Dear Tom and Ray:
So the air dam on my '91 Chevy C1500 has taken a beating and is starting to come off. Rather than try to rig it back on or replace it, I want to simply remove it and be done with it. The truck is my only vehicle, used primarily for driving to and from work. However, I do take it "off road" on a farm from time to time, even though it has two-wheel drive, and that is where the damage comes from. I've been warned that the air dam is not simply a cosmetic piece but that it serves several functions for the truck. I'd love to get some advice on the pros and cons of not having one. Thanks!
-- Brad
Tom: You can tear it off, Brad.
Ray: It has three purposes. One is cosmetic, but I'm guessing that's not a major concern on a 1991 truck that you use on a farm.
Tom:The second purpose is that it decreases the turbulence of the air that goes under the truck as you drive, and therefore helps to increase the mileage a little bit -- a very little bit. The dents in the side of the truck probably are doing more, these days, to disrupt your air flow and mileage than a missing air dam would.
Ray:The air dam's third purpose is to fall off after about 80,000 miles and create a road hazard.
Tom: In case you're interested, it would cost you about 14 bucks to buy a new one on the Internet. But I'm guessing you'd rather invest that in half a tank of gas these days, and you can do so with our blessing, Brad.
(Car Talk is a nationally syndicated column by automotive experts (and brothers) Tom and Ray Magliozzi. Write to them at the Car Talk Web site.)
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