Guys, I am trying to figure out exactly what the front winglets do for the front spoiler. Does it manage air flow (thereby stability) or create down force or both. How much of a difference is there between stage 1, 2 and 3 ?
I would like to know from having no winglet to using the large winglet how much drag and downforce it produces. In order to determine at specific tracks what would be the best winglet combination to use, and wha the combination between the winglet to rear spoiler will produce. Maybe asking for too much.

 

My impression is they keep air being push aside by the bumper away from the front tire/wheel,and thus keep that air from getting under the car.

Doug

 

On an airplane, a winglet improves efficiency by reducing wingtip vortices. I'm going to guess that it's a little more complicated on a complex shape like a car and the official explanation probably includes the phrase "airflow management", but in the simplest terms, the winglet prevents high pressure air from spilling over the ends of the splitter. That should increase the downforce on the front splitter. That's my guess, anyway. I think the biggest source of drag would be from the rear spoiler. I just saw something in MT about the Z28 and Randy Pobst: Randy drove a Z28 again recently and was surprised at how well it handled versus a previous test. The difference was an optional extension on the rear spoiler. What I am trying to say is that I think probably the best aero set-up for most tracks is going to be the maximum down force available.

 

^ Yeah, that pretty much sums it up. The winglets are there to create pressure to make the splitter and fender extensions more effective. With this level of aero, which isn't substantial, maxed out is likely going to be best on any track.

 

It also produces a low pressure area behind the flap which increases air flow past the brake rotors.

Bill

 

I am going to suggest that trying to create downforce by building high pressure areas over the car, isa **** poor way of getting downforce due to increased drag.

The amount of downforce you would get on the few square inches of splitter in front of the wheels, from induced high pressure probably amounts the weight of about two hamsters.

Everything possibly is being done to keep air out from under the car, the side skirts keep air that is spilling down the sides from sucking underneath, by blowing the air outward, the winglets likewise keep air from under the car, and also i believe, reduce drag, by keeping more air away from the sides. The mechanism that does this is easy to illustrate, but hard to explain, I am aware of this effect from research done on semi trucks a few decades ago.

That rear spoiler, doesn't act so much as down pusher, it is too small, what it does do is throw turbulent air further behind the car,and also creates more vacuum immediately behind the car, which creates suction underneath.

Everybody blames the aero for more drag, but i would suggest the stage 3 reported reduced top speed may not be from increased drag, but increased tire rolling resistance due to more applied down force. probably why GM suggests higher tire pressures for long high speed runs.

Everything I look at tells me the stage 3 should have less aero drag than stage 1.

As a side note, that rear panel with the vertical vanes that WeaponX sells, possibly helps creates more downforce than the factory panel does.

Doug

 

On street driving they are subject to many things and none of them are good. It is actually a relief to drive the stage 1 without the front low bill type spoiler like the ZR1. With the ZR1 I'm always worried when I go somewhere and go to turn in and of course they have a huge dip to ruin your spoiler on.
I like stage 1 and no winglets easier not to worry about them

 

One of us does not understand what you wrote...
forcing air OVER the car instead of under it does create a downforce. that's exactly what they were going for. you say its a pisspoor way of getting it done but I'm not sure there is any other way. That's specifically why splitters and wings (and spoilers) were created. Yes, it does create drag and it makes the tires harder to roll with the extra downforce. That is a tradeoff that can't be avoided.

I think.

 

Well, not exactly.

Ever see how an airplane wing works?

Air underneath the wing, doesn't lift the air plane, vacuum from faster flowing air above the wing lifts the airplane, even though high speed air is pushing *down* on the front of the wing.


Wouldn't you intuitively say that air should push that hump down,a s it hits the front and tries to force it down when it goes over? It works the opposite.

You can put giant upside down wings on cars and they work the same way, an upside down airplane wing, but they are huge drag makers, so we don't want to do that for CAFE reasons

You want the reverse in a vehicle, you want vacuum under the car. You get a lot of that from a Bernoulli effect, with a smooth surface underbody. http://www.cdxetextbook.com/assocStu...principle.html

Look at those big *** tunnels on the rear of an Enzo Ferrari, they create vacuum under the vehicle to get downforce, Enzos don't get downforce by blasting air onto wings and spoilers. The Enzo doesn't have squat for a spoiler, but it has around 800 lb downforce.

.



Doug