Front Splitter
Discussion
BritishTvr450 said:
I remember years ago there was mention that the TVR splitter was really designed ( if that’s what you can call it ) to create a low pressure zone so air wouldn’t go up into engine bay possibly resulting in forcing the bonnet upwards,
I can well believe this. A bodge to fix a bodge! Let's be honest the whole bonnet hinge and mechanism is crap. I'd dearly love to find the right gas struts and re-engineer the front hinges but alas will have to wait til after the LS has gone in and I've engineered a folding roof.
So expect a solution some time in 2036....!
debaron said:
I can well believe this. A bodge to fix a bodge!
Let's be honest the whole bonnet hinge and mechanism is crap. I'd dearly love to find the right gas struts and re-engineer the front hinges but alas will have to wait til after the LS has gone in and I've engineered a folding roof.
So expect a solution some time in 2036....!
Let's be honest the whole bonnet hinge and mechanism is crap. I'd dearly love to find the right gas struts and re-engineer the front hinges but alas will have to wait til after the LS has gone in and I've engineered a folding roof.
So expect a solution some time in 2036....!
I was flabbergasted and breath taken by that first paragraph then fell back to earth by the second.
I haven’t had a chance to take it out properly yet, but hope to do so this coming week. I’ll certainly report back.
I didn’t have the original splitter on, though there are two holes on the underside of the nose that could have been that splitter at some point.
Therefore I’m hoping there will be a notable difference.
I’ll report back once I’ve had a run out.
I didn’t have the original splitter on, though there are two holes on the underside of the nose that could have been that splitter at some point.
Therefore I’m hoping there will be a notable difference.
I’ll report back once I’ve had a run out.
Well, there's a chance I was willing it to succeed as an effect, but I thought the car felt more planted once I got to around 80-110 leptons this morning.
No difference whatsoever below that sort of velocity, but that's what I think we all expected.
It also went over a couple of speed bumps and a couple of annoying driveway-into-road angles without crunch.
So far so good.
For a cheap mod, and if you like the look, it's quite nice.
Feels like a real racing car now
No difference whatsoever below that sort of velocity, but that's what I think we all expected.
It also went over a couple of speed bumps and a couple of annoying driveway-into-road angles without crunch.
So far so good.
For a cheap mod, and if you like the look, it's quite nice.
Feels like a real racing car now
My car definitely feels more planted at track day speeds with the TVR splitter fiitted well back under the front of the car.
It does create a low pressure area under the engine bay, which pulls the bonnet down, and also helps to draw air through the radiator and assist with cooling.
Back in the day I didn't have a splitter fitted. I did a track day at RAF Marham (somebody on this thread might remember that day
), and my bonnet popped open at 135 mph. It just opened 6 inches, that's all. No real drama, though a quick check of the undercrackers in the pits was required.
It does create a low pressure area under the engine bay, which pulls the bonnet down, and also helps to draw air through the radiator and assist with cooling.
Back in the day I didn't have a splitter fitted. I did a track day at RAF Marham (somebody on this thread might remember that day
), and my bonnet popped open at 135 mph. It just opened 6 inches, that's all. No real drama, though a quick check of the undercrackers in the pits was required.QBee said:
My car definitely feels more planted at track day speeds with the TVR splitter fiitted well back under the front of the car.
It does create a low pressure area under the engine bay, which pulls the bonnet down, and also helps to draw air through the radiator and assist with cooling.
Back in the day I didn't have a splitter fitted. I did a track day at RAF Marham (somebody on this thread might remember that day ), and my bonnet popped open at 135 mph. It just opened 6 inches, that's all. No real drama, though a quick check of the undercrackers in the pits was required.
yikes!It does create a low pressure area under the engine bay, which pulls the bonnet down, and also helps to draw air through the radiator and assist with cooling.
Back in the day I didn't have a splitter fitted. I did a track day at RAF Marham (somebody on this thread might remember that day
), and my bonnet popped open at 135 mph. It just opened 6 inches, that's all. No real drama, though a quick check of the undercrackers in the pits was required.QBee said:
My car definitely feels more planted at track day speeds with the TVR splitter fiitted well back under the front of the car.
It does create a low pressure area under the engine bay, which pulls the bonnet down, and also helps to draw air through the radiator and assist with cooling.
Back in the day I didn't have a splitter fitted. I did a track day at RAF Marham (somebody on this thread might remember that day ), and my bonnet popped open at 135 mph. It just opened 6 inches, that's all. No real drama, though a quick check of the undercrackers in the pits was required.
It does create a low pressure area under the engine bay, which pulls the bonnet down, and also helps to draw air through the radiator and assist with cooling.
Back in the day I didn't have a splitter fitted. I did a track day at RAF Marham (somebody on this thread might remember that day
), and my bonnet popped open at 135 mph. It just opened 6 inches, that's all. No real drama, though a quick check of the undercrackers in the pits was required.I remember that weekend fondly.
Seems everytime I had a good time you had car issues which was very unfortunate.
I also remember Hethel with great fondness having treaded a path round Lotus test track with a mind to the Colin Chapman days and his great drivers who must have also pushed hard there.
You had issues getting there I seem to remember but in true Qbee fashion you never gave up and still managed to arrive.
Great days
And yes any splitter helps keep the nose to the floor and stop that floating effect.
I did over 150 mph at Marham due to a nice BMW offering me a toe until he hit the limiter….. so I overtook him, both of us smiling.
On the CUX too
Doms engine only had a few K on it at the time, must have helped bed it in as it’s still brilliant
BritishTvr450 said:
QBee said:
My car definitely feels more planted at track day speeds with the TVR splitter fiitted well back under the front of the car.
It does create a low pressure area under the engine bay, which pulls the bonnet down, and also helps to draw air through the radiator and assist with cooling.
Back in the day I didn't have a splitter fitted. I did a track day at RAF Marham (somebody on this thread might remember that day ), and my bonnet popped open at 135 mph. It just opened 6 inches, that's all. No real drama, though a quick check of the undercrackers in the pits was required.
It does create a low pressure area under the engine bay, which pulls the bonnet down, and also helps to draw air through the radiator and assist with cooling.
Back in the day I didn't have a splitter fitted. I did a track day at RAF Marham (somebody on this thread might remember that day
), and my bonnet popped open at 135 mph. It just opened 6 inches, that's all. No real drama, though a quick check of the undercrackers in the pits was required.I remember that weekend fondly.
Seems everytime I had a good time you had car issues which was very unfortunate.
I also remember Hethel with great fondness having treaded a path round Lotus test track with a mind to the Colin Chapman days and his great drivers who must have also pushed hard there.
You had issues getting there I seem to remember but in true Qbee fashion you never gave up and still managed to arrive.
Great days
And yes any splitter helps keep the nose to the floor and stop that floating effect.
I did over 150 mph at Marham due to a nice BMW offering me a toe until he hit the limiter….. so I overtook him, both of us smiling.
On the CUX too
Doms engine only had a few K on it at the time, must have helped bed it in as it’s still brilliant
On one Marham weekend I had the 100 amp fuse fail, and only realised when the engine cut out completely in a tight right hander and spun me out through the cones. I made the rest of the day thanks to zipping over the Mat Smith's establishment and getting another fuse, which Alex changed for me, lying on his back under the car. And then at the start of the second day I discovered that my radiator was weeing coolant onto the concrete. A stone had punctured it.
The Hethel issue was a trailer problem - I got all loaded up, ready to go, managed about 5 miles of the A17 and the left hand wheel of the (single axle) trailer overtook me.
Found the wheel, cracked out the tools and put it back on, drove home, unloaded the car and drove to Hethel in the TVR.I arrived in the middle of the world's longest and most boring briefing, so didn't miss any thing important. Great day, baking hot sunshine, quite a few TVRs there as I remember it.
QBee said:
Yes, fond memories.
On one Marham weekend I had the 100 amp fuse fail, and only realised when the engine cut out completely in a tight right hander and spun me out through the cones. I made the rest of the day thanks to zipping over the Mat Smith's establishment and getting another fuse, which Alex changed for me, lying on his back under the car. And then at the start of the second day I discovered that my radiator was weeing coolant onto the concrete. A stone had punctured it.
The Hethel issue was a trailer problem - I got all loaded up, ready to go, managed about 5 miles of the A17 and the left hand wheel of the (single axle) trailer overtook me. Found the wheel, cracked out the tools and put it back on, drove home, unloaded the car and drove to Hethel in the TVR.
I arrived in the middle of the world's longest and most boring briefing, so didn't miss any thing important. Great day, baking hot sunshine, quite a few TVRs there as I remember it.
Haha, yes that was it. Bloody trailer wheel. The Tvr got there though.On one Marham weekend I had the 100 amp fuse fail, and only realised when the engine cut out completely in a tight right hander and spun me out through the cones. I made the rest of the day thanks to zipping over the Mat Smith's establishment and getting another fuse, which Alex changed for me, lying on his back under the car. And then at the start of the second day I discovered that my radiator was weeing coolant onto the concrete. A stone had punctured it.
The Hethel issue was a trailer problem - I got all loaded up, ready to go, managed about 5 miles of the A17 and the left hand wheel of the (single axle) trailer overtook me.
Found the wheel, cracked out the tools and put it back on, drove home, unloaded the car and drove to Hethel in the TVR.I arrived in the middle of the world's longest and most boring briefing, so didn't miss any thing important. Great day, baking hot sunshine, quite a few TVRs there as I remember it.
A really long winded briefing.
I remember coming past you on the opposite side of the track at Marham wondering how you ended up facing the wrong way and thinking I know your fast but no need to go so fast you did a 180
luckily it was a car fault and not yours. That was a great two days. I was gutted Peter didn’t make that event as I think he would have loved the track layout.
I never did thrash my car as hard as that weekend ever again.
OP sorry for sidetracking the thread.
I’m glad your Seat splitter is working for you.
As others have said even the original TVR one works well.
I think having both on the car wouldn’t be a bad thing as with power steering and the tendency for the car to get light at speed as much air restriction underneath has to be a good thing.
Edited by BritishTvr450 on Friday 18th October 08:23
PabloGee said:
So far so good.
For a cheap mod, and if you like the look, it's quite nice.
Feels like a real racing car now
Well. It lasted 3 weeks.For a cheap mod, and if you like the look, it's quite nice.
Feels like a real racing car now
A combination of two things - the state of the road that my driveway enters; the wife behind the wheel not listening to my specific instructions on when to turn the steering wheel!
It also doesn't help that my car is lowered (but I like it that way!)
I've already ordered that cheaper Amazon version to go through a refitting job!
If it's any better or worse in the fitting job, I'll report back.
I will not be beaten!
The Amazon one has arrived, so I’ll take a look over the weekend. I’ve seen the same splitter advertised for numerous models of car, also named as a ‘universal’ item, so I’m anticipating it will be very similar.
The dimensions offered by Amazon are slightly narrower than the one I fitted, which might be better since I had to cut down the centre section to make it fit better.
In terms of lowering the car - I hear you, though it wasn’t me, it was how the suspension was set when I bought it. The geometry was all set up by Str8six, so I’m strongly inclined to leave it alone as it rides well…
The dimensions offered by Amazon are slightly narrower than the one I fitted, which might be better since I had to cut down the centre section to make it fit better.
In terms of lowering the car - I hear you, though it wasn’t me, it was how the suspension was set when I bought it. The geometry was all set up by Str8six, so I’m strongly inclined to leave it alone as it rides well…
Interesting point - I just took a look on the driveway which is 98% level, and without getting a spirit level out, they look pretty much horizontal. The chassis is certainly not lower than the wishbone hub ends. Also need to clean the gutter tar off - the OS wishbone is much cleaner!
The new splitter is the same size, largely the same mould.
A slightly different method of connecting the outer parts to the middle part, but it will require the same trimming adjustment I made previously.
In terms of finish, it has a mottled surface that is much more matte, and the material feels softer and more bendy, which might do it a favour.
The mottled finish looks a bit like faux leather, honestly a bit cheap, so I tried sanding a bit down (which white a the surface) and spraying with the same satin lacquer I have.
Not sure it really makes a positive difference.
Since my current one is borked, I’m going to just replace it and see how it looks. Anticipating it will be very easy now I’ve done it once.
Here’s how it looks in the lounge.
The new splitter is the same size, largely the same mould.
A slightly different method of connecting the outer parts to the middle part, but it will require the same trimming adjustment I made previously.
In terms of finish, it has a mottled surface that is much more matte, and the material feels softer and more bendy, which might do it a favour.
The mottled finish looks a bit like faux leather, honestly a bit cheap, so I tried sanding a bit down (which white a the surface) and spraying with the same satin lacquer I have.
Not sure it really makes a positive difference.
Since my current one is borked, I’m going to just replace it and see how it looks. Anticipating it will be very easy now I’ve done it once.
Here’s how it looks in the lounge.
Edited by PabloGee on Thursday 24th October 20:58
PabloGee said:
And the material feels softer and more bendy, which might do it a favour.
PabloGee said:
The mottled finish looks a bit like faux leather, honestly a bit cheap
Yes absolutely will.If it makes you feel better the SEAT one has the same mottled finish and is also quite bendy so less inclined to splinter when met with a driveway/sleeping policeman/medium sized rodent etc
That wishbone looks about right to be fair.
If they are sitting with an upwards tilt at the wheel end as in when the suspension is being compressed when it’s just sat there it can cause excessive camber effect on the wheels and tyres resulting in bad inside tyre wear and mess up the steering geometry when turning.
Back in the old days you could do a rough ride height check by measuring from the ground up to each corner of your outrigger plates and that should be about 140-150 front 160 rear.
With a 10 mm rake front to back.
You should ideally measure it from the centre chassis rails around the front mounting point of the wishbone but that can be quite difficult so the corner plate is easier to measure.
But the main aim is to keep the bottom wishbone level. As it’s an unequal length wishbone set up this creates a situation where under compression the wheels camber increases and if you lift the car it will decrease until it becomes positive camber.
If you set them to low you are already creating an ark and this only increases as you lean on the car in corners or over bumps which can reduce the tyre contact patch and actually have less grip. To much camber in effect.
With the wishbones level you should find the exhaust undertray will be about 100 mm from the ground, 4 inches which is very low. Any lower and grounding is likely.
This standard set up should see you being able to drive upto kerbs and clear them, any lower and you’ll ground the front nose cone.
Yours look pretty spot on but you ideally need to check on a “ flat floor” to get a precise measurement.
Phazed used to cut four pieces of wood to the correct sizes and use them at a glance to check the ride height at each corner.
He was darn fast on track days so it must have worked pretty good….between you and me it was his engines that were so fast but he’d disagree
If they are sitting with an upwards tilt at the wheel end as in when the suspension is being compressed when it’s just sat there it can cause excessive camber effect on the wheels and tyres resulting in bad inside tyre wear and mess up the steering geometry when turning.
Back in the old days you could do a rough ride height check by measuring from the ground up to each corner of your outrigger plates and that should be about 140-150 front 160 rear.
With a 10 mm rake front to back.
You should ideally measure it from the centre chassis rails around the front mounting point of the wishbone but that can be quite difficult so the corner plate is easier to measure.
But the main aim is to keep the bottom wishbone level. As it’s an unequal length wishbone set up this creates a situation where under compression the wheels camber increases and if you lift the car it will decrease until it becomes positive camber.
If you set them to low you are already creating an ark and this only increases as you lean on the car in corners or over bumps which can reduce the tyre contact patch and actually have less grip. To much camber in effect.
With the wishbones level you should find the exhaust undertray will be about 100 mm from the ground, 4 inches which is very low. Any lower and grounding is likely.
This standard set up should see you being able to drive upto kerbs and clear them, any lower and you’ll ground the front nose cone.
Yours look pretty spot on but you ideally need to check on a “ flat floor” to get a precise measurement.
Phazed used to cut four pieces of wood to the correct sizes and use them at a glance to check the ride height at each corner.
He was darn fast on track days so it must have worked pretty good….between you and me it was his engines that were so fast but he’d disagree
Edited by BritishTvr450 on Friday 25th October 09:02
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