i plan on cutting mine when i put my leveling kit and new tires on...but sorry no pics so it doesnt help

there are some guys on here with them cut off...look it the "offroad/z71" section under some of the leveling kit threads

 

[stevek]

I have a stock Tahoe with it taken/broken off. I'll take some pictures. It looks like crap with it taken off just because the tabs it's mounted to stick out. You can shave the tabs, but then it's irreversible.

 

[OklabyGodhoma]

I'd be more than happy to explain my statement about engine cooling. When in the design phase cars are put through wind tunnel testing. Most believe it is to see how aerodynamic the vehicle is and that is all. These tests also go much deeper into engineering performance. We all depend on air to flow through the front grill to cool the radiator fins as well as oil coolers that also may be mounted there. We also depend on this frontal air for combustion. When the vehicle is moving air is flowing all around it just like the airfoil of a wing. Some areas are positive pressure and some are negative pressure. The area in question (bottom of ther bumper) is one with a high positive pressure; in fact so much so that it can cause "back pressure" in the engine compartment and thus reduce actual frontal engine cooling. The air dam is engineered to break up that air and actually cause a negative pressure behind it. This negative pressure area allows the air movement to be faster through the grill area thus increasing engine cooling. It's not the air that cools our engines but the fluid that is cooled by the air and then pumped throughout the internal regions of the engine that cools.

That said, it also serves to tell us to stop; that there is something under the front, that should we decide to proceed the next sound we hear won't be quite so nice. Lastly if when you pulled into the parking space and heard no sound but when you are leaving you hear it catch......well that is telling you that you stayed too long at the "all you can eat" buffet.

 

[blueflamed03]

to create turbulance, sucking hot air out of engine compartment.

 

[OklabyGodhoma]

to create turbulance, sucking hot air out of engine compartment.

Yea, like he said!

 

[stevek]

Forgot to take picture, I'll get it up soon

 

[GreatWhite]

I'd be more than happy to explain my statement about engine cooling. .....

Well said; I used to work in engine cooling years ago and I can tell you that it is a pretty critical piece of the package. The effect at speed is more or less obvious, but it can have a major effect at idle too. I remember working on the first gen. Ford Ranger and it had pretty poor cooling at idle until we put a chin spoiler on it - actually more of a flap behind the bumper. The reason was that the cooling fan was recirculating the hot air - it would pull it through the rad then the air would just flow back under it and go through again.

 

[atalakoub]

Thanks to all that replied. It was a big help.

 

[emann_01]

i understand everyones statements about "how" it cools the engine but i still dont think it is enough to adversely affect the engine cooling if it is removed...hell z71s barely have one at all...