Spoilers & Car Wings Research Guide

Spoilers & Car Wings Research Guide Glossary Terms

• Aerodynamics
• Deck
• Downforce
• Drag
• Gaskets
• Inertia
• Lift
• Loose

Spoilers & Car Wings Research Guide Glossary Definitions

Aerodynamics

The study of the motion of gasses (in this case air), how this motion effects the movement of an object, and how the shape of the object affects airflow.

Deck

The portion of a spoiler or wing that's typically angled to catch passing air. Factory-style spoiler decks usually run parallel to the trunk lid, eliminating drag and downforce. Certain wings have adjustable decks for tuning the effect on your vehicle.

Downforce

The effect of air contacting the car body's sloped surfaces. Downforce is created by the air dam, hood, windshield, roof, spoiler(s) and wing(s) of the car. More downforce increases drag and slows the car, but raises tire friction and temperature, making the car "stick" to the road. Less downforce raises the top speed by reducing drag, but simultaneously increases loose handling.

Spoilers and wings (mostly wings) contribute to downforce by catching passing air. This force hits the angled deck and rises while pushing down on the car. This downward force stabilizes the vehicle tremendously.

Drag

Drag is the word for air resistance that slows down your vehicle while driving. The effect is more pronounced at higher speeds. Drag is reduced by aerodynamic shaping such as curved edges that reduce the air caught by your vehicle.

Gaskets

A flexible ring or integrated part typically made of rubber that's used to make a seal fluid-tight. Gaskets are positioned between your spoiler and the trunk lid to keep moisture from seeping through the holes drilled when installing the spoiler/wing.

Inertia

The word describing the behavior of objects in motion as detailed in Newton's first law. Otherwise known as the law of inertia, it states that objects in motion tend to stay in motion at the same speed and direction unless acted on by an unbalanced force, while objects at rest tend to stay at rest.

Lift

Lift, most often used when discussing flight, can have a serious effect on vehicles traveling at high speeds. Taking into account the velocity of a vehicle, high volumes of air hit the underside, simultaneously pushing up on the vehicle and pushing down on the road. This upward pressure directly negates downforce and tire friction, causing loose and unsafe handling.

Ever seen a speedboat crash? It's the same idea, which is detailed at length in Bernoulli's Principle. The ultra-light boat has too much air pushing against the bottom, and eventually is forced airborne by the pressure. Lift is just one reason why vehicles are so unpredictable and unsafe at high speeds.

Loose

"Loose" is the condition applied to vehicles (most often race vehicles) suffering from excess lift and a lack of control of the vehicle. The effect is most prominently felt at high speeds and in turns, where side-to-side shifting of the back tires is caused by a lack of downforce.