Factory sunshade/spoiler = bad for performance?

1303 Views 6 Replies 7 Participants Last post by Speed Racer, Oct 19, 2003

Ravicai

Discussion Starter · Oct 17, 2003

I was looking at my factory spoiler the other day and noticed that the way they have it mounted it should cause the car to lift off the ground at high speeds. Isn't this bad for performance since we would want the spoiler to press the rear of the car down at high speed to increase traction?

Correct me if I'm wrong. I think it looks cool, but I'm starting to not think it's very helpful for performance.

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CJSREDPRA

· #2 · Oct 17, 2003

As you have mentioned & the magazines from back in the day also mentioned, the large object on the hatch is exact that: a "sunshade" not a actual functional spoiler (even Toyota admits it's really a sunshade). The magazines did mention something about the air coming off of the back of the spoiler creating some air turbulance, but it's not enough to screw w/ the handling of the car. It's nothing to be horribly excited about, the car handles just fine.

The only major big thing that you have to worry about, is for those who have installed a 82 - 84 hatch wing/sunshade on to their hatches, but did not install the metal center support rod that goes through the glass. If you're going fast enough the middle of the spoiler will start to flex & move around a bit. If it moves enough, it WILL shatter & break off, even though it's pretty thick fiberglass. This has been documented several times on the forum, the most recent one, was someone in Australia (Norbie).

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supra_toy

· #3 · Oct 18, 2003

If we all had norbies power I be breaking more than that....

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SupraFiend

· #4 · Oct 18, 2003

Chris, the shade reduces lift, you can tell just by looking at it. By keeping the air flow straighter off the rear its not being sucked down to the hatch which would cause lift. Its a good thing, leave it be unless its looks offend you

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Emohawk

· #5 · Oct 18, 2003

http://autozine.kyul.net/technical_school/aero/tech_aero.htm#Wing
Here's a diagram and more detail on the concept

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fox

· #6 · Oct 18, 2003

the wing does create turbulence which is never good but even worse it creates lift, not enough to affect the vehicles performance but enough to violently remove the wing at 220kph this risk is however offset by the fact that it does look cool.

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Speed Racer

· #7 · Oct 19, 2003

I have had my car up 130+ mph (220kph) and it didn't get torn off the hatch. Of course, I also have the factory center post attached through the glass as well.

I don't any issues with the "wing" - I like what it looks like too.

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