Thread: Remove front air dam or not?

Take it somewhere off-road with a really sharp approach angle and it will become a mute point as you will damage it or rip it off anyway.

I removed mine on my D1 very early on. It's also very hot here for most of the year and I never had any temperature related issues.

it helps a little by assisting with air direction while your at speed

you dont really need it when you remove it you will notice a slight increase in the cab temp if you dont run the aircon. if you run the aircon and you really pay attention you will pick up the extra running of the compressor.

get bogged properly or start doing some close in work on the rocky stuff and you'll automatically take off the bits that get in the way.


when you're operaing at low speeds it doesnt do much for you at all.

Thanks for your advice guys... after reading that other thread I just thought I'd ask the question before I took it off.

It hasn't got in the way yet with any approach angles but you're right that it will one of these days. I don't tend to do any serious rock-climbing but a serious bog on the beach or in a desert is on the cards at some stage, so why not get rid of it now

Anyone want a free air damn?

Mine got cut off when I fitted the winch bar, during pre-delivery in 1997, either by the dealer or by ARB.

Still got the car (D1 300TDi) and it's been all over northern Aust in stinking hot weather with no adverse affects.

Makes it a lot easier to attach a proper front recovery point to your chassis too.....

Originally Posted by omvanders

It's been suggested that I remove the front air dam mounted underneath the ARB bar.

One thread on the forum suggests that this increases the operating temp a fair bit, as the air dam helps to create a vacuum and pull air through the radiator.

What do you think?

Here's a pic...

PLUSES :They also look less better without them
and makes servicing easier under the front with out them.

NEGS: If you have any oil leaks they stand out more by passing pootrol and Toyo drivers to have a rib at.
PS Nice conditioned Disco, you haven't suffered the paint peel yet.

PS Nice conditioned Disco, you haven't suffered the paint peel yet.

Oh yes I have... see my post today under "Member's Rides". Just got it back from the paint shop yesterday!

As for the air dam, I took it off this afternoon. I agree that it looks better without it for sure, and functionally it's a whole lot better for the reasons mentioned.

The main reason they are there is to reduce fuel consumptionand hide the works from easily offended eyes. One of the blurbs on the RRC was when they fitted them it gave 1MPG better economy.

On an RRC there is no airflow to the radiator from the vents in the air dam, however I do not know about the D1. The vents in an RRC seem to be so that it does not get ripped off in water crossings.
Regards Philip A

Originally Posted by dm_td5

Take it somewhere off-road with a really sharp approach angle and it will become a mute point as you will damage it or rip it off anyway.

It's not a moot point as to whether it will be mute when it's ripped off!