vortex generators

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Originally Posted by Yaristeve

Thanks; I'm gonna keep an eye on this thread; I've been thinking of doing the same thing. My goal is to keep the back window clean(er) during a rainstorm. I bought a rear air deflector for a Dodge Voyager van (the rear roofline has a similar curvature to the Yaris) but haven't done anything to install it because it requires a little customizing (cutting down), custom mounts, and drilling holes. Maybe a combination of both the deflector and VGs (on top of the deflector)?

You can get VGs on ebay but there is a company that makes \/ shaped VGs called Air Tabs. I was thinking of sticking those on...

Do you have a spoiler on your LB?

Are you going to place yours where the OP placed his? If so, I would get the same ones he has since the size and shape may make a difference on where the placement should be. I would conduct tests like he did. I remember LT Noogie did. I'm not sure if he test videos (taped on yarn on his back window) were lost in the hack or not.

[Yaristeve]

Originally Posted by Kaotic Lazagna

Do you have a spoiler on your LB?

No, no spoiler. I was thinking of the factory spoiler that has a space between the spoiler and the roof. But I couldn't tell if, in that space, the air is directed downward to clean the rear window.

Originally Posted by Kaotic Lazagna

Are you going to place yours where the OP placed his? If so, I would get the same ones he has since the size and shape may make a difference on where the placement should be.

I really am stumped about what to do. I suppose the best first step is to install VG and see if they are effective enough at cleaning the rear window. If not, then take the next step with the rear deflector. One last concern with the deflector is how much it will mess up my gas mileage; I want to do things that increase mileage, not decrease it...

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Originally Posted by Yaristeve

No, no spoiler. I was thinking of the factory spoiler that has a space between the spoiler and the roof. But I couldn't tell if, in that space, the air is directed downward to clean the rear window.



I really am stumped about what to do. I suppose the best first step is to install VG and see if they are effective enough at cleaning the rear window. If not, then take the next step with the rear deflector. One last concern with the deflector is how much it will mess up my gas mileage; I want to do things that increase mileage, not decrease it...

I'm not too sure about the spoiler part, but for the VG's, you'd have to really play around with them. Their distance from the edge of the hatch and each other, the angles of each one, etc.

What is a rear deflector, btw?

[Yaristeve]

Originally Posted by Kaotic Lazagna

What is a rear deflector, btw?

They kind look of like rear wings except, instead of generating downforce, they just take the air flowing over the roof and deflect it downward over the rear window. Back in the 70s and 80s, before rear window wipers were available or popular, this was the "technology" to keep the rear window relatively clean. I am guessing that with tightening fuel economy rules, the rear window wipers became the standard as automakers were looking for ways to reduce drag.

http://www.andysautosport.com/toyota...p00000132.html

But the Yaris rear wiper is so small, it is IMO really ineffective. Plus, all that crap on the rear after a rainstorm is really depressing to look at.

Huh! I just noticed (and read) IdahoTom's third post about the stability. I always thought my Yaris's squirrelly handling was due to the fact that it is FWD (I've had nothing but RWD cars until now) and just tought I would live with it. This alone is almost enough for me to scrap the deflector idea and buy and install VGs...

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Originally Posted by Yaristeve

They kind look of like rear wings except, instead of generating downforce, they just take the air flowing over the roof and deflect it downward over the rear window. Back in the 70s and 80s, before rear window wipers were available or popular, this was the "technology" to keep the rear window relatively clean. I am guessing that with tightening fuel economy rules, the rear window wipers became the standard as automakers were looking for ways to reduce drag.

http://www.andysautosport.com/toyota...p00000132.html

But the Yaris rear wiper is so small, it is IMO really ineffective. Plus, all that crap on the rear after a rainstorm is really depressing to look at.

Huh! I just noticed (and read) IdahoTom's third post about the stability. I always thought my Yaris's squirrelly handling was due to the fact that it is FWD (I've had nothing but RWD cars until now) and just tought I would live with it. This alone is almost enough for me to scrap the deflector idea and buy and install VGs...

Ah, looks like duckbill spoilers. lol.

Yeah, get some and just play around with the settings until you get the yarn strings all flowing straight and not erratically.

[malibuguy]

I put Vortex generators on my Tercel track day car...mainly to clear off the back window whens its raining. Can't see just about anything before I added them...after anything above 45mph my back window is dry! Have not noticed anything on the track in terms of better stability or anything like that.

[Yaristeve]

Bumpity bump - any updates?

Also, I was wondering if those "shark fin" style VGs could be used in V-pairs like the OP set up on his. I assume the V-pairs is to create two counter-rotating vortices?

thanks