putting a spoiler on my car..

Page 4 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

Zenmervolt

Elite member
Oct 22, 2000
24,514
44
91
Originally posted by: manowar821
Yes but how much do those cars weigh compared to plastic and CF imports from today? They are different time periods, with different materials, with different car classes.
A 1960's Mustang weighed 2,900 pounds with the Hi-Po V8.

A new Eclipse weighs 3,500 pounds.

An S2000 weighs 2,800 pounds.

A new Miata weighs 2,500 pounds.

There's no a huge amount of weight difference between a 1960's "Muscle Car" and a brand new "lightweight" roadster. Unless you're driving a Lotus Elise/Exige you're not significantly lighter.

The simple fact is that most aerodynamic aids really only come into play at about 75 mph. Of course a well-deisgned and tested spoiler will help even a FWD car aerodynamically because most street cars are NOT built to have aerodynamics for stability, they're only built to have reasonably low drag and avoid dangerous levels of instability. The overall shape of most street cars is simply not optimized to balance the car aerodynamically and if you're building a race car out of one, then a properly-engineered spoiler can definitely help, even with a FWD car.

That said, the spoilers you can buy on eBay and most factory spoilers are for visual appeal only are are not engineered to provide stability.

ZV
 

DivideBYZero

Lifer
May 18, 2001
24,117
2
0
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Originally posted by: manowar821
Yes but how much do those cars weigh compared to plastic and CF imports from today? They are different time periods, with different materials, with different car classes.
A 1960's Mustang weighed 2,900 pounds with the Hi-Po V8.

A new Eclipse weighs 3,500 pounds.

An S2000 weighs 2,800 pounds.

A new Miata weighs 2,500 pounds.

There's no a huge amount of weight difference between a 1960's "Muscle Car" and a brand new "lightweight" roadster. Unless you're driving a Lotus Elise/Exige you're not significantly lighter.

The simple fact is that most aerodynamic aids really only come into play at about 75 mph. Of course a well-deisgned and tested spoiler will help even a FWD car aerodynamically because most street cars are NOT built to have aerodynamics for stability, they're only built to have reasonably low drag and avoid dangerous levels of instability. The overall shape of most street cars is simply not optimized to balance the car aerodynamically and if you're building a race car out of one, then a properly-engineered spoiler can definitely help, even with a FWD car.

That said, the spoilers you can buy on eBay and most factory spoilers are for visual appeal only are are not engineered to provide stability.

ZV

An example of a functional factory spoiler would be the mk1 Audi TT. Pre spoiler and >120Mph = Flippy flip flip death. Post spoiler, less death.
 

indamixx99

Golden Member
Oct 17, 2006
1,955
0
76
Get the original Honda spoiler for that car if you can. We have that on our 2000 accord. Goes well with the car body
 

Dudewithoutapet

Golden Member
Oct 10, 2005
1,854
0
76
I need pics of said car to really make a judgement. Like how low and any other mods?

Edit- Oh and I'd get 2-4 for a more understated look
1 to look like a ricer.
5-6 to stand out from the crowd and draw a lot of attention.
 

PeeluckyDuckee

Diamond Member
Feb 21, 2001
4,464
0
0
Depends on where the wind is coming from as well. On the wide open road even my 3000lb vehicle felt like it was afloat and constantly pushed sideways left and right.

Most oem spoilers are built for physical appeal and less function.

I chose to go without a spoiler as it looks more clean.

Question, would placing more weight, say 50-100lb, in the trunk of the vehicle achieve similar results of having a spoiler at high speeds? My guess is no, but just want to throw this out there.
 

Aikouka

Lifer
Nov 27, 2001
30,383
912
126
Originally posted by: S Freud
I love how everyone jumps on the bashing bandwagon. Most people on this board are probably too young to have a license.

I'm not fond of the Accord, but maybe go with #2

Oh I'm quite sure that a good deal of us have one :p. What you should say is that posting a thread about borderline ricing on a tech forum, where people would most likely prefer tuning to ricing, is not a superb idea.
 

destrekor

Lifer
Nov 18, 2005
28,799
359
126
Originally posted by: Aikouka
Originally posted by: S Freud
I love how everyone jumps on the bashing bandwagon. Most people on this board are probably too young to have a license.

I'm not fond of the Accord, but maybe go with #2

Oh I'm quite sure that a good deal of us have one :p. What you should say is that posting a thread about borderline ricing on a tech forum, where people would most likely prefer tuning to ricing, is not a superb idea.

no bandwagon here. just general hatred for the recent trend in rice. however, I will take a fine Japanese girl in a good tuned import. such as a Skyline. No Honda's.
but as I said, I have a general hatred for tuning imports, I'd prefer adding muscle to a muscle car. I, however, would have to learn a lot of cars before I could ever touch the engine bay of a vehicle. :)
 

halik

Lifer
Oct 10, 2000
25,696
1
81
Get a trippe decker Boeing wing to plant that non-driving axle to the ground. And you picked an accord over a bmw? HA!
 

halik

Lifer
Oct 10, 2000
25,696
1
81
Originally posted by: deerslayer
What the hell do you need a spoiler for on a FWD car. Trunk latch broken? Get it fixed.
MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA... trunk latch broken... hahahahaha

 

Aikouka

Lifer
Nov 27, 2001
30,383
912
126
Originally posted by: destrekor
no bandwagon here. just general hatred for the recent trend in rice. however, I will take a fine Japanese girl in a good tuned import. such as a Skyline. No Honda's.
but as I said, I have a general hatred for tuning imports, I'd prefer adding muscle to a muscle car. I, however, would have to learn a lot of cars before I could ever touch the engine bay of a vehicle. :)

I don't mind rice as long as

1) they realize their car isn't the sh!t but sure looks like it to probably everyone else.
2) they know their car isn't any faster nor was it probably fast at all
3) they also tune the car

If the car is fast but looks riced up... ehh I put up with it, because at least they put some effort into something worthwhile. But I'll take a fine Japanese girl with or without a Skyline :laugh:... although I sure do love them Skylines. Although, I'm quite sure you'd drop the "No Honda" thing if they had an S2000 or a NSX.

Just find someone who knows a decent amount about cars and learn some things from them. They're really not that hard to work on. The hardest part I ever had when working on a car was organization... it's very easy to lose things if you don't have a nice system down ( that is if you just can't leave the bolts, etc right back in the holes ).
 

halik

Lifer
Oct 10, 2000
25,696
1
81
Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Originally posted by: compuwiz1
Originally posted by: manowar821
The whole "spoilers only help RWD cars" notion is BS. It doesn't make that much of a difference whether the car is FWD or RWD, any speed above 60 is going to see a slightly more stable ride due to directed airflow. Of course, this is only if the wing is correctly sized and placed... A large wing on a small low powered car will not help, it will hinder. The same goes for a large higher powered car with a dinky little wing.

Go with something conservative, especially on that car...

BS! Shifting weight distribution toward the rear, on a FWD is not the effect you want. When you apply downward force on the rear of a FWD car, you will change the handling characteristics.......for the worst.

I don't know about you, but I prefer having all four wheels planted firmly on the pavement regardless of which pair is being driven.

- M4H


Google 'fulcrum' - if you're putting force down past the rear axle, it will lift the front up (over the rear axle).

Just have someone sit on your trunk see how the car moves.
 

mercanucaribe

Banned
Oct 20, 2004
9,763
1
0
Originally posted by: halik
Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Originally posted by: compuwiz1
Originally posted by: manowar821
The whole "spoilers only help RWD cars" notion is BS. It doesn't make that much of a difference whether the car is FWD or RWD, any speed above 60 is going to see a slightly more stable ride due to directed airflow. Of course, this is only if the wing is correctly sized and placed... A large wing on a small low powered car will not help, it will hinder. The same goes for a large higher powered car with a dinky little wing.

Go with something conservative, especially on that car...

BS! Shifting weight distribution toward the rear, on a FWD is not the effect you want. When you apply downward force on the rear of a FWD car, you will change the handling characteristics.......for the worst.

I don't know about you, but I prefer having all four wheels planted firmly on the pavement regardless of which pair is being driven.

- M4H


Google 'fulcrum' - if you're putting force down past the rear axle, it will lift the front up (over the rear axle).

Just have someone sit on your trunk see how the car moves.

It doesn't have significant effect on the front wheel traction. The spoiler is placed a lot closer to the rear axle than the length of the wheelbase.

In any case, one of those spoilers on an Accord will look dumb.
 

halik

Lifer
Oct 10, 2000
25,696
1
81
Originally posted by: mercanucaribe
Originally posted by: halik
Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Originally posted by: compuwiz1
Originally posted by: manowar821
The whole "spoilers only help RWD cars" notion is BS. It doesn't make that much of a difference whether the car is FWD or RWD, any speed above 60 is going to see a slightly more stable ride due to directed airflow. Of course, this is only if the wing is correctly sized and placed... A large wing on a small low powered car will not help, it will hinder. The same goes for a large higher powered car with a dinky little wing.

Go with something conservative, especially on that car...

BS! Shifting weight distribution toward the rear, on a FWD is not the effect you want. When you apply downward force on the rear of a FWD car, you will change the handling characteristics.......for the worst.

I don't know about you, but I prefer having all four wheels planted firmly on the pavement regardless of which pair is being driven.

- M4H


Google 'fulcrum' - if you're putting force down past the rear axle, it will lift the front up (over the rear axle).

Just have someone sit on your trunk see how the car moves.

It doesn't have significant effect on the front wheel traction. The spoiler is placed a lot closer to the rear axle than the length of the wheelbase.

In any case, one of those spoilers on an Accord will look dumb.

Unless you're in 3 digit on the speedo, I actualyl doubt that it will generate any significant downforce.
 
Jan 31, 2002
40,819
2
0
Originally posted by: halik
Just have someone sit on your trunk see how the car moves.

If you want to sit on my trunk at track speeds, be my guest - but things get a little tail-happy. Lift-throttle oversteer = :confused:

- M4H
 

iversonyin

Diamond Member
Aug 12, 2004
3,303
0
76
Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Originally posted by: halik
Just have someone sit on your trunk see how the car moves.

If you want to sit on my trunk at track speeds, be my guest - but things get a little tail-happy. Lift-throttle oversteer = :confused:

- M4H

I didn't know FWD can oversteer. :D
 
Jan 31, 2002
40,819
2
0
Originally posted by: iversonyin
I didn't know FWD can oversteer. :D

Not rly, but it does a pretty good impression of the "Badonkadonk" thing with the ass end wiggling and hopping around. :p

Real oversteer is controllable, loud, irresponsible, and fun. :D

- M4H
 

DivideBYZero

Lifer
May 18, 2001
24,117
2
0
Originally posted by: iversonyin
Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Originally posted by: halik
Just have someone sit on your trunk see how the car moves.

If you want to sit on my trunk at track speeds, be my guest - but things get a little tail-happy. Lift-throttle oversteer = :confused:

- M4H

I didn't know FWD can oversteer. :D

Lift-off oversteer is common in well set up FWD chassis.
 
Jan 31, 2002
40,819
2
0
Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Lift-off oversteer is common in well set up FWD chassis.

<Obligatory>
There is no "well set up FWD chassis" the wrong wheels are being driven :p
</Obligatory>

- M4H
 

Aikouka

Lifer
Nov 27, 2001
30,383
912
126
Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Real oversteer is controllable, loud, irresponsible, and fun. :D

- M4H

I expected a DORIFTUUUUUUUUU comment from you! :|