Talk:Spoiler (automotive)

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There's two F1 pictures now and all three picrures show rear spoilers. Would there be lid/lip, roof or front spoilers? Ferrari F40 pictures show something but the nice front of Ferrari F50 or Ferrari Enzo Ferrari isn't shown very well in the article photos. Formula cars might have most clear front spoilers, though, despite being somewhat different than those on more normal cars.

[edit] Roof spoilers?

I know there is a class of car racing that usually has a giant spoiler on the roof with vertical fins on both sides of the spoiler (I think the fins are asymmetrical for some reason). I picture these cars as being off-road or at least being fairly bulkey-looking. What kinds of cars are these? Why this particular spoiler design? Are the vertical fins really asymmetric? —BenFrantzDale 13:35, 22 February 2006 (UTC)

There is a difference between a wing and a spoiler. A wing (aerofoil) is designed to increase downforce and in doing so increases the drag coefficient of the car. A spoiler has no effect on the downforce; most are constructed too flimsily to transmit the necessary force. It instead changes the separation point of the airflow across the car and so improves the aerodynamic properties by reducing pressure drag.

Anyone else notice that the Diffuser article link doesn't lead anywhere? -Psycadelc 3 May 2006

Because the article hasn't been created and written yet Sparky132 13:37, 15 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] spoiler spoils...

Spoilers simply spoil unfavorable airflow. Spoilers aren't intended to actually generate any kind of lift/downforce. Thats what wings do. Just re-affirming the other guy.RCHM 18:50, 20 June 2006 (UTC)

this is quite true. and sadly, the misconception is vast. i just did a short internet research stint and found only ONE person, a jet pilot in some car forum, that knew what spoilers actually did, and i quote "prevent slip stream from wrapping onto the rear quarters". unfortunately, i'm in the middle of procrastinating from writing a journal paper right now and haven't the time to correct this. perhaps i will someday. but being that this whole article is wrong, it's gonna take some doin'. in short: spoilers detach the airflow at the rear of the car to decrease drag. have nothing to do with lift. that's what wings are for. camaros had spoilers. if there's space between it and the car, it's a wing. can't trip a boundary layer if you're above it.

i also find humor in the fact that the beginning of this article ALMOST states that... and then we go on to see numerous pictures of wings. being called spoilers. this is why people make fun of wiki...
-Heterodoxus 20:18, 28 August 2007 (UTC)

you can even see this in the picture on Spoiler (aeronautics). of course, those spoilers are on wings. cars aren't wings. 'cept maybe the superbird. but that was a long time ago. and they don't make cars like that anymore...

-Heterodoxus 20:28, 28 August 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Passenger Vehicles

This section was edited on 3.18.2007. The previous content did not make a clear distiction between commercially decorative spoilers and actual spoilers. A pictoral example should be provided of what common passeger vehicle spoilers are. A pictoral diagram should be provided to show how spoilers work and a more detailed description should compliment that. J.A.T.