Does my Tacoma need this?

20.3 with the air dam, 20.3 without it. A few thousand miles with both. MPG savings is insignificant if any. I drive 30% freeway (80mph), 40% country roads (65mph) and 30% town.

I'm keeping it off.

 

Always see a bunch on CL daily.

 

Great thread Masterofone! Well done all! So, my 2017 has only 1k for mileage. The skirt/bra/air whatever looks like crap to me but..............keeping it on for 5K. Then off it comes for 5K. I'll compare mileage and if I see no significant MPG change, i.e., >1mpg.............off it stays. I'm just enthralled by the video (check it out on the air dam thread) displayed about the dam and velocity wings on the new Yotas from the wings on the mirrows to the tail lights. Personally I think they are trying to stretch the federal MPG mandate to 25 MPG but it's like putting lipstick on a pig IMHO. Not that my 2017 SR5 looks like a pig, I love how she looks..........minus the bra! Could use a few tat's around the..........never mine!

 

When it comes to aesthetics, it looks better without it. Couldn't tell you about drag and all that. Don't own a 3rd gen.

 

Took mine off a few weeks ago. Looks so much better. I still get the same MPG.

 

Most who compared mileage with and without report no difference in MPG. Cabin noise, whatever the source, is my concern. Is there any sense about comparative cabin noise from those who have tried it both ways? There is a part of me who wants to trust Toyota's engineers -- that it's providing some useful function.

 

No noticeable difference to me in cabin noise... It literally takes 5 minutes to remove, 10 screws.. If you notice a difference in noise or gas mileage, put it back on..

I removed mine because where I go deer hunting there's some deep ruts and holes on the road thru the property. First time I went down there in new Tacoma I was worried all weekend about ripping it off...

I bought a truck to be used as a truck.. Not overly concerned with MPG or cabin noise.. It's a truck

 

Hmm... I have an off-road. Totally forgot it never came with an air dam. Highway noise isn't bad for me.

 

Wait... didn't you just contradict yourself.. you said it doesn't improve MPG but you are going to put it back on to take a trip??
Confused... I'm with the straight piece of plastic "pushing" air club not helping much if anything.
I do agree with the assessment of aerodynamics and drag being improved UNDER the truck .. one reason I have a much larger and flatter skid plate and no air dam.

 

I don't understand how you took "the difference is ~1 MPG or so in practical use" to mean "it doesn't improve MPG"

 

Damn those dams!!!! LOL!

 

You didn't make your daughter dump him ?!

 

I think it would make more of a mpg difference for the guys getting 22+ mpg than it would for the guys only getting 18 mpg.

I'm thinking the guys getting 18 mpg are pushing the gas harder anyways so aerodynamics aren't coming into play as much.

 

Yeah, a little chin spoiler isn't going to solve a lead foot or gnarly 70+ lb wheels and tires. For that matter even a terminal speed of ~80 MPH is probably far outpacing any benefit from the difference in drag.

Lightweight wheels w/ OEM tires (or something equally light-duty) plus a willingness to remain in the right lane and chill with roughly 65-70 MPH being your "top speed" will see the greatest effect from the dam.

It's a complex equation, but like I said in my first post, any extra tire coverage is a godsend for aerodynamics.

 

I almost read that as tire coverage (width) relative to ground contact. LOL.
But you are correct, "covering up" the tire is advantageous, but needs to be through long term continuous runs and not lead footed stop light runs. I've mentioned before for folks to look at NASCAR aerodynamics as they give the best aero efficiency for those behemoth weights with downforce they require in a race car that's closest (in shape) to our road going vehicles.

In my job, I've mocked stuff up in windtunnels with NASCAR-like aero on a current production car to be able set a baseline delta for subsequent runs.

 

Let's see this complex equation...

I said I couldn't see how pushing plastic into the wind would help and you said I was quite wrong and every little bit helps.

No you're saying that its optional range is probably around 65-70. Which means the faster I go the less it's able to do because "pushing a piece of plastic into the wind doesn't help."

I understand your thinking and you have some valid points, but to say these stupid little gimmicks and pieces of plastic significantly improve MPG are outright lies. You said the difference is "about 1mpg." But that is only valid if you're going slower, which saves way more gas than a piece of plastic ever could.

I suspect that any savings you get in MPG is so miniscule that you'd need to factor it in over the life of the vehicle to see any sort of tangible savings, and even then, as you admit, it's only if you drove slow.

 

That piece of plastic will be useful to a point. That point is where the engine's power is most efficient with the amount of drag created by all other external factors. Every bit helps that equation. That's why the sport models have different rubber and larger rim diameter increasing the disc shape. It's not just this one piece of plastic in front. It all adds up. For most of us that mod the trucks with huge exposed tires, heavy armor, giant racks on top, it won't help at all, so it makes no difference if the chin spoiler is on.

Sidewall profile and tread shoulder also come into play at these minuscule levels. Aero count advantage and "points" are removed/ added even with the shape of of a tail light edge change and helps aero efficiency and turbulence at the rear of the vehicle. Look at the Prius for example and the rear edge of the car. All the vehicles in current production are the same.

 

It will actually help at greater than 65-70 too. 1mpg isn't miniscule.

It helps if you want improved mpg, simple as that.

 

Well I get around 16.5 to 18 MPG anyway as it is. Usually right at 17.2 on any given trip combined and down to 13MPG on the interstate going 80 across Kansas to Colorado. So I figure it won't make much of a difference anyway. The thing still shifts to 4th at the slightest bump so why not take the thing off? I'll keep it if I find some major difference but this thread finally encouraged me to go ahead and take it off. Next thing you know I'll be getting one of those TRD skid plates or something similar, haha.

Before


After

 

Right.... TO A POINT. You guys keep saying that all these little bits help; I'm saying the help they offer is so miniscule that removing one or two of them will never be missed.

Remove a grain of wheat to a bushel. Do you have less grain? Yes. Does it really matter that much? No.

I said I didn't see the value in something and was told I was wrong for not seeing it. And now nobody can give enough evidence to prove how valuable that piece is, if any.

A firm indication of that is when I ask "how much does this REALLY save me," you bring up a Toyota Prius.