Curtis Posted January 29, 2012 Report Share Posted January 29, 2012 Hey guys, just a question to those of you who have a splitter fitted to their cars. Is there a noticable difference in downforce at the front? As i start to approach motorway speeds the car feels a bit light at the front, and i was thinking that a decent splitter would help push the front down enough to get the car to feel a bit more 'planted' through the steering. I'm likely to go for an LCR splitter as that looks to be the only one that looks like it might actually provide any decent airflow, rather than the block like shapes of the polo and mk3 gti splitters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puggled Posted January 29, 2012 Report Share Posted January 29, 2012 Forgive me if I'm wrong but I assume most people fit them for aesthetics not for aero?Its unlikely that fitting a bit of plastic or rubber with self tappers will give you kilos of downforce, and is more likely to make things worse than better if it isn't specifically designed for the vehicle. Proper aero designers can make huge differences with minute changes, the splitter would need to work in harmony with the engine tray etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtis Posted January 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2012 Yeah i know what you mean mate, its not gonna give huge amounts, just enough to keep the car a bit more stable. I'd have thought the splitter would guide a bit more air through the bumper rather than under it, but i can appreciate that it is done more for styling and those ever controversial 'fake lows' XD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puggled Posted February 4, 2012 Report Share Posted February 4, 2012 Read this months TopGear mag, it has a really interesting bit on aero.Crazy stuff like the new Civic Deisel took 2g/km off its emissions by putting two tiny plastic wedges between lights and wheel arches.They said most oem splitters are designed to keep air away from engine bay to reduce drag and increase economy.It is amazing how much a tiny change can make, there was a guy whose blog I read who was trying to make those wheel well deflectors for his car, you know the ones that some cars have fitted in front of wheels? Well he made them in a way that seemed sensible. He placed them in front of the tyre, angled from front to back. Result? Reduced economy and increased lift The TopGear article concludes aero is a dark art only understood by Adrain Newey. Lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotty_82 Posted February 4, 2012 Report Share Posted February 4, 2012 You buy the splitter and I'll fire up the state of the art wind tunnel, get a grip. Vw designed the car years ago and your probably the first person ever to have come on here and complain about it lifting at motorway speeds, so that suggests your either dreaming it or that your car is secretly holding some Chevy v8 under the bonnet and the power is trying to make it do back flips Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtis Posted February 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2012 I'm not going to bite as I know that's just how you are I just found it odd how light the steering goes when I hit say 65-70 mph. I'm not looking for proven facts and figures, just asking around if anyone has noticed a difference after fitting the splitter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotty_82 Posted February 4, 2012 Report Share Posted February 4, 2012 You will see zero difference Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtis Posted February 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 Fair enough, cheers for the help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeA Posted February 5, 2012 Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 Is this in the wet or dry? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtis Posted February 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 Both mate, although i tend to slow down in the wet by habit anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeA Posted February 5, 2012 Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 You lowered, stiff suspension would help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtis Posted February 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 it is fairly stiff already, and i don't think the missus would take to kindly to going stiffer XD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotty_82 Posted February 5, 2012 Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 Lol does your missus not prefer it nice and stiff? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtis Posted February 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 Not the car, she prefers it smooth and slow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeA Posted February 5, 2012 Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 Right anyway, what's your suspension setup? And if you build your car around your mrs you really are whipped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cannonball Posted February 5, 2012 Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 Check and adjust the front tracking / camber and or toe angles if its getting nervous at speed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtis Posted February 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 Its likely to be the camber as i've noticed its got quite a bit at the front. The setup is currently down 40mm on springs and shortened dampers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jabbles21 Posted February 5, 2012 Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 that's your answer. Camber can cause less tyre tread to be in contact with the road surface. Get your tracking done, about £30 which you should have had done anyway if you're lowered then see how it is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtis Posted February 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 I was hoping to get it sorted at the same time as I got my new wheels balanced. IT was the previous owner that lowered it, I'm surprised that he didn't get the tracking looked at Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rasko06 Posted February 6, 2012 Report Share Posted February 6, 2012 Dude. If its 'lifting' on the motorway on you then buy better coilovers......0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkStryder360 Posted February 6, 2012 Report Share Posted February 6, 2012 Right anyway, what's your suspension setup? And if you build your car around your mrs you really are whipped."Bazinga Punk. You have fallen for one of my many practical jokes"Anyway... Lol at downforce. Would expect this on a Saxo fan website, which chavvy spoiler to get, hmm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeA Posted February 7, 2012 Report Share Posted February 7, 2012 Some m3 mirrors would sort out your aero.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d@vid Posted February 7, 2012 Report Share Posted February 7, 2012 (edited) if you're feeling lift at those speeds then somethings badly wrong nothing to do with aero. can't say i've felt any lift Edited February 7, 2012 by d@vid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtis Posted February 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2012 "Bazinga Punk.You have fallen for one of my many practical jokes"Anyway... Lol at downforce. Would expect this on a Saxo fan website, which chavvy spoiler to get, hmm.Lol behave! At least I can differentiate between front and rear downforce and its effects on front and rear wheel drive XDIts all a learning curve right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d@vid Posted February 7, 2012 Report Share Posted February 7, 2012 easy test to do mate is drive along a flat road and let go of the steering wheel, and see if the car wants to go off to the side, or even if the steering wheel is 'steering' to go straight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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