I've tried to find info, but nothing that gives a crystal clear idea of their design. I know that they speed up the air to result in less pressure/downforce, but I'm not sure whether they narrow vertically, or if they all have an upside down wing-thing going on the inside roof of the tunnel...
Some notes: The OEM 1/8" thick plate weighs 6 lbs, the aftermarket 1/4" Al plate is claimed to weigh 13 lbs.
The lettering is painted, not machined into the aftermarket plate. When the vendor described the plate as 'CNC' I assumed the lettering had been carved into the Al plate. Now I...
Well, I'll be dipped. With 1/3 the elasticity of steel, just doubling the thickness makes it that much stronger...
So basically, for simple comparison sake, it's 2.5x stronger, or 4 x stronger?
Even so, I think the lettering carved into it and two sided (instead of four sided) mounting...
It might be the same effect as boundary layer interrupt slots on airplane wings that vent a little just in front of the area of boundary layer separation. Disturbing that enough to keep the airflow attached rather than having it curl off and create lift.
Same as properly placed riblets, dimple...
The 1/16" reference was saying if aluminum needs 1.5x the thickness of steel to have equal strength...which means 3/16" aluminum just to = the strength 1/8" mild steel piece. Then the 1/4" aluminum piece is only 1/16" thicker than that(!). So how much of a change/gain has been accomplished...
A Viper performance shop is claiming that by going from 1/8" mild steel, to 1/4" aluminum for the 15"w x 30"long underbody plate that comes on most if not all 1992-2002 Vipers that
"Our pan will increase the stiffness and rigidity of your frame "
and
"The big picture for us is frame flex...
