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Sep 3, 2017 | 12:05 AM

#11

Brand

5 Year Member

Joined: Nov 2015

Posts: 1,467

Likes: 403

From: Waco, TX

Quote:

Originally Posted by nubbins_

The air dam is said provide up to 1 mpg fuel savings, and make the truck quieter and more stable at high speeds and high winds.

I removed mine a week after getting the truck because I hate the fact that it makes the front look like it's on the ground for non-leveled / -lifted trucks.

My experience:

- hardly any difference in mpg, plenty of city and highway driving

- no increase in noise

- no loss of stability at up to 120 kmh (then again, I assume "high speed" means 120+ which begs the question, why is anyone driving 120+ highway in their 1/2 ton???? it kills the 5.0's mpg at that speed and a it's a truck, not a ferrari)

It's easy to take off and easy to put back on. If you don't elect to dremel off the three retention tabs, that is. I kept mine on for ease of re-installation but some people find the look bothersome.

If you removed your air damn after only one week then you are hardly in a position to say that it makes hardly any difference in MPG. There would have to be longer testing that is as controlled as possible to make that determination.

Sep 3, 2017 | 01:06 AM

#12

nubbins_

Senior Member

Joined: Jul 2017

Posts: 525

Likes: 195

From: Vancouver BC

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brand

...and to obtain any sort of actual "control" one would need to keep their F-150 in a laboratory setting for a year, which is not possible for most people whom, I would imagine, do not work for Ford. I can't ensure that my route is 100.00% the same every day, driving at the exact same speeds, lights changing at the exact same time, no traffic ever, fuel filled up at the same station with the exact same composition, temperature and weather identical, hauling the exact same load (no load), etc. Hence, I would think that most of us are only amateurs.

I understand where you're coming from. But I did drive a lot every day for that week and a bit and the lie-o-meter had long since settled. Plenty of peeps have done it before I did and come to the conclusion that one's foot has a greater influence on mileage.

Sep 3, 2017 | 09:01 AM

#13

johnday in BFE

Village Sociopath

iTrader: (1)

Joined: Jun 2014

Posts: 31,769

Likes: 12,588

From: Nowhereville, Barton City Michigan

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plane captain

What is the purpose for the plastic spoiler under the front bumper on my 2017 Lariat 4x4

IMO, that airdam was put there in the hopes/facts/figures of some OCD injunear, to improve mileage, "efficiency", handling, [maybe], to make an ugly statement, and to get his name out on paper, saying basically, "look what I came up with".
Mine came off after having it on for about 6 months, laying on my back, in the dead of winter, in my wife's driveway. What did I find? The truck looked better, I wasn't plowing snow with it anymore, no difference in mileage I could see, and even at the breakneck speed of 120k+, no difference in handling.
I suppose on paper, and in sterile test conditions, there may be a minuscule improvement in all of the above, and cumulatively with all the other aerodynamic "efficiency" features.
In the real world, if ya don't like it, take it off, you'll notice zero difference.

Last edited by johnday in BFE; Sep 3, 2017 at 09:05 AM.

Sep 3, 2017 | 11:16 AM

#14

gDMJoe

Senior Member

Joined: Nov 2010

Posts: 11,854

Likes: 2,559

From: Timbuk3, MI

When it comes to aerodynamics and MPG (especially in fleet considerations), every litter bit helps ...

*Excerpted from the 2009 F-150 dealer guide promoting the model year re-design.

Sep 4, 2017 | 06:08 PM

#15

misterpangulo

5 Year Member

Joined: Jun 2017

Posts: 68

Likes: 8

Supposed to help mpg.

I took it off and haven't noticed any difference.

It looks stupid and it gets in the way off-road(as evidenced by the fact that 3 of my bolts were missing and the prior owner used zip ties to fasten that side back on.)