What is the concensus out there on running a spoiler on a car that runs a wing? I know a spoiler looks good on a car, but does it help it speed /aerodynamically or increase drag that will hurt top end?
(Running specifically on a large outdoor aspahlt oval with caps)

Thanks,
Ron

you want to balance the downforce front to rear. Front downforce is a function of the body shape and it's relationship to the front tires while the rear is where you can use a wing and or spoiler to balance this out. The wing and spoiler do add drag so you want to add whatever you think adds downforce most effeciently. I'd go with the wing at an outdoor track but it's a bit of a toss up indoors on the rug...

a spoiler will also make the car rotate better throught the corners than a wing, the side dams on a wing create side force, with a loose car this is benifical, but if you need a car to rotate better a spoiler maybe what you need..

...or a wing with SMALLER Side Dams and less KICK or less ANGLE, or a single plain wing...or moved closer to the back window (Or mounted on the ROOF)

...or a wing with SMALLER Side Dams and less KICK or less ANGLE, or a single plain wing...or moved closer to the back window (Or mounted on the ROOF)
Good point Joe!!! that also LOL...

I have seen some people run a wing and spoiler both would that not make the car way to tight or push like a dump truck? or would you just run some real hard tires and free the car as much as you can. I have run both ( not at the same time) I like a spoiler better to me I will race on any surface and any car I like my car to turn at the end of the straite

running mod, on a somewhat loose surface I ran a Bi-Level wing w/ a spoiler, but moreso than ME doing it - the FAST guys did it too.

The old "PLANT THE REAR" - "MAKE IT STEER" idea!

running mod, on a somewhat loose surface I ran a Bi-Level wing w/ a spoiler, but moreso than ME doing it - the FAST guys did it too.

The old "PLANT THE REAR" - "MAKE IT STEER" idea!

The saying is and I use it all the time:

"Plant the rear, THEN make it steer!"

but with the rear planted so much wont the car push bad I know mine does. as they lose is fast right

but with the rear planted so much wont the car push bad I know mine does. as they lose is fast right

We're not talkin' plant the rear making it push like a dump truck. Plant the rear increasing forward drive.

ok but with my full sized car if its balanced it works better I understand plant the rear for better bite but what happen if you plant it to much like with spoiler and a wing at the same time. the front of the car can only make so much down force. how do you get the balance

brady,

The bigger point (IMHO) is you PLANT the rear as much as is needed.

In the case of a old MOD CAR with say a 6x1 & 4 cell, or a 10.5 B/L and LIPO, it takes MORE to plant the back end under power...so MORE rear downforce is needed.

On a car with (for lack of a better term) NO RIP coming out of the corner, you don't need as much WING/SPOILER or as soft a tire or what ever methods your using to PLANT the back end.

I could easily get away with a SPOILER ONLY in a single cell 17.5 car, where a 2s LIPO / 10.5 car I'd put a PARACHUTE on the back end if needed.

I've tried many times to make a car work with just a spoiler (no wing) with no luck. I could make it sorta work in practice, but once you start trying to race with other cars-it just won't stick.

What set up things can you do to really make it work (outdoor asphalt oval 365 ft or so)?

Thanks,
Ron

I run a high banked 365' concrete oval, and it is just about impossile to run with just a spoiler. Granted The Grove has a lot of character (read: bumpy), but with the speed you build up on the straights you pretty much need the side dams on the wing to limit the rear's tendancy to break away. At a seven second breakout pace some guys have put a giant spoiler on the rear (1" +), but this will end as we transition to a single cell LiPo formula and wide open racing @ 7 seconds.

The only way it *might* work would be to shorten up the car's wheelbase dramatically to increase the leverage from the spoiler. Look at a real COT to see how far forward the rear wheels are.

Bob

I run both a wing and spoiler but I run the wing fairly flat and use the sides for stability and the spoiler for down force. That is on a 17.5, 4 cell car.
The faster guys will do the same and kick the wing up a little for more down force.