Are spoilers on drift cars just for show or are they useful?

[Felliph3]

My friend is saying they are only for show and they do not get enough downforce to even make is useful. I believe they reduce the drift angle increase when you back of the throttle at high angles.


Function or Form?

[Soldat]

It was always my understanding that downforce and aerodynamics don't even come into play until 60-70 mph. I can see how they would be effective for tracks like Sonoma that has 100 mph entry speeds, but in order to be really useful, they would need to be a sideways type of wing like you see on sprint cars. The ones on most drift cars were designed for downforce created by air flowing from the front of the car to the back, not from side to side..

My 2 cents.

[delicious steve]

look at the RMR and Enjuku cars wing setup.

[gigglesnirt]

back when rhys used the gto he had those side panels connected to his spoiler that were clear plexiglass or something.

[ill_sil]

spoilers are used to control the look of the smoke. if you dont put out a lot of smoke then get a wangan style to condense it. At least thats my theory.

[Slapshotnerd]

Sure, there may not be much downforce on a straight at 70mph... but... we're also talking about a banked track, and driving near the wall. There's definately a huge effect!

PS - I think that the entry speed at nearly every FD course was 60-70mph, some were 80 (minus Wall and Long Beach).

pps - Sonoma wasn't 100... lol

[BenR]

It was always my understanding that downforce and aerodynamics don't even come into play until 60-70 mph.

Keep in mind cars built for the sole purpose of autocross in the A-Mod class have functional wings, they spend most of their time below that speed range.

[Soldat]

pps - Sonoma wasn't 100... lol

I've never been to Sonoma and I didn't watch that race, but I was referring to this:

http://formulad.com/media/events/6_front.jpg

[raging panda]

They do make some difference, to what effect I'm not sure and sometimes they can be negative. During FD seattle last year, I was talking with a few teams and noticed that many were taking the wings off, I asked why and some of them expressed that the wing was actually making it harder to hold the drift on the bank. It just depends on who you talk to though as in the finals of that race day, the tanabe skyline still had its wing on.

[Mike Peters]

I've never been to Sonoma and I didn't watch that race, but I was referring to this:

http://formulad.com/media/events/6_front.jpg

its called advertising. jsut becuase i make a thread saying "EXTREME DRIFTING 400MPH LS1 240SX WITH NOS" doesnt mean its happening, its to sound exciting.

[hachiroku-fc3s]

Christmas Eve, 2003

http://www.drifting.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1179

[Edgar]

its called advertising. jsut becuase i make a thread saying "EXTREME DRIFTING 400MPH LS1 240SX WITH NOS" doesnt mean its happening, its to sound exciting.

NOS! LMFAO

[atlantian]

I think i saw in superstreet that ken gushi's fastest entry speed was 125mph at the Cleavland GP
I would say, some looks, some function,
not aerodynamic down force, but weight, and also, ppl put panes up to stop from spinning out, yes, it makes it harder to drift but it's appropriate on high powered American muscles like Millen's gto