There is a debate among my friends and family about whether this idea will work. I won't call it mine since I'm sure alot of people have had this same question before.

It has to do with the principle behind the golf ball dimple and how it improves the aerodynamics of the ball. The idea (or myth) is will the same type of idea with dimples when applied to, say, the body of a car or race car reduce drag and improve aerodynamics.

Only a few have agreed with me that it will. The theory began to take shape when I saw the MB show where they tested gas mileage on two pickup trucks: one with tailgate up, one down. If you will remember the diagram they showed that proved why the tailgate up worked, it was simply a macro version of what happens with the dimples of a golf ball.

I don't pretend to know how big to make the dimples on the car, or where to place them, or if they should be scattered all over the car.

If anyone has any experience in this area, PLEASE feel free to debunk this!

Thank you!

I found an article posted tonight on a gadget-type website, which is a real-life manifestation of this very idea.

There is a new product called "FastSkinz", featured by a company called SkinWraps, Inc.
They claim to boost fuel mileage by 18-20% for vehicles with traditional engines and 20-25% for hybrid and other electric-powered vehicles.

They claim this is achieved through the use their special dimpled vehicle wrap material they refer to as "MPG-Plus".

Source: http://www.fastskinz.com/

I found this explanation of Golf Ball Dimples & Drag that will help you understand how dimples reduce drag. It indicated that dimples only 'work well on blunt bodies'.

I don't know how effective dimples would be on cars. Cars are more streamlined than they used to be. It sounds plausible.
Edited by Nanomyth 12:23 AM.

Might work for some cars, but I doubt it works as well as advertised. They probably got their numbers by testing it on the bus, or something else equally rectangular.

I don't think it even works quite as well for the golf ball, because there is another reason for dimples on the golf balls. It allows spinning ball to drag air around it a little better, which, with a backward spin you normally get with a stroke, generates lift. It allows you to send the ball at a shallower angle for the same hang time, which gives the ball greater ground speed, and therefore, greater distance. This is something you won't get with a car.

Dimples work for specific shapes traveling at specific speeds. As mentioned, that shape is spherical and that speed is that of a typical golf drive.

Same thing with the fuzz on a tennis ball. it works for typical tennis speeds, but once you get outside those speeds...

Once you get out of that shape and speed, the dimples are actually counter-productive. So, no they would not help a car.

I had a car that was hail damaged , it did not save me any fuel whatsoever.

quote:

Originally posted by Pennsyjohn:
I had a car that was hail damaged , it did not save me any fuel whatsoever.

We need more replies like this one on the board.