Front Splitter

Front Splitter

Author
Discussion

ric355

215 posts

150 months

Thursday 8th March 2018
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Classic Chim said:
So what are these splitters doing.
My basic understanding of aero is if you disturb/reduce and slow down the air going under the car with such a splitter the air speed over the car remains the same so in effect pushes the car down.
Or more to the point maybe by reducing the air speed travelling under the car you remove lift.
Im looking for some front end down force, will the air pushing over the splitter angle which is set forward on the CupraR spoiler just like our existing ones going to produce a downward force right there on the nose? !
Interesting stuff


The purpose of a splitter on a race car is to generate an air pressure difference between the top and bottom sides. You want high pressure on the top side and low pressure on the underside. It does this by causing a buildup of air on the top side at the front of the car. This high pressure air stagnates and air is forced to flow underneath the splitter where it is accelerated thus causing a drop in pressure. The net air pressure is 'downforce'.

To achieve proper downforce from a splitter you need something much larger than the lips being installed here. I have read that the guide is approximately twice the ground clearance for 'proper' aero - clearly this would look very stupid on a Chimaera!. Or you would need to run it very very low. The lips being shown here are mostly for looks and will have very little benefit in terms of downforce. Also for proper aero you would need to have a flat underside and a diffuser at the back. Without those things even a proper sized splitter won't work as well.

My Radical SR3 had a massive factory splitter and a flat floor and a rear diffuser and it certainly worked. Plus of course a massive rear wing!


Classic Chim

12,424 posts

150 months

Thursday 8th March 2018
quotequote all
Oh, I get it now so the mass of air these things disturb acts as the buffer to reduce even more air getting under the car by forcing it around the sides. I’m creating a V shape that’s for sure.
I’ve offered mine up and as I also have the three air vents I’m thinking I might try mounting it further back and directly behind those vents as I also run a ride height slightly higher than standard so should get away with it over speed humps but haven’t looked closely as yet.

Classic Chim

12,424 posts

150 months

Thursday 8th March 2018
quotequote all
ric355 said:
The purpose of a splitter on a race car is to generate an air pressure difference between the top and bottom sides. You want high pressure on the top side and low pressure on the underside. It does this by causing a buildup of air on the top side at the front of the car. This high pressure air stagnates and air is forced to flow underneath the splitter where it is accelerated thus causing a drop in pressure. The net air pressure is 'downforce'.

To achieve proper downforce from a splitter you need something much larger than the lips being installed here. I have read that the guide is approximately twice the ground clearance for 'proper' aero - clearly this would look very stupid on a Chimaera!. Or you would need to run it very very low. The lips being shown here are mostly for looks and will have very little benefit in terms of downforce. Also for proper aero you would need to have a flat underside and a diffuser at the back. Without those things even a proper sized splitter won't work as well.

My Radical SR3 had a massive factory splitter and a flat floor and a rear diffuser and it certainly worked. Plus of course a massive rear wing!
Thanks for that reply Ric, really appreciate it.
Hmm, so possibly of little benefit in real terms.
Fun trying though hey thumbup

QBee

21,000 posts

145 months

Thursday 8th March 2018
quotequote all
Racing Chimaera with proper downfarce




Classic Chim

12,424 posts

150 months

Thursday 8th March 2018
quotequote all
QBee said:
Racing Chimaera with proper downfarce



Now that’s the sort of thing you want for the track. Slightly different from the road going version
wink

ric355

215 posts

150 months

Thursday 8th March 2018
quotequote all
Good pics. You can see the relationship between splitter size and ride height very clearly.

Classic Chim

12,424 posts

150 months

Thursday 8th March 2018
quotequote all
ric355 said:
Good pics. You can see the relationship between splitter size and ride height very clearly.
Yeah, illustrates the point rather well wink

bryn-6b4sm

2 posts

105 months

Wednesday 12th January 2022
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phazed said:
I modified my front for additional cooling which definitely makes a difference.

The splitter directs additional air into the oil cooler and radiator.

What front splitter did you use ? Cheers Bryn

Zener

18,962 posts

222 months

Wednesday 12th January 2022
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bryn-6b4sm said:
phazed said:
I modified my front for additional cooling which definitely makes a difference.

The splitter directs additional air into the oil cooler and radiator.

What front splitter did you use ? Cheers Bryn
IIRC that was a one-off for a Cerb that Peter modified for this Chimaera

phazed

21,844 posts

205 months

Thursday 13th January 2022
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Absolutely right Simon. Apparently the guy made two.

I bought it from someone who commissioned it but never did fit it to his car.