Aerodynamics (TEchnical)

[ESPER]

wsup, i see a lot of different wings/spoilers out there and i wonder what is the signifiance of each type??

i have decided that the 2 most potent wings (that aren't jsut for looks) would be the nascar type and the GT wings i see factory production cars use (such as in the JGTC)

my questions would be, what are each types advantages and disadvantages??

and when it comes to "GT TYPE" wings, (genereically speaking) does it really matter if u buy a $2,000 carbon fiber one from C-West or a $50 one from APC??

because i belive that maybe a wing is kinda like a strut brace, they serve the same funtion and side from material, they should all do the same thing, am i right??

thanks??

[Infamous]

im gonna jump on the bandwagon and say.......save the money for a SR:)

[lessthanjakejohn]

A rear spoilers purpose is to negate lift at high speeds and then after that it is to create downforce. You will really see no advantage for a spoiler and as k-car said "you won't get anything without a windtunnel and a whole room of japanese scientists" http://autozine.kyul.net/techn...0Lift

[Cyberkreig]

See, you all keep posting that link.. But it clearly and plainly explains why it is a GOOD thing to have a wing on your car.

[ESPER]

great article, i have never seen that posted here before!!

but from what i understand, since my car is the coupe (NOT the fastback) it seems to make more sense to buy a "GT Type" wing that is at least as high as the roofline and angle it (although as to what degree i am uncertain!!)

please i encourage those who are knowledgable in this area to let us know what configs and wings they use for their silvias!!

p.s. anyone want to chip in to spend $10,000,000,000 to rent a wind tunnel?!?! hehehe

[Cyberkreig]

It doesnt have to be as high as the roofline, placing it anywhere over the trunk will place it in the turbulence and help to smooth out the airflow..

Just angle it slightly.. k-car would certainly have been right that varying the angle would yield little to nothing without a windtunnel.. but if the change is so minute, than set it to where it "looks good"

[ESPER]

what do u mean anywhere over the trunk, because in the article it ahs it shown at least at roof line lvel, where as the cougar, (which is like my s14's) wing is like an inch of the trunk supposedly yeailding no effect!!

but yeah, would i t be wise to save money and just buy a generic GT wing from ebay or something, or should moeny be invested into a brand name wing??

[Cyberkreig]

not 1".. but i would think between 5" - Roofline..

as for Generic VS Expensive.. I dont honestly know. I would say buy what you can afford/what fits your taste.

you will probably get alota flack about havin a 'big' wing on your 240.. so buy something you like...

[lessthanjakejohn]

When you mount the spoiler should it be as far back as possible? Also downforce (or lift) grows exponetianlly with speed. Therefore the difference between your 65 mph cruising and your 100 mph street racing spectacular is a pretty good amount but still not significant,

[ESPER]

true true you guys, as for haviong a big wing, i dont care what others think, i am into it for the performance and i happen to like performance cars!! but yeah, at this point i just might go with an "ebay wing" for sake of cost so i can also do my brakes updgrade and get some new rims and tires. and as far as different speeds go, that is true. like i said, i guess i will just have it slanted slightly and eperiment to see if i notice anydifference. ianother reason i think i will get a GT wing is the grand touring cars race on track conditiopns with plenty corners where as the nascar type stuff is pretty much TOP speed oval and i know i wont be doing no damn 180 MPH

[C-Kwik]

Keep in mind spoilers and wings can also create drag depending on design and purpose. There are a few wings that only extend the rear deck to smooth out airflow. Look at some of the top speed cars as an example. Wings that are designed for the purpose of reducing lift or creating downforce tend to be a bit more intrusive. They tend so sit in the airstream and create drag. And drag increases with the square of speed. While it is not hard to design a wing that is effective by itself, the results on a car may not be the same. Keep in mind that how the air comes off the rest of the car and hits the wing can affect how well the wing works. a wing that is higher will probably be affected less by these attributes. A windtunnel would certainly be a good way to tell if the effects are good or bad and how much drag it adds.

[lessthanjakejohn]

The higher the wing the more of the affect, back 40 or 50 years ago wings were like 7 feet tall, but then they banned that...

[ka24de_510]

for all most of us know, adding a wing to the rear of your car will only hinder your performance. you would need to know the whole air flow diagram for your car and have an understanding of what it means to even make a reasonable attempt.

if you're lucky it may make your car more stable at speeds of 80+, but most likely it won't do a thing but create drag. so if you're gonna get one, get it for looks. most cars are unstable at high speed because of their undercarriages. a decent air dam would probably make more of a difference in high speed stability, but again at the cost of more drag.

if you don't want to buy a carbon fiber wing and are only doing it to save weight, i wouldn't bother. the 5-10lb difference on the rear won't affect performance by the slightest noticeable amount.

[neurovish]

wing = noyou aren't going to be track racing or driving faster than 130...most likely you won't even be going faster than 115 or so in your car...the wing will be a waste of money. Save up and use it when you break something.

[s14slide]

I would say do some research on basic vehicle aerodynamics and apply. Airdam, smoothing out the airflow under the chassis and cleaning up your wake before blowing your money on your "performance" wing. You can test airflow yourself a little bit w/ a smoke machine and some help. It's not completely accurate like a windtunnel and a bunch of geeks, but if you do it right and notice a descent amount of gas mileage change on the freeway(like a most of tank at a time), at a steady state of driving. You should be able to tell if your areodynamic changes helped. Better than another ricer w/ a wing.

[Structure240sx]

yea i actually put one on my car right when the kit when on. didnt look too bad but its was hurtin the gas milage a little bit from the drag. If you still really want one a have a black and a silver one sitting in my garage. i can send pics if you want.

[ESPER]

ok, from what has been posted, i generally agree, i will hold off on a wing until more research is done, as of thispoint having one isnt necessary since i wont be going "too" fast!! hehe

but lemme ask u guys this, how are ppl's cars set up for auto X, do they run body kits, wings, etc. or do they just keep the body stock??

and finally, what is the situation with stock wings?? should i leave the wing on my S14, or would taking it off be better?

[ssnnooppyy]

Hey structure... send me prices and pics of the wings... thanks![email protected]