Wheel Covers

[Rick Iverson]

Gents;

After a long hiatus, I understand the FIA will allow 2022 F1 cars to be equipped with outboard wheel covers. And I seem to recall Dave Weitzenhoff had them at one time. Pros and cons?

[DaveW]

Yeah, I vaguely remember running wheel covers for a while way back in the FF days ('80's, IIRC). I don't remember whether they were worth the effort and complication. Theoretically I think properly done they'd cut drag but maybe compromise brake cooling. If I did anything like that now, I'd want some actual data on what they would do on our cars.

[Offcamber1]

Spinners.

[DanW]

Yeah, I vaguely remember running wheel covers for a while way back in the FF days ('80's, IIRC). I don't remember whether they were worth the effort and complication. Theoretically I think properly done they'd cut drag but maybe compromise brake cooling. If I did anything like that now, I'd want some actual data on what they would do on our cars.

Dave,
Didn't you have a set of modular wheels with aero outer elements for your FC about 10 years ago?

Regards,
Dan

[Garey Guzman]

The only wheel covers I ever remember were on the Vestal FF, although I never saw them in person.

[Charles Warner]

I believe Derek Harling designed wheel covers (fenders) for his F3000 so he could run enduros in a prototype class. He monitors this site. Stand by.

[John Nesbitt]

The only wheel covers I ever remember were on the Vestal FF, although I never saw them in person.

I was gridded next to a Vestal at (?) VIR once. Very distinctive wheels. No idea whether it improved the aerodynamics to any useful degree.

The valve stems were exposed to the air stream, and vulnerable to a slight side-to-side contact.

But doing that would be wrong, of course.

[reidhazelton]

I think Louis Cooper III had them on his VD FF for a while too. Jongbloed made them. I think these were the same Bill Kephart ran and Dave had on his FC.

[DaveW]

Dave,
Didn't you have a set of modular wheels with aero outer elements for your FC about 10 years ago?

Regards,
Dan

Yes, I did. John LaRue had contacted me that Bill Jongbloed was going to make some, and convinced me to also buy some to reduce their unit cost. I thought they would possibly provide some advantage at Road America, etc.

They were somewhat heavier than my regular wheels and were a big PITA to mount tires on. I think they did provide some benefit once I reduced the inner vent hole size to reduce their centrifugal fan action that had increased their drag. The benefit was not worth the hassle with tire mounting, setting and checking pressures (recessed valve stems), etc., so I wound up almost giving them away.

[Raceworks]

The problem in an open-wheel car is that about 70% of the total drag is those spinning tires themselves. That's why a comparable sports-racer will have much lower overall drag than a formula car in spite of the the greater total frontal area.

When I first started racing in the 1990's in Improved Touring some of those guys experimented with wheel covers at Road Atlanta. They stopped using them when they re-did Turn 10/11 because they'd fry their brakes halfway through a 20-lap race.

On any car, the brakes will have trouble keeping cool with wheel covers, so if you have a track that has a heavy braking zone you'll need to add ducting (and drag) or deal with diminished braking capability and a possible failure late-race. Either way you're adding a lot of complexity for marginal gains.

[Bernard Bradpiece]

Either way you're adding a lot of complexity for marginal gains.

Sam,
When has that ever stopped us from spending money?

BB

[Rick Iverson]

The problem in an open-wheel car is that about 70% of the total drag is those spinning tires themselves. That's why a comparable sports-racer will have much lower overall drag than a formula car in spite of the the greater total frontal area.

When I first started racing in the 1990's in Improved Touring some of those guys experimented with wheel covers at Road Atlanta. They stopped using them when they re-did Turn 10/11 because they'd fry their brakes halfway through a 20-lap race.

On any car, the brakes will have trouble keeping cool with wheel covers, so if you have a track that has a heavy braking zone you'll need to add ducting (and drag) or deal with diminished braking capability and a possible failure late-race. Either way you're adding a lot of complexity for marginal gains.

OK, what about louvers?

[mikey]

I believe Derek Harling designed wheel covers (fenders) for his F3000 so he could run enduros in a prototype class. He monitors this site. Stand by.

he did. I own the car now but I wasn't interested in the "fenders" so I left them with Derek.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/27666849@N04/12571378844

https://www.flickriver.com/photos/ja...z/14449598525/

https://www.itracing.net/image/54947261354

https://www.motorsport.com/vintage/p...rek-4/1056646/

[tlracer]

Reynard made F3 'aero' wheels in 89/90 with a flat outer face and a ring of louvres for brake cooling.

[Rick Iverson]

Reynard made F3 'aero' wheels in 89/90 with a flat outer face and a ring of louvres for brake cooling.

That’s what I am talking about

[Rick Iverson]