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JDM Aero parts: Do they work? (hint: Voltex)

voltex-evo

Have you ever been skeptical about JDM aerodynamic add-ons? Like the crazily popular front bumper carnards, splitters, rear wing and diffusers?. The Option magazine network advertisements all claim that these carbon fiber or fiberglass or sometimes plastic winglets things do work to keep your car planted with the effect that Bernoulli creates. Which in car terms, is widely known as downforce.

Though this may seem logical and all, people like you need to see it happening. So here’s an Option video documentary on the Tsukuba Time Attack’s Cyber Evo monster. There’s even a stock comparison near the end where the lack of these air spoilers, actually created the dreaded lift.

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    MaRvyn
  • Feb 19, 2009
Yes, these parts do works. Only above certain speed. If less, it's just for look only. Voltex has indeed invested a lot in their R&D of their aerodynamics products. Thumbs up for them. Sadly, some other companies just ripped off their product after such hard works they gone thru...
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    amf
  • Feb 19, 2009
more than 100mph i think
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    PocketRocket
  • Feb 19, 2009
why la bobo pose like that? hehe... muka stim only xD

normally canards,fins,gt wings and diffusers are over rated by those who install them for cosmetic purposes and for autoshows....dont serve any functionality at all unless installing the right pieces for the right application.

we lack the technology n finances for a wind tunnel to fully utilize these parts to be used for serious track/time attack races.

unless ur a math whore, there was a formula posted in 'car modification thread' some time back...which means german to me....

even my car felt very "heavy" while traveling speeds of 150km/h with 2 pairs of canards before....im sure their of use to any other car provided one does not have them installed 45 degrees...

my 1.8 kupang
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    andrew lsp
  • Feb 19, 2009
marvelous i wonder what will happen if their bodykit assemble in ams evo
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    TitanRev
  • Feb 19, 2009
PocRoc, I bring one wind tunnel back for you...XD
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    mickeysew814
  • Feb 19, 2009
beside wind tunnel, there is something CFD (computational fluid dynamic) which is cheaper and easy to use. You simulate the flow in your pc n calculate the drag force & down force easily.. Most of the automotive & aeronautic R&D will have this kind of software :)
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    mickeysew814
  • Feb 19, 2009
too add on, it even more important for F1 bcos the aerodynamic design is important, that why tis year F1 suddenly come with this kinda bodywork!
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    msv83
  • Feb 19, 2009
Hope to See how The Aero parts work on F1 this season~ !
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    Izso
  • Feb 20, 2009
What would be interesting is if someone came up with a bodykit that was self adjustable like the infamous Ferrari F1 car illegal air splitter or whatever it was called.

Then you'd start having a whole bunch of Wiras with big "wagging tail" spoilers. LOL!
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    adlanar
  • Feb 20, 2009
PocketRocket :
even my car felt very “heavy” while traveling speeds of 150km/h with 2 pairs of canards before….im sure their of use to any other car provided one does not have them installed 45 degrees…

- you will feel 'heavy' as these winglets creates downforce ie. pushes your car onto the road. its most useful in countering 'lift' at hi speeds when ur cars CoG shifts during fast cornering.

i do work with CFD and 'easy' is not how i would describe it. there are lots of parameters to consider for accurate modeling, which is up against the computing power (lots of crashes) and time. the only reason people use CFD as it is alot cheaper than building / calibrating a wind tunnel.
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  • Feb 20, 2009
Evo will always be on top
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    MaRvyn
  • Feb 20, 2009
msv83, u mean the IKEA bookshelf at the back of the F1 car? LOL

CFD is indeed much more cheaper than wind tunneling. Likewise, Mugen has done lots of wind tunneling test to the Acura RSX ( Honda Integra DC5 ) bodykits. That's explain why the cost of the original kit is much more expensive. Whereas, company like APR only utilized CFD and ground test.

adlanar, it's all about getting the right Angle of Attack AoA to create the right Drag Coeffiency CoD to push the car forward.

As for active aero as mentioned by Izso, this site should be interesting for you to read... www.aeromotions.com
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    skazareth
  • Feb 20, 2009
I had this subject back in my college years, in class of automotive engineering design...spoiler works for the car that has velocity over 160km/h (or 100mph). nothing wrong to install to any car but if it does not serve the purpose, it will be nothing more than a decoration and heavier car. talking aboit wind tunnel, my workplace here got 1 big wind tunnel meant for automotive postgrad student. anyone interested?
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    HaZaRd
  • Feb 20, 2009
its works.. but in high speed.. it drags a lot that cause speed lost... but gain stabality.

luv Voltex par especially gtwing n bottom diffuser.. i put already on my wira.. tested.. haha~
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    ephique74
  • Feb 20, 2009
ey? got windtunnel in malaysia? that's a good input. where is it skazareth?
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    A1diablo
  • Feb 20, 2009
skarazeth where do you work? Can we have some fun in your wind tunnel :)
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    MaRvyn
  • Feb 20, 2009
skazareth, can you tell us where is it? Would love to pay a visit there.
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    mickeysew814
  • Feb 20, 2009
is it a full scale wind tunnel ? or just meant for model like the wind tunnel in UTM?

adlanar, so now you still using CFD? Which software? me also CFD kaki :) Maybe we can knowledge sharing on that..
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    jaydee
  • Feb 20, 2009
Good downforce but lessen the speed too...

My friend's Beamer used to have a top speed of 240kmh with his GT Wing... and after that pretty hard to go up...
After removing the GT wing he got up to 260kmh....

I think we can see the diff here.... There are pro and cons I guess... I"m no expert. My 2 cents and sharing.. :)
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    skazareth
  • Feb 20, 2009
mickeysew814 on February 20th, 2009 2:13 pm is it a full scale wind tunnel ? or just meant for model like the wind tunnel in UTM?

adlanar, so now you still using CFD? Which software? me also CFD kaki Maybe we can knowledge sharing on that..

hehe..yea..like in UTM lor... i guess we're the 3rd on after UTM has one. Motocycle can fit laa..kete cannot...hehe...sorry guys.

by the way..wanna pay a visit? come IIUM Gombak, it is in faculty engineering. besides, we have an event this weekend..drift..drag...autoshow...we did it annually. if Tom or Keshy doesnt mind, he can put a lil ad for this event here.. cheers.
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    skazareth
  • Feb 20, 2009
sorry more free ad : the event starting today til sunday, 8am-7pm.

just google "autogala 09" for more. cheers.
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    lonely driver
  • Feb 21, 2009
each has its pros and cons
a car with more aerodynamics and improve handling but lack of speed but without aerodynamics the car will achieve more speed but lack of handling...
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    lonely driver
  • Feb 21, 2009
and last, balance is the best which every year some F1 team willing to spend millions of dollars just for RnD and testing...
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    msv83
  • Feb 22, 2009
hi MaRvyn,

yeah...the bokshelf and the front adjusterable spoiler.
laster year i only watch outside the gate at SG for the F1 ...
Regret not to buy the ticket....... imagine that u r 100meter from the track and u can hear the sonic boom sound clearly...( who ever go City Hall at singapore to watch te F1 race will know)
But this season without Ferrari team is abit dissapointment and they use the same engine...
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    Sky3
  • Mar 1, 2009
Thats bullshit about the rear wing comparison, if you look at minute 3:45, they're blowing the wind from a higher angle than in 4:50 which makes it look like the wing is doing something but its just the height from where they're blowing it. You can see that they were careful not to show the front part of the car where the wind is blowing when making the comparison too!!
Now I'm not saying all wings are useless but its obvious they manipulated the wind effect in these parts! Anyone else sees it???
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