Front Spoiler
Front Spoiler
Author
Discussion

TJS10

Original Poster:

646 posts

230 months

Saturday 4th July 2009
quotequote all
The initial message was deleted from this topic on 27 January 2021 at 13:15

Englishman

2,253 posts

239 months

Saturday 4th July 2009
quotequote all
Mine was removed earlier this year by a dead furry thing. I didn't notice any difference in temperatures but did find the front less planted than usual at anything over ~60mph. So I fitted a replacement metal one as per original.

HRG.

72,863 posts

268 months

Saturday 4th July 2009
quotequote all
Mine runs ten degrees cooler and is far more planted above the ton with it on. Wouldn't run without one now.

HRG.

72,863 posts

268 months

Sunday 5th July 2009
quotequote all
Most people just use self tappers.

moorcroft

106 posts

219 months

Sunday 5th July 2009
quotequote all
Has anyone got any pictures which show the best location for the spoiler??? Im still considering doing this myself. Can they be seen when looking at the front of the car?

HRG.

72,863 posts

268 months

LordGrover

34,165 posts

241 months

Monday 6th July 2009
quotequote all
Last week I fitted one of these supplied by lewis_sharman. It certainly made an improvement to stability at motorway speeds but didn't notice any difference to the temperature gauge.
It lasted nearly 100 miles before it got bent to feck on the first road hump. I'm guessing two minutes with the mole grips will straighten it out again.

HRG.

72,863 posts

268 months

Monday 6th July 2009
quotequote all
Rubber is your friend wink

Del 203

12,728 posts

278 months

Monday 6th July 2009
quotequote all
LordGrover said:
It lasted nearly 100 miles before it got bent to feck on the first road hump.
You need a hinged one wink



HTH

HRG.

72,863 posts

268 months

Monday 6th July 2009
quotequote all
Nah, we mashed mine flat during the MOT and it just sprang straight back into place. biggrin

Del 203

12,728 posts

278 months

Monday 6th July 2009
quotequote all
HRG. said:
Nah, we mashed mine flat during the MOT and it just sprang straight back into place. biggrin
I know it wont worry many but lowered = -5 to -7mph top end frown obviously only concerned me at Vmax smile

The Red Baron

299 posts

212 months

Monday 6th July 2009
quotequote all








I fixed it at the leading edge of the flat panel under the nose using self-tapping screws, rather than at the back, which I believe was the original place. Its fibreglass.
I thought perhaps it would force more air up into the face of the radiator (to aid cooling) and create a low-pressure area behind to increase downforce.

I've seen a reduction of maybe 5 degrees in temp. I find that its driving at low speeds that pushes the temp up, but higher speeds it has always been stable at a lower temp, even before I added the spoiler. As for handling; it did seem to sit a little heavier at the front above 100 than before. Although I got a more noticable improvement by getting the wheels aligned and balanced! So far I've not had a problem with it hitting or scrapping speed bumps, but it did touch the road once when I was under heavy brakes into a corner and hit a dip in the road. Seems to have survived ok though.

Because its further forward it is visible when looking at the front of the car. But I quite like the look. Would re-fix it in the original place and compare, but I think the original one was forcably ripped off and has damaged the area and there's no secure fitting.


Hope this helps.

lewis_sharman

5,956 posts

220 months

Tuesday 7th July 2009
quotequote all
LordGrover said:
Last week I fitted one of these supplied by lewis_sharman. It certainly made an improvement to stability at motorway speeds but didn't notice any difference to the temperature gauge.
It lasted nearly 100 miles before it got bent to feck on the first road hump. I'm guessing two minutes with the mole grips will straighten it out again.
Glad you got it sorted Grover thumbup

If it makes you feel any better i mashed mine up last week on a dead fox laying in the middle of the road hurl

It will be coming off tonight to get straightened in the vice.

TBH though, at least it did what i wanted, and bent rather than rip the self tappers out. Silver lining and all that.

TJS10

Original Poster:

646 posts

230 months

Friday 17th July 2009
quotequote all
Job done, new spoiler fiitted.

There was evidence of a least 2 spoliers previously fitted given the 10 screw holes. The new one was mounted towards the front of the car (maybe 2 inches behind that on The Red Barons car). Initial findings show the temperature down by 5 to 7 degrees to the low 80s with the car cooling much quicker after standing in traffic. Slightly more stable handling ?? Hard to tell as the traffic was heavy and no more than 70 mph.

TJS


The Red Baron

299 posts

212 months

Saturday 18th July 2009
quotequote all
TJS10 - where did you fix yours in the end; towards the front or rearwards in its original position? I ask only for a comparison to mine, particularly the temperature. At the moment, I'm struggling to keep my temp guage lower than 90. The fans work fine and it never goes above 90, and given the ambient temp has been 35 degrees plus recently, I'm not surprised its high. I don't think it's a problem but when the needle is stuck on 90 I tend to watch it like a hawk and it becomes a distraction. Perhaps I should try moving the spoiler further back to see if that makes any difference.

HRG.

72,863 posts

268 months

Saturday 18th July 2009
quotequote all
The objective is to force the air to travel further and hence reduce it's pressure.It will be most effective in this sat at the rearmost point of the nose section.

Basically air that's passing through the radiator has to travel faster to fill the void created so it improves the cooling. It also helps to vacate the air cushion that builds up under the bonnet and reduce lift at speed.

TJS10

Original Poster:

646 posts

230 months

Saturday 18th July 2009
quotequote all
TRB

The rear lip of the spoiler is 5 cms from the rear edge of the nose section. There were too many screw holes from what looks like 2 earlier spoilers so we moved the new one forward, but It is not as far forward as yours.

The impact on the cooling surprised me. Before fitting the temp was a constant 88 / 90 whilst at 75 mph on an open road, the fans would kick in quickly in slow moving (2nd gear) traffic. After fitting, the gauge showed 80 /85 on a similar open road. I stopped in a garage and let the temps rise to 90 + until the fans kicked in. The temp was showing low 80s within 10 minutes of subsequent open road driving.


clive f

7,259 posts

262 months

Saturday 18th July 2009
quotequote all
HRG. said:
The objective is to force the air to travel further and hence reduce it's pressure.It will be most effective in this sat at the rearmost point of the nose section.
sorry, but I dont understand this bit, the air in front of the rad, whilst driving, is a well know high pressure area, so I dont qite grasp your objective of trying to "force the air to travel further and hence reduce its pressure" by having the splitter at the rear of the nose section, surely its main reason for being in this place is beacause its closer to the wheels so a greater clearance for going over speed bumps ect.surely it would be much more effective right under the rad if you could get away with it?

HRG.

72,863 posts

268 months

Saturday 18th July 2009
quotequote all
The wheels and clearance thing is a bonus biggrin

My understanding is that by placing the splitter well back it creates low pressure area behind and more importantly below the rad. This works in two ways.

The low pressure area below and behind the rad has to be filled (I can remember "nature abhors a vacuum" from my school days). This is achieved in two ways. The air that is passing through the rad moves faster and at the same time the cushion of air that sits near the bulkhead is reduced as it rushes forward.

I think it's these two effects that reduce lift and temp at the same time. I don't think any air dam effect counts in this particular design.

I'll try and get a decent pic of mine when I'm in the garage this afternoon.



BTW: You owe me a week of my life, I liked your white garage so much I did it myself biggrin

spend

12,581 posts

280 months

Saturday 18th July 2009
quotequote all
Think of the pressure 'bubble' not a water jet and it may make more sense?