Removed front air dam for improved off-roading

Big Cypress · Nov 16, 2005

The biggest hindrance to off-roading our Durangos is the front air dam (well, beside the factory Goodyears.) I was afraid I was going to rip it off when I was off-roading last weekend. Fortunatley, it's fairly flexible but still makes a horrid sound.

I took some photos with it removed to illustrate the improved approach angle, not to mention the tougher stance it gives the truck. I ended up putting it back on until I devise a way to support the lower bumper cover, which I'm sure would flap like a flag on the highway. It's paper thin and I think the air dam serves a dual purpose - to improve aerodynamic drag and to provide structual support to the bumper skin. I'm going to replace my air dam with a 1/2 or 3/4" PVC mounted inside the lip to give the bumper cover some support while still offering some degree of flexibility for those times when I scrape the underside anyway.

DurangoDude · Nov 26, 2005

Have you given this a trial run yet?

Interesting yet simple idea as I know of some other 2004+ owners looking to do the same for the same reason.

FSTDANGO3 · Nov 26, 2005

Looks Great

Definitely an Improved Look The air dam is so low from the factory.
Steve
VP
DOC

BigDog · Nov 26, 2005

Looks better, but I bet you'll see the difference at the fuel pump.

Big Cypress · Nov 27, 2005

Haven't had a chance to build a spline support yet due to the holidays. I'm anxious to see the mpg results, if any.

Big Cypress · Dec 19, 2005

I finally got around to developing a prototype for the front fascia support. I used a 3/4" sched 40 PVC gray conduit. It was a pretty cheap, easy, and quick project and it not visibly noticeable.

After lining up and marking the holes from the removed air dam onto the conduit, I drilled holes large enough for the factory screws and washers to fit inside the PVC. On the other side of the PVC I drilled a hole just large enough for the screw to fit through.

Removing the metal clips from the air dam, I then slid them over the holes in the body plastic with the "nipple" side down. Placing the PVC inside the fascia I then screwed in the bolt/washers into the clips using a socket.

To keep the PVC mounted to something sturdy (rather than just letting the plastic facia support the pipe), I decided to mount directly to the verticle air dam supports on both sides. By doing this I wasn't able to use the two outermost screw holes but I feel this will offer the most support.

I won't know how this will affect fuel mileage until I take a small road trip but I didn't notice any adverse handling characteristics from a short drive on the highway. Here's a few pictures.

FSTDANGO3 · Dec 19, 2005

Great

PVC is Pretty strong stuff
Great ingenuity on the support and it really does look a bunch better without it.
Steve
VP
DOC

Neil · Dec 19, 2005

Big Cypress,

Would you be interested in selling the air dam? Actually I have a 68 Camaro air dam but may be interested in the 04. How wide is the 04 dam and how far down does it extend? The front facia on the 98-03 is curved and the Camaro dam is flat but it has some give and doesn't go the full width. The front facia is flexible so I got it to work.

http://www.dodgetalk.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=11850&catid=member&imageuser=2072

FSTDANGO3 · Dec 19, 2005

That looks great Neil did you install that just for looks or functional to increase fuel mileage.
Steve
VP
DOC

Neil · Dec 19, 2005

Just for looks. I got the idea from a Dak R/T guy that had one. It was pretty easy to put it on. I just looked at an 04 out in my parking lot. I'm not sure if it'll work. It runs the full width of the front. I believe the 04 is wider than the Gen 1.

Big Cypress · Dec 19, 2005

Thanks Steve.

Neil, I think I'll hang on to the air dam in case I decide to put it back on some day. If my highway mileage really suffers it'll be back on even sooner!

Neil · Dec 19, 2005

Ok, no problem.

IndyDurango · Dec 20, 2005

Neil said:
I have a 68 Camaro air dam but may be interested in the 04. How wide is the 04 dam and how far down does it extend? The front facia on the 98-03 is curved and the Camaro dam is flat but it has some give and doesn't go the full width. The front facia is flexible so I got it to work.
http://www.dodgetalk.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=11850&catid=member&imageuser=2072

Neil,

Having been jonesing for an air dam since getting rid of my '73 Mach1, the one on your D looks really good. Is that the Camaro version shown/installed? We don't have front license plates here so I wonder if it'd look equally as good without the plate to "break up" the image a bit?

Anyone know the answer to Neil's question about the widths of the Gen2s vs Gen1s. Think the Gen2 dam will fit a Gen1? OEM part numbers for the air dam on the Gen2 D? oh gurus?!? If it's not a ton of cash, I think I'll add it to my front end next week!

Big Cypress,

I'll trade you a OEM chrome fuel door replacement for the Gen2 air dam if it fits the Gen1. The replacement chrome fuel door would look real good on your D with the chrome grille and accents that you have on that Gen2

http://durangoclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2869

IndyDurango

Neil · Dec 20, 2005

Yes that's the Camaro air dam. It was only 22 and easy to rig up.

IndyDurango · Dec 20, 2005

Neil said:
Yes that's the Camaro air dam. It was only 22 and easy to rig up.

Neil, where did you buy it?

IndyDurango

Neil · Dec 20, 2005

I believe I got it on sale at the time. Most were 30-40 or so. I got mine from Firewheel Classics I hit a lot of web sites and there are of course a lot of Camaro reproduction parts and prices varied. I learned a few things. Mine is ABS plastic and some are fiberglass. ABS is thin and somewhat flexible. I thought it might hold up better than fiberglass on impacts. The ABS is pretty thin though. The lower portion of the urethane bumper valance is flexible so where the dam is bolted it has a lot of give though the wife must have touched something and there's a small crack in the bottom of the dam but some JB weld and a metal bracket on the back and it's fine. Anyway, the original Camaro dam was also braced from the back with three metal supports bolted to the frame but they'd be useless and would likely make it too stiff. (I bought and returned the brackets just to see if anything could be rigged up) I saw one site that they advertised that theirs was heavy and didn't require braces. At 22 I figured I didn't have much to loose. There are 67-68 and 69 dams. It doesn't matter. One of the bolt holes is in a slightly different position for the 69. The dam has 6 or 7 bolt holes on top. I got some 3/4 wide aluminum strips. The dam is slightly V shaped and I cut the aluminum into 4 pieces. I drilled the aluminum and urethane bumper under the front to match the holes. I put one piece on top of the urethane then the dam under the bumper and then the second strip under the lip of the dam on one side of the V and the same on the other. The sandwich is fastened with 5/8 x 3/4 stainless nuts/bolts and washers. If this one gets broken I may look at the heavier ones.

Here are some of the others:

Camaros and Classics

Browns of Two Rivers

Car Parts Discount

D&R Classic Automotive

1A Auto

Rick's First Generation Camaros

IndyDurango · Dec 30, 2005

Neil said:
I got mine from Firewheel Classics. I hit a lot of web sites and there are of course a lot of Camaro reproduction parts and prices varied.

Here are some of the others:

Car Parts Discount

Neil,
I ordered one from the above link. Three days later they just notified me that the product is on back order for 8-12 weeks! I reordered from one of your other links Camaros and Classics. I'll let you know how it looks with a Westin Safari bar in place also. Thanks for the info!

Big Cypress,
I wouldn't have thought the little OEM flat airdam would have had an impact on your mileage. I'm getting one purely for the looks, so any added MPG increase would be a bonus. Any updates?

IndyDurango

Neil · Dec 30, 2005

Yea but the Safari mounts under the bumper. Your are going to have to notch the dam to fit around the Safari bar.

FSTDANGO3 · Dec 30, 2005

If he sets it up by putting brackets in place first for safari bar then puts on lower spoiler the lower spoiler will sit just in front of safari brackets. Then using a hole saw he can drill 2 holes the diameter of the safari bar thru the spoiler and slide it thru then bolt it into brackets. That would give it a real neat appearance.
Steve
VP
DOC

MOE · Sep 1, 2014

How different was your mileage with the air dam off? Have you come up with any other solutions to the low ground clearance with the air dam installed? I am thinking about buying a 2014 and this air dam is a deal breaker for riding out on the beach. Any advice would be appreciated.

Removed front air dam for improved off-roading

Big Cypress

Attachments

DurangoDude

FSTDANGO3

BigDog

Big Cypress

Big Cypress

Attachments

FSTDANGO3

Neil

FSTDANGO3

Neil

Big Cypress

Neil

IndyDurango

Attachments

Neil

IndyDurango

Neil

IndyDurango

Neil

FSTDANGO3

MOE

Top Contributors this Month

Recommended Communities