The main purpose of the spoiler is the aerodynamics of the car. We will tell you about the principle of work, how best to select, install and cost.
The content of the article:
- Varieties and purpose
- Correct selection
- Installation process
- Price
You can often find a car with a spoiler, and it looks much better than without. But beauty is not the main purpose of this device. Many car enthusiasts attribute this to the process of tuning a car, others just for beauty.
Why install a spoiler
Nowadays, you can see many different spoilers, different shapes and configurations. But it happens that the spoiler is confused with the wing, despite the fact that the installation site and elements are the same.
The wing, as the name implies, is designed to create downforce. This force is created due to the difference in air pressure on the upper and lower plane. By design, the wing is mounted on two racks with a jumper between them, while the spoiler fits snugly against the trunk lid.
The pressure on the upper plane of the wing is lower, because of the profile, the air flowing around it from below travels a greater distance than that flowing around it from above (as a rule, the greater the distance, the lower the pressure and the higher the speed). As a conclusion, in order for the air to flow around the wing from below, there must be a gap between the horizontal surface of the trunk and the element itself.
As for the spoiler, it does not have such a gap between the element and the trunk lid, it adheres tightly to the surface. But with this design, the spoiler has a different task. It minimizes turbulence when air flows from the trunk lid or car roof. Typically, the spoiler is installed at the very edge of the boot lid. Usually the effect will be on fuel consumption and top speed of the vehicle.
There is always an exception to every rule. For sports car lovers, it is enough to remember the Porsche 911 of the seventies. In it, the engine is installed behind, and the famous ducktail (spoiler-wing) is nothing like the one described above. It is not installed at the very end of the hood (since the engine is behind), but there is also no clearance between the planes. The main purpose is additional air supply to the engine for cooling.
According to the Porsche manufacturer, such a device reduced the lift force of the car acting on its rear by about 100 kg.
As there is no such list of spoilers, manufacturers are releasing more and more new types for different brands and models of cars. The spoiler can be simple or with a stop repeater, it can be raised or completely wrap around the trunk lid up to the rear optics. Here, as they say, the choice is the taste and color of the driver.
Choosing a car spoiler
The wing is often standard and can be fitted to any vehicle. The main thing is to allow the trunk lid for writing, but the spoiler should be for a certain model and brand of car. Therefore, we will consider the spoiler in the future.
To install or not to install a spoiler is the decision of every driver. Nowadays, they think more about beauty and visual tuning than about its main purpose. Many experts believe that a properly selected spoiler begins to perform its functions at speeds above 80 km / h, and this is true, since it is at this speed that the aerodynamic force begins to act on the car.
The first thing you should pay attention to when choosing a spoiler is the material from which it is made. Most of these parts are now made of plastic. There are also those that are made of carbon, they are of higher quality, but the price is naturally more expensive than that of plastic ones.
The disadvantage of a plastic spoiler is considered fragility and instability to high temperatures, overloads and road conditions. The situation is similar with fiberglass parts, which are now massively made from cheap materials. The best quality and most inexpensive is ABS plastic, which is practical and strong.
When choosing, it is worth deciding how much you are willing to spend on a particular part. Choosing what shape will be is already the taste of the driver of the car. The main thing when choosing is to remember the make, model and year of manufacture of your car. Since even for the same make and model of the car, the spoiler may differ from year to year. The manufacturer could change the location of the submodel name, change the shape of the trunk lid or rear optics.
The second step in choosing is the spoiler color. Most drivers will choose a spoiler to match the color of their vehicle. You can choose by eye, but it is better to know for certain the color of the car. To do this, in advance in the service book or on the official websites of the car manufacturer, you can find the VIN code for the color of the car. Having written it down on a piece of paper, give it to the seller and you will be provided with one-on-one color as the body of the car. It is better not to buy a universal set, as often the appearance of the car will be much worse than before installation. There are many companies that produce and select a spoiler for the driver's desired parameters. You can also read reviews on a particular model, its aerodynamic characteristics and the principle of installation on forums and sites.
Spoiler installation process
The spoiler installation process can be divided into two options, this is the process of hard attachment, and soft. The rigid mount should be taken seriously, it is based on drilling the surface of the trunk lid. The soft method involves installation without drilling using adhesive tape.
Let's say you have selected a spoiler and purchased a type of bolt-on fastener. To drill the holes, we need a drill, a sharp drill, sandpaper and an anti-corrosion agent. The first thing we do is try on our spoiler and decide on the place of fasteners. It is worth considering that there will be no attempt at a mistake, you need to do everything carefully and the first time. Measure seven times, drilled once, this is exactly what you should do.
After the holes have been made, it is necessary to clean up the fresh metal quite a bit (the place of fasteners, or rather the holes) and treat it with an anti-corrosion agent. Since, if water gets in, over time, these places can give rust. Next, we install a spoiler in the holes and fasten it tightly on the inside of the trunk lid.
If you bought a spoiler with soft fasteners, then for this we need a degreaser, clean wipes and one assistant for a smooth installation. Before proceeding with the installation, make sure that there is double-sided adhesive tape in the kit or on the spoiler. If not, then it is better to buy such a tape from the manufacturer 3M.
The first is fitting, it is worth trying on a spoiler and making marks where there will be a beginning and where the end point will be. If the tape is not glued to the spoiler, then wipe the place where the tape will be glued with a degreaser and napkins.
Next, glue the tape, in no case, do not touch the grease-free spot on the spoiler or the adhesive surface of the tape with your hands, this will reduce the adhesiveness of the surfaces. Now we degrease and wipe the surface of the trunk lid. It is also not worth taking and touching it after the cleaning procedure.
With the help of a partner and not quite a bit peeling off the protective part of the adhesive tape, we put the spoiler in place. Now we calmly and slowly pull back the protective surface of the tape, thereby gluing the spoiler to the surface. Next, you should press the spoiler well and hold it for a couple of minutes. This completes the installation.
Depending on how you choose the right place and install, the beauty and evenness of the detail will depend.
Spoiler price
As already mentioned, the cost of the spoiler largely depends on the material from which it is made. For example, a spoiler with ordinary plastic will cost from 4000 rubles for a 2000 Audi A4. For BMW X5 (E70), a spoiler made of ABS plastic will cost from 6,000 rubles. Popular manufacturers include Remin, Pure, JKS, Dawn, tSi.
If you cannot decide to install it yourself, then you can always contact the specialists at special service stations. The average cost of installation will depend on the difficulty of attaching the spoiler; the one on the adhesive tape will be cheaper. Installation will be about 20 euros, but bolted ones will cost from 30 euros. Average installation time on adhesive tape from 30 to 60 minutes, on bolts from 60 to 120 minutes.
As a conclusion, before buying, it is worth deciding on the method of fastening the spoiler, then the material from which it will be made, well, the amount that you are ready to pay for the pleasure.
