Bonnet jiggling

Bonnet jiggling

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Discussion

Backseatdriver

Original Poster:

170 posts

236 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
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My bonnet is jiggling around and lifting slightly at the front when at driving at speed. Is there a simple fix for this?

WinstonWolf

72,857 posts

239 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
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Worn rollers or a missing splitter would be my guess.

bluezeeland

1,965 posts

159 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
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WinstonWolf said:
Worn rollers or a missing splitter would be my guess.
Yes, probably, but never mind that: how gets one to +60K posts in 127 months ??? spin

WinstonWolf

72,857 posts

239 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
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Work in IT. I get paid for watching blue bars going from left to right...

bluezeeland

1,965 posts

159 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
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Ah, that explains !

Backseatdriver

Original Poster:

170 posts

236 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
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Thanks for that, what do you mean by a splitter, also can new rollers be purchased from anywhere.

Barreti

6,680 posts

237 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
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Don't be so quick to jump in and buy new rollers.
Have you had a look at the slots they run in?

My rollers are in decent nick, its the GRP which has a slight groove worn in it where the rollers naturally sit, and this allows the rollers to lift with the air pressure at speed, making it look like its flapping about.

If you google GRIFFITH SPLITTER you will find loads of discussions on it.
here is one to get you started
http://www.pistonheads.com/GASSING/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Edited by Barreti on Thursday 18th December 17:16

bluezeeland

1,965 posts

159 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
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Baretti is right, the rollers proper, their apertures, the 'rail' where they sit + protective 'tape' in the rail all get worn over time, hence some play in it, check all and repair/replace as necessary

Daggsy

892 posts

252 months

Friday 19th December 2014
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Same thing happened to me with 92 Pre cat.

Never had splitter fitted by all accounts so fitted an alloy splitter made by a local TVRCC Tees Valley Region member who fabricates allot bits for Chims.

Cured bonnet lift. driving

Pete Mac

755 posts

137 months

Friday 19th December 2014
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Backseatdriver said:
My bonnet is jiggling around and lifting slightly at the front when at driving at speed. Is there a simple fix for this?
The previous owner put Velcro tape on the GRP guide/runner, that has been quite effective and is easily replaced. Having said that, at speed the bonnet does a bit of jiggling, mainly because the whole fixing is very imprecise.

As for the splitter, I can't comment whether that will help but I have two knocking about, which you are welcome to take a copy from. They are only bent aluminium plate. Both my Griffs have the splitter removed. Pete

bluezeeland

1,965 posts

159 months

Friday 19th December 2014
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It would probably take an aerodynamisist to explain the actual working/action of the air-dam, but the way I see it, is that the dam creates a pressure ahead of it, forcing air thru the rad, which gets expelled via the bonnet gap/outlet, which in turn creates a slight underpressure in the engine bay keeping it cool(ish) and holding the bonnet down ?

PeteGriff

1,262 posts

157 months

Friday 19th December 2014
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Backseatdriver said:
Thanks for that, what do you mean by a splitter, also can new rollers be purchased from anywhere.
Hi Backseatdriver, PM me, I have some spare splitters from a batch I had made last year when I supplied our local TVRCC group (Griff & Chim). My design, works really well on my Griff, also improved my cooling! Regards, Pete

V8 GRF

7,294 posts

210 months

Friday 19th December 2014
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bluezeeland said:
It would probably take an aerodynamisist to explain the actual working/action of the air-dam, but the way I see it, is that the dam creates a pressure ahead of it, forcing air thru the rad, which gets expelled via the bonnet gap/outlet, which in turn creates a slight underpressure in the engine bay keeping it cool(ish) and holding the bonnet down ?
Actually it's the opposite. It creates an area of negative air pressure in the area behind the radiator and as a result draws air through the radiator, which is expelled both over and under the bonnet. Cooling was the primary function of the splitter but the negative air pressure has the added benefit of pulling the bonnet down.

It works as I've driven many miles both with and without the splitter and when it's missing the bonnet flutters at motorway speeds and doesn't when its fitted.

bluezeeland

1,965 posts

159 months

Friday 19th December 2014
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V8 GRF said:
bluezeeland said:
It would probably take an aerodynamisist to explain the actual working/action of the air-dam, but the way I see it, is that the dam creates a pressure ahead of it, forcing air thru the rad, which gets expelled via the bonnet gap/outlet, which in turn creates a slight underpressure in the engine bay keeping it cool(ish) and holding the bonnet down ?
Actually it's the opposite. It creates an area of negative air pressure in the area behind the radiator and as a result draws air through the radiator, which is expelled both over and under the bonnet. Cooling was the primary function of the splitter but the negative air pressure has the added benefit of pulling the bonnet down.

It works as I've driven many miles both with and without the splitter and when it's missing the bonnet flutters at motorway speeds and doesn't when its fitted.
Hi David,

ah, I see !

For some reason I've always found aerodynamics fascinating...

What you're saying is more or less the same principle applies as with a rear spoiler, creating down-force or an ailleron on a plane creating uplift ?

When I was on the hunt for a Griff, one of them had this bonnet vents (a la Chim) but aren't they then negating the effect of the splitter ?

Would it be possible to vent the warm air from the engine bay, for instance thru a double venturi under the car ?

Frank

(@OP, sorry for the partial hyjack...)

V8 GRF

7,294 posts

210 months

Friday 19th December 2014
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bluezeeland said:
What you're saying is more or less the same principle applies as with a rear spoiler, creating down-force or an ailleron on a plane creating uplift ?

When I was on the hunt for a Griff, one of them had this bonnet vents (a la Chim) but aren't they then negating the effect of the splitter ?

Would it be possible to vent the warm air from the engine bay, for instance thru a double venturi under the car ?
Yes I guess it's an upside down 'Gurney flap' in effect. I've never liked calling it a splitter as it doesn't perform the same function which obviously is to 'split' airflow.

I believe the area created is actually quite small and localised so I'm not sure the effect is spoilt by the bonnet vents. I think you'd need to complex panels to duct the air away and as the exhausts are in the way I think you'd struggle to do anything worthwhile and it's probably not a good idea to introduce extra air under the car at the front as that can lead to instability.

stevesprint

1,114 posts

179 months

Saturday 20th December 2014
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From personal experience the bonnet vents and splitter work extremely well together and made a dramatic improvement to the cooling on my precat, it’s very noticeable that my cooling fans now run a lot less. I wouldn’t of thought the improvements would be so noticeable on a 500 with the opened up front end but I do now consider them essential on a precat.

V8 GRF said:
Yes I guess it's an upside down 'Gurney flap' in effect.
That sounds worrying as an upside down 'Gurney flap' would create lift that can cause instability so I’m pleased to hear you go on to say its
V8 GRF said:
I believe the area created is actually quite small and localised
Therefore I would suggest an aluminium splitter so you can bend it up to limit its effect and also suit your local speed ramps, I can also confirm the vents and splitter together didn’t cause any “Bonnet jiggling”.

V8 GRF

7,294 posts

210 months

Saturday 20th December 2014
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stevesprint said:
V8 GRF said:
Yes I guess it's an upside down 'Gurney flap' in effect.
That sounds worrying as an upside down 'Gurney flap' would create lift that can cause instability so I’m pleased to hear you go on to say its
V8 GRF said:
I believe the area created is actually quite small and localised
Therefore I would suggest an aluminium splitter so you can bend it up to limit its effect and also suit your local speed ramps, I can also confirm the vents and splitter together didn’t cause any “Bonnet jiggling”.
Gurney flap was the best description of it I could think of but it clearly isn't as that would be a 90degree protrusion, also from how I understand it functions I believe it would only create lift in conjunction with an aerofoil section. As it's mounted at the back of a flat surface I believe it only slows and deflects the air enough to create the swirl required to create the area of negative pressure in the space that opens up inside the chassis behind the flap and the radiator.

The fact that the one as fitted by the factory is also aluminium and has a quite shallow angle would bear out your last comment.

WinstonWolf

72,857 posts

239 months

Saturday 20th December 2014
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My splitters is rubber, I'll take the Pepsi challenge over an aluminium one every time biggrin

bluezeeland

1,965 posts

159 months

Monday 22nd December 2014
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stevesprint said:
From personal experience the bonnet vents and splitter work extremely well together and made a dramatic improvement to the cooling on my precat, it’s very noticeable that my cooling fans now run a lot less. I wouldn’t of thought the improvements would be so noticeable on a 500 with the opened up front end but I do now consider them essential on a precat.
Thanks for sharing that ! Will consider installing one then..

bluezeeland

1,965 posts

159 months

Monday 22nd December 2014
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WinstonWolf said:
My splitters is rubber, I'll take the Pepsi challenge over an aluminium one every time biggrin
Could we have a pic of it, please ? Also what is the source/maker/what composition/flex ?

cheers

Frank