Discussion
plunkett said:
i have seen an aluminium air splitter factory fitted to the front valence of some 5 ltr chims can any one tell me a)do they work ie stop the front lifting and the front weaving and b)Has any one got one for sale if a) actually works!
I have been interested in these for some time - mainly as to whether they make a difference at 120mph+ - never really got a straight answer. Steve Heaths bible suggests that owners swear that their car is more stable at speed - only to find the splitter came off a few weeks before etc.
Be warned, there is a good reason not many chims still have splitters fitted - they get ripped off. frequently
I found the splitter mainly helped with cooling. When moving off from a traffic jam the splitter helped the temp guage fall back down much more quickly. Obviously it won't help when stopped. When on the motorway in the summer my Chimaera ran 5deg warmer without a splitter.
As for wandering at high speed. Mine never wandered at high speed under normal conditions - I suggest you get a suspension alignment setup done by a TVR specialist - could be affected by toe-in, camber, shocks, bushes and all those technical sounding words.
As for wandering at high speed. Mine never wandered at high speed under normal conditions - I suggest you get a suspension alignment setup done by a TVR specialist - could be affected by toe-in, camber, shocks, bushes and all those technical sounding words.
Trefor said:
I found the splitter mainly helped with cooling. When moving off from a traffic jam the splitter helped the temp guage fall back down much more quickly. Obviously it won't help when stopped. When on the motorway in the summer my Chimaera ran 5deg warmer without a splitter.
As for wandering at high speed. Mine never wandered at high speed under normal conditions - I suggest you get a suspension alignment setup done by a TVR specialist - could be affected by toe-in, camber, shocks, bushes and all those technical sounding words.
both my S3 and the Chim have made my palms sweaty at 110 +. Just feel so light and as if the back end could swap at any time. I have ended up putting it down to it just being such a light car since they have both been like that.
I managed to rip my splitter off, when negotiating the grassy banks of the Donnington infield last year.
Fortunately I realised as it happened and retrieved the (now bent) peice of aluminium.
As yet I haven't refitted it, but I now notice that the front end feels light (at high speed). It doesn't wander though, which I would put down to worn bushes.
So I peceive that I am experiencing an aerodynamic effect due to it's absence. The test will be to see if the car again feels stable when I refit it.
Incidentally, the splitter is a simple sheet of aluminium cut and bent into shape. It would be easy to fabricate one if you have one to copy. Ideally you need to find someone who's ripped theirs off, but hasn't yet got around to refitting it............
Fortunately I realised as it happened and retrieved the (now bent) peice of aluminium.
As yet I haven't refitted it, but I now notice that the front end feels light (at high speed). It doesn't wander though, which I would put down to worn bushes.
So I peceive that I am experiencing an aerodynamic effect due to it's absence. The test will be to see if the car again feels stable when I refit it.
Incidentally, the splitter is a simple sheet of aluminium cut and bent into shape. It would be easy to fabricate one if you have one to copy. Ideally you need to find someone who's ripped theirs off, but hasn't yet got around to refitting it............
shnozz said:
I found the splitter mainly helped with cooling. When moving off from a traffic jam the splitter helped the temp guage fall back down much more quickly. Obviously it won't help when stopped. When on the motorway in the summer my Chimaera ran 5deg warmer without a splitter.
As for wandering at high speed. Mine never wandered at high speed under normal conditions - I suggest you get a suspension alignment setup done by a TVR specialist - could be affected by toe-in, camber, shocks, bushes and all those technical sounding words.
both my S3 and the Chim have made my palms sweaty at 110 +. Just feel so light and as if the back end could swap at any time. I have ended up putting it down to it just being such a light car since they have both been like that.
On a b road with bumps and camber yes 110 would be scarey - not sure how much of that is lift and how much is the whole car being crap though. On a motorway it shouldn't feel like this. At 140 things started feeling a little unsure and less planted, and anything over 140 was an exercise in point and hope.
Jarcy said:
I managed to rip my splitter off, when negotiating the grassy banks of the Donnington infield last year.
Fortunately I realised as it happened and retrieved the (now bent) peice of aluminium.
As yet I haven't refitted it, but I now notice that the front end feels light (at high speed). It doesn't wander though, which I would put down to worn bushes.
So I peceive that I am experiencing an aerodynamic effect due to it's absence. The test will be to see if the car again feels stable when I refit it.
Incidentally, the splitter is a simple sheet of aluminium cut and bent into shape. It would be easy to fabricate one if you have one to copy. Ideally you need to find someone who's ripped theirs off, but hasn't yet got around to refitting it............
Or pay www.tvrgear.com (TMS) around £12 to ship you a new one (well that's what mine cost a few years ago now).
trefor said:
Or pay www.tvrgear.com (TMS) around £12 to ship you a new one (well that's what mine cost a few years ago now).
Much less hassel!
I mainly want one for the run to le mans for both stability and cooling reasons. Only thing is - i can envisage it being taken straight off when trying to get on the ferry - how easy would it be to fix it on with self-tapping screws so I could just leave it off until I get off the ferry and then stop at the car park the other side to affix it there?
shnozz said:
I mainly want one for the run to le mans for both stability and cooling reasons. Only thing is - i can envisage it being taken straight off when trying to get on the ferry - how easy would it be to fix it on with self-tapping screws so I could just leave it off until I get off the ferry and then stop at the car park the other side to affix it there?
Rivets are recommended since if you use screws it would rip the bodywork apart as it got wrenched off next time you banged it.
BTW, mine survived several ferry and chunnel journeys, just go over the steep bits at 0.001mph. I had more problem with the tailpipes touched the ground on slopes due to baggage and soft Chimaera suspension.
Trefor said:
Rivets are recommended since if you use screws it would rip the bodywork apart as it got wrenched off next time you banged it.
BTW, mine survived several ferry and chunnel journeys, just go over the steep bits at 0.001mph. I had more problem with the tailpipes touched the ground on slopes due to baggage and soft Chimaera suspension.
cheers for that - will give it a whirl - do you recall what the part was listed as on the tvrgear website? searched under splitter to no avail and searched through the bodywork section with no joy either - if you dont know its not a prob - can always give them a bell. cheers
shnozz said:
Rivets are recommended since if you use screws it would rip the bodywork apart as it got wrenched off next time you banged it.
BTW, mine survived several ferry and chunnel journeys, just go over the steep bits at 0.001mph. I had more problem with the tailpipes touched the ground on slopes due to baggage and soft Chimaera suspension.
cheers for that - will give it a whirl - do you recall what the part was listed as on the tvrgear website? searched under splitter to no avail and searched through the bodywork section with no joy either - if you dont know its not a prob - can always give them a bell. cheers
To be honest I always ring them - you know you're getting the right part then. They're good for supplying odd bits and bobs like this.
Guys. AFAIK this piece of aluminium under some Chims is there for cooling reasons only. It is there to reduce the air pressure just ahead of the opening under the car to drag the air through the radiator. On a number of Jaguars I've been involved with on the cooling side, this is known as a FLIP not a splitter and it's size/position is critical for engine cooling. A splitter is usually part of the front air-dam or bumper and does aid aerodynamics and is there to reduce lift. 
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