Aftermarket car spoiler
Spoilers will help you upgrade the exterior of your car. Although spoilers is a love it or hate it item amongst car enthusiasts, they are best known for increasing downforce when at high speeds. Whether you are building a race car in your garage or you just want to upgrade your car and give it more character, spoilers will do it for you-they increase stability and traction.This post will help you get the necessary tips to upgrade your car with spoilers.
What does a spoiler do for your car?
Purpose of spoiler on a car
Photo on carthrottle.com
Most of the cars have different kinds of spoilers on them. Some have them on the rear while others have them on the front.So what is the purpose of a spoiler-car spoilers help to increase the grip of a car on the road?The weight of the car is the only force that makes the tires stabilize down on the road, so without spoilers, the only way to increase grip would be to increase the weight of the car or alternatively change the compound the tire is made of.Unfortunately, if you increase the weight, you have to overcome the inertia force which is created by the extra weight when you want to grip, so it does not help at all.
How does a spoiler work?
A spoiler generally makes a car stick better the faster it goes. You do not have to have a heavy car which is slow or a light car which can slide easily. In short, a spoiler is a car ‘stabilizer’. It works like an airplane wing, but upside down. The basic concept is that a spoiler generates downforce on the body of the car.Every time a wing generates lift in this case the spoiler will generate downforce, it generates a drag. A drag is a natural force to resist motion.While drag is bad news as it slows down the car, too much drag is also bad news as it makes the car over speed. So moderate downforce is okay. However, car designers try and maximize this so that the car has just enough force to get you going.
Photo on kendalldodgechryslerjeepram.com
How easy is it to install a spoiler myself?
Yes, you can install a spoiler by yourself. All you need are a few tools. Then follow the installation steps below (they are general in nature and are designed to increase your comfort While installing the spoiler).
No-Drill spoilers that attach using adhesive
Tools needed:
- Cleaning Cloths
- Masking tape
- Tape measure
- Silicone-based sealing caulk
- Isopropyl alcohol
Recommendation 1: Do the installation with adhesive tape for best results
Step 1: Ensure the trunk lid is clean-you can wash with soap and water, and dry it. Use isopropyl alcohol to remove grease which may not be removed during washingStep 2: Install the adhesive tape if the spoiler was shipped without it. Ensure you leave the sticky part covered by its protective tape.
Recommendation 2: Some manufacturers recommend the addition of silicone adhesive in addition to the tape
Step 3: Now position the spoiler in place on the trunk. Ensure it is properly placed. You can use a tape measure to check that left and right sides are balanced. When you are completely sure both sides are even, use masking tape on the trunk as a location guide.Step 4: Remove about 1 inch of the protective tape from the spoiler. If you used more than one piece of adhesive tape, you will have to remove about 1 inch from each piece.Step 5: Using the masking tape you put down earlier as a guide, relocate the spoiler.
Step 3: Now position the spoiler in place on the trunk. Ensure it is properly placed. You can use a tape measure to check that left and right sides are balanced. When you are completely sure both sides are even, use masking tape on the trunk as a location guide.Step 4: Remove about 1 inch of the protective tape from the spoiler. If you used more than one piece of adhesive tape, you will have to remove about 1 inch from each piece.Step 5: Using the masking tape you put down earlier as a guide, relocate the spoiler.
Precaution: Do not press down firmly. Also, do not disturb the location of the spoiler. Pull on and remove the protective tape with the spoiler intact.
Step 6: When you have already removed all the protective tape, apply even pressure all around the spoiler. Be careful with the adhesive tape as it should remain pressed against the body panel through the process. Remove the guiding masking tape.
Recommendation 3: Let the vehicle remain undisturbed for about twelve hours, to give the adhesive tape a chance for a set (not a must)
Photo on carid.com
Bolt-On spoilers that need drilling
Tools required:
- Hand tools as required
- File
- Rust prevention primer
- Masking tape
- Drill bits
- Power drill
For bolt on spoilers, you will have to drill through your trunk lid. It is important for you to read through the manual instructions regarding installation especially if you have to combine bolts with adhesive tapes. (You can also use the instructions above) Below are steps for bolt-on spoiler which does not use adhesive tape.
Step 1: Open the trunk to see if there is a trunk liner installed on the underside. If you find any, remove it.Step 2: Let your spoiler be in an upside down position. ( This is only for the spoiler and not trunk lid)Put the spoiler and on a large towel. Then place the locator strips over the spoiler mounting holes. Note the strips should be placed perpendicular to the spoiler-this will help the ends of the strips hang out over the edge of the spoiler.
Recommendation 1; Use small amounts of tape to hold the strips in place.
Step 3: Position the spoiler in place on the trunk.
Recommendation 2; Take your time to ensure it is properly placed. Check that the right and left side are balanced using a tape measure. When you are completely sure it is even, use masking tape on the trunk lid as a location guide.
Step 4: Tape down the locator strips onto your car trunk using paint-safe tape. Use enough tape as this concept will leave strips in place.Step 5: Lift the spoiler up, making sure you do not disturb the locations of the locator strips, because if they move you will have to repeat the process again.Step 6: Drill the holes in the locations as indicated by strips. In some instances, you might need to drill a larger hole from the underside to accommodate a washer and nut.
Recommendation 3: You can use a drill stop so that you do not drill through the outer sheet metal.
Step 7: Deburr the holes you just drilled using a file. Depending on your trunk lid, use either primer, touch up paint, or silicone sealer to help prevent water ingress and rust in these areas.Step 8: Now reposition the spoiler onto the trunk lid and fasten it in place using the supplied hardware from spoiler manufacturer.Step 9: Clean any fingerprints from the area and vacuum any metal from the drilling.
Photo on GTA5-Mods.com
What if my spoiler has built-in brake lights?
If your spoiler has a built-in 3rd brake light which illuminates in synch with the other brake lights of your vehicle, then during the installation you will have to drill an additional hole.The hole will accommodate the brake light wire.Look for the existing brake wiring and slice into it to finish the installation process, after the wire is routed into the trunk.Note that some spoilers will enable you to route the wire through one of the mounting holes.
Why should I order my spoiler already painted?
If you have already decided on the right spoiler for your vehicle, then you want it soon and ready for installation. Most people recommend that you shop an already painted spoiler this is why:
- The spoiler comes ready for installation-you do not have to wait for paint, and paint to dry
- It is inexpensive compared to having your spoiler painted
- You do not have to look for a paint shop to purchase the paint
- The match with the spoiler is guaranteed
Photo on robitronic.com
What is the difference between a spoiler and a wing?
Wings and spoilers-how do they work?
The term spoiler and wing are easily confused or wrongly interchanged.But two first thing first, spoiler and wing are two different items.So what is the difference between a spoiler and a wing?
Spoiler
It is an automotive aerodynamic device which spoils unfavorable air movement across a body of a car in motion.Spoilers are commonly installed to race and high-performance sports cars, however, they are also common in passenger vehicles.Some car owners add spoilers for upgrading with little racing benefit.Front spoilers are known as air dams because they reduce the amount of air flowing underneath the vehicle.While many spoiler designs imitate wings the main purpose is to reduce drag and increase fuel efficiency. The wing design is only for decoration purpose. Passenger vehicles can be installed with front and rear spoilers. Spoilers can be made of ABS plastic, fiberglass, silicon or carbon materials.
Wing
A wing is an aerodynamic device which increases drag and generates downforce on an automobile.You can increase the downward force over the wheels by adjusting the angle of the wing.Any vehicle that is designed in a way it can oversteer, can benefit from the installation of wings.Note that in the rear wheel this increased drag from the wing may increase speed in turns, but will require tuning for different racing conditions.If you are active in automobile market you will realize that the current trend is adding a wing to the rear of sports and modified passengers cars including the rear wheel.
Do spoilers actually help make a car faster?
If you are wondering if a spoiler will make your car move faster, well this will depend on your car, the spoiler and the speed at which your car is traveling.A vehicle is actually shaped like an aircraft wing, with a shorter surface on the bottom than on the top.This implies that lift is generated when the car is moving at a speed which makes it less stable and reduces contact with the road- which can be both good and bad.A rear spoiler spoils the flow of air that generates lift, thus pressing the car harder to the road.A spoiler reduces drag, making a car more efficient so that the engine power will go faster.So yes spoilers do make cars go faster and become more stable.However remember this will mainly depend on the quality of spoiler, and model of your car.
Photo on unpluggedperformance.com
What is the purpose of a front spoiler?
4 reasons FWD cars need front spoilers
Every now and then I hear people wondering why FWD a car has a spoiler, while some say the spoilers will just slow the car down, below are main reasons why you should have a spoiler on the FWD.
- Cornering-A car which has a spoiler will be able to corner better than that without. The force from the spoiler pushes the vehicle down while the normal force pushes it up and thus better cornering.
- Better car braking-Similar to the concept of cornering due to the force acting downward and upward there will be easiness in braking the car as compared to one with no spoiler.
- Reduce lift- You can reduce lift in your car by adding a spoiler. Air swipes over the backward falling over the front thus balancing the lift in your car.
- Create a center of pressure- If you are to remove the rear wing from your vehicle you will have a lot of pressure moving forward and thus a lot of downforce in the front and not in the rear. The front tire will have more downforce as compared to the back. Thus in a situation where you are going around the corner, the front tire has more grip than the rear. Then you are going to reach the limit with the rear tires first. But you want the pressure to be balanced, keeping the wing of the rear tire and all tires reaching the limit together. Which will be achieved by adding a spoiler
Photo on revozport.com
What type of spoiler is right for you?
The right spoiler will transform any car into a modern racing vehicle. The upgrading which comes with a spoiler is just fabulous.Majority of spoilers are designed to be installed without difficulty and to make your car speed easily. Below are spoilers which will add style to your vehicle and improve downforce.
Roof Spoilers
They are also known as window spoilers. There are most popular with hatchbacks, station wagons, and sport utilities.The roof spoilers effectively create the extra downforce needed to enhance stability.Although, the roof spoilers can also be useful on notchbacks which have larger wings on their trunk edge, as more airflow is redirected over the wing surface.
Lip Spoilers
Being more practical on the street, a lip spoiler is all you need for your car stability and performance.They have a dissuaded look but do not undermine them as they add performance touch to the design.Just remember that a discreet looking spoiler can deliver results as effective as one which is loud.
Seibon carbon STI rear spoiler
The spoiler is designed as a factory replacement for the wing on the current -Subaru STI. The sole purpose is aesthetics and costs about $650 depending on quality and brand.
Dawn factory style flush mount rear spoiler
This type of spoiler is meant to replicate what you would get if you had ordered a spoiler from the factory. It cost about $150.
Big country labs universal atmosphere
These are the kind of spoiler that builders of over the top custom cars like. The big country labs universal atmosphere will mount to just anything. They cost about $750. When shopping your spoiler take in mind that:
- A spoiler which is not properly designed can actually cause drag and thus slow down the car or even worse make it unstable
- Spoilers do not have to be big to be effective
- A spoiler which looks fast may not be actually fast