Taking The Plunge

[Bill D]

I picked up my new air deflector for the front of the Hawk. I had it personally stylized to go with the whole idea of over landing. The cost was negligible at $190 for the aluminum and the print. I'm gonna use my already existing Yakima bar and faring mounts with a little Foospa magic to get it to fit right.

Cool. It would be nice to see a profile shot as well.
I think the logo is pretty awesome. It certainly helps break up the look of a big white deflector.

 

[billharr]

Looks great I like the logo.


Bill

 

[100acrehuphalump]

Any reason why you didn't mount the panel next to each other (instead of end to end)?

Somewhere in my original order for my Hawk someone forgot to install my front vent. I'm planning on coming through California this summer and stopping by the FWC factory to have it installed. Since the other vent is more on the drivers side and not centered on the roof that I'd leave the obvious spot open for them to install it. I probably should've moved the panels out and away from the Yakima tracks too, but my brain is functioning half asre these days. I'm getting ready to leave for my next big trip in a couple of days. First to the OV. Expo just south of Flagstaff. Then all points beyond.

 

[100acrehuphalump]

Thanks Bill and Bill, I'm not done with the install. I'm attaching some aluminum angle on the back side for more rigid support and making four bumpstops to keep the edge of the faring off of the camper. I'll finish it tomorrow and post more pix. I'm just so exhausted I had to stop for the day before making any big errors I'd regret

 

[100acrehuphalump]

If anyone is interested I had the deflector made at Fast Signs. Whom I believe have locations all over the country.

 

[100acrehuphalump]

The deflector is installed and travels well, I've already noticed a slight increase in mileage and the wind noise has been reduced dramatically. Here are some pix of the back frame I used to make it rigid. The black plastic things are what Yakima supplies when you buy their faring, and I used them to show me where the holes were to be drilled. Always drill into the front it creates more of a mess on the opposite side, and if possible bang a tiny starter hole to keep the bit in one place.. It ain't perfect by any means but it will suffice for now. As I drive it leans against the the gas lifts. I'm gonna add some threshold material against the back to reduce rubbing and wear. When I'm in camp and about to set up, I'll use a piece of 2x4 that I cut a 45* at one end to slightly lift and it pushes the deflector forward a inch to clear the gas lifts. I also had to shorten the bolts in the last picture as they were just too long and would've scratched my cab. I'll post up some front and rear mounted pix tomorrow.

 

[DrJ]

I really like the job you did with that 100acre. I've wanted to do one of those for a while, but never got around to it.
I'd love to see it next week at Overland Expo.
I guess I'll just look for the really tall guy with the cool wind fairing?
How many of those could be there?

 

[100acrehuphalump]

I'll be wearing my Gnome hat.

 

[100acrehuphalump]

More pix mounted. Again the 2x4 will be removed for traveling and installed for setting up the camper top. I'll do it this way until I have time to make some nice bumpstops instead. Leaving tomorrow, so my time is very limited.

 

[takesiteasy]

Looks good- thanks for the write-up!

 

[Happyjax]

Nice job on that fairing!

 

[100acrehuphalump]

Thanks to everyone for the kind words.

 

[Advmoto18]

100, excellent craftsmanship! Did you get some pre-install mpg numbers to use for comparison?

 

[100acrehuphalump]

I was getting around 12.5-13 mpg. Today with the faring I got an avg of 15-16 mpg and yesterday coming down off the Cumberland Plateau I got a crazy 18.6.

 

[Advmoto18]

I posted 18.9 coming down US 60 into Socorro.

Dan I ended up diverting south at Moriarity the other day. The weather looked nasty to the north.

Yet, where camped last night in Black Mesa District got 2" of snow from that storm. Nice but COLD here now.

May head down lower elevation in the red rocks today or tomorrow.

 

[100acrehuphalump]

I just barely pulled into Bluewater State Park on the other side of Grant, New Mexico. Having a bad wheat intolerance issue. I'm 5 or so hours away from the expo.

 

[Bill D]

Hopefully you get well soon.

 

[100acrehuphalump]

I made it. Don't feel all that great but I'm here. I'm gonna volunteer so I'm parked in the staff parking area.

 

[Stalking Light]

Was that you working in the Oasis tent today? Whoever it was was tall enough.