What does a spoiler do?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bryan Canter
  • Start date Start date
B

Bryan Canter

Okay, my stupid question for the day follows. :-)

While browsing for a wheel hub cap, I see the rear wing spoilers going
for more than 300 bucks on the internet. My question is, why do I
would want one of those? Just for the looks?

TIA
bc
 
It depends. It depends on what car they are on, how fast you are going,
etc. In most cases factory spoilers are cosmetic and produce a negligible
effect on downforce, but the do add drag which reduces your fuel economy.
In fact several spoilers (I.E. the 97-00 Saturn coupes) produce lift! at 80
mph +. There are spoilers on the market that do produce downforce, but that
usually happens at speeds above 70 mph. Very few of us will go through
corners where we will be traveling fast enough to use any downforce created
by a spoiler, they are best suited for track, and racing purposes.

Hope this helps,

Rob
 
Bryan Canter said:
Okay, my stupid question for the day follows. :-)

While browsing for a wheel hub cap, I see the rear wing spoilers going
for more than 300 bucks on the internet. My question is, why do I
would want one of those? Just for the looks?
Click to expand...

Yep, for the most part it's just for looks. If you frequently drive at
speeds over 100mph, a properly shaped/designed rear wing spoiler increases
downforce creating greater stability at those speeds. In normal street
driving, the speeds are usually too low to generate much downforce, so the
spoiler just sits there looking pretty (or hideous, depending on design).

Cheers,

Pete
 
Well, I'm glad you asked that question Bryan.
The only use a spoiler can be used for is to identify a driver who
wants to be noticed. If you see someone with extra lights, or bright
lights on the front of their car, they also are saying to you "Look At
ME !"
These drivers didn't get enough love from their parents. dr. bob
 
I didn't get enough love from my parents so I went out and bought the new
lancer EVO earlier this year. The first week I got it, someone at the gas
station asked me... does that thing (referring to the spoiler) do anything?
I told him that while I'm pumping the gas, "no", but once in motion it
produces some down force in the rear end to give me better traction. I told
him that it came that way stock but I don't think he believed me.

I'm not sure if this is an actual wind tunnel but it looks cool.
http://www.natalis2002.com/evo/evo8_gsr_2.jpg
http://www.natalis2002.com/evo/evo8_gsr_3.jpg

If anybody get a chance to take a look at the EVO's adjustable carbon fiber
rear spoiler that weights only a few pounds... you'll notice that it's truly
an upside down wing and it's extremely smooth to ensure smooth air flow for
down force.

For the most part, it's for cosmetic but you can argue that it's practical
application. Those who don't think it's practical is just jealous that I
have a bigger spoiler than they do. :)
 
Would down force at the rear end do you any good in a front wheel drive
car, though?
 
Regardless of what drive train set up, any additional traction given is
beneficial, especially in the rear end. Ideally you would want down force
on the entire car but down force on the rear end does give you more rear end
traction and reducing the possibility of oversteer.

Understeer is more forgiving for inexperienced driver. Oversteer on the
other hand, normally leads to a complete spinout unless corrected
immediately. When I race my Civic at the track, I normally adjust my rear
tire pressure accordingly to help out.
 
You'll notice that front wheel drive race cars such as the Peugeot 206 WRC
and the Ford Focus WRC have a HUGE rear spoiler, yet they're front wheel
drive car.

Do they benefit from it? You better bet they do or else they won't have it
on the car.
 
[email protected] (Bryan Canter) wrote in
Okay, my stupid question for the day follows. :-)

While browsing for a wheel hub cap, I see the rear wing spoilers going
for more than 300 bucks on the internet. My question is, why do I
would want one of those? Just for the looks?

TIA
bc
Click to expand...

One could say that some spoilers are good places to mount a Center High
Mounted Stop Light,LED-bar version.(CHMSL). ;-)
 
Bryan said:
Okay, my stupid question for the day follows. :-)

While browsing for a wheel hub cap, I see the rear wing spoilers going
for more than 300 bucks on the internet. My question is, why do I
would want one of those? Just for the looks?

TIA
bc
Click to expand...
--------------------------

Bryan,

On cars like the Lada, Skoda, or Volvo, they provide (when mounted
securely) an excellent place for your friends to grab onto while pushing
you to the nearest service center or junk yard. :-(

'Curly'

--------------------------
 
"N.E.Ohio Bob" wrote
Well, I'm glad you asked that question Bryan.
The only use a spoiler can be used for is to identify a driver who
wants to be noticed. If you see someone with extra lights, or bright
lights on the front of their car, they also are saying to you "Look At
ME !"
These drivers didn't get enough love from their parents. dr. bob
Click to expand...

Right. Now they're "spoiling" themselves.
 
Spoiler?.............kind a like a "boob" job.

Yeah. They both ruin an otherwise attractive subject.
 
The EVO is all wheel drive, and the wing is adjustable for track / rally
use.

Rob
 
You'll notice that front wheel drive race cars such as the Peugeot 206 WRC
and the Ford Focus WRC have a HUGE rear spoiler, yet they're front wheel
drive car.
Click to expand...

You might actually notice that all of the front-running WRC cars in
the FIA are All Wheel Drive, not Front Wheel Drive. These are the
open class cars that you watch on Speed Channel. The FWD are a much
lower class though you may occasionally see them and these usually
have a small, if any, spoiler/wing. :)
 
Would down force at the rear end do you any good in a front wheel drive
car, though?
Click to expand...

For the most part a larger wing takes away from a front wheel drive.
It lightens the wheels that are supposed to be getting the most
traction which is usually the last thing you want. Ever notice that
in all the DTM and BTC races the FWD models don't have the wings?

Btw, the Evo is an All Wheel Drive. Only the base Lancers are FWD.
 
Spoiler?.............kind a like a "boob" job.
Click to expand...

Oh no! I love those things. Reason you will never catch me asking "why
would I want one (or two) of those."

But I see your point. And thanks to the rest of the group for this
excellent discussion. So spoilers are like large breasts for men. I
will surely remember that next time I see someone driving a Civic with
a spoiler. :-)

bc
 
Hi,

An interesting discussion you have started here :)

Well, I can confirm that a spoiler (correctly suited to your motor) does
have its uses. My main car is a Mitsubishi 3 litre GTO (Twin Turbo). The
spoilers fitted to these are speed activated - automatically adjusting their
angle over 50mph. They have a habit of knackering up, so when mine did I
thought I would take the car for a spin when I had the spoiler off fixing
it. I can definitely say that there was a hell of a difference in the car's
handling. Admittedly, these cars are finely balanced and built for speed.
Normally the car would stick to the road like a bloke's eyes to a female's
chest, but with the spoiler removed, each corner was hairer than a girl's
armpit when her razor has gone blunt!!

Out of interest, after I refitted the spoiler I disabled the front spoiler
(also speed activated) and the handling totally changed too. I was pretty
surprised at how such a reasonably small piece of fibreglass could have so
much effect on a car that weighs near to 2 tons.

Anyway, I am sure that this discussion will continue for a bit yet, but I
just wanted to throw in my contribution :)

Regards,

Gary
 
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Bryan Canter said:
Okay, my stupid question for the day follows. :-)

While browsing for a wheel hub cap, I see the rear wing spoilers going
for more than 300 bucks on the internet. My question is, why do I
would want one of those? Just for the looks?

TIA
bc
Click to expand...

You would want one of those for either looks or a convenient carrying
handle. Otherwise, a spoiler on a Honda is as useful as radiator mounted air
bag.



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