Spoiler Drag

[DavidKFla]

Leah?😳😏

The car.

 

[The Englishman]

The car.

Oh!

 

[45-70govt]

Supposedly Dodge spent a lot of time in the wind tunnel on our cars and everything was done for function over looks. As I recall, TK said that the 2017 spoiler was taller by 13mm to add more downforce, compared to the previous versions.

I like the original spoiler best. The "performance spoiler" just looks like it got too hot and melted at the tips.

 

[Boris]

The earlier Drag Packs had no spoiler if I remember correctly.

Correct.

 

[DavidKFla]

Supposedly Dodge spent a lot of time in the wind tunnel on our cars and everything was done for function over looks. As I recall, TK said that the 2017 spoiler was taller by 13mm to add more downforce, compared to the previous versions.

I like the original spoiler best. The "performance spoiler" just looks like it got too hot and melted at the tips.

I thought the performance spoiler looked good on our old Challenger. Just my opinion.

 

[2ndAmend]

Supposedly Dodge spent a lot of time in the wind tunnel on our cars and everything was done for function over looks. As I recall, TK said that the 2017 spoiler was taller by 13mm to add more downforce, compared to the previous versions.

I like the original spoiler best. The "performance spoiler" just looks like it got too hot and melted at the tips.

Ah, don't need downforce in Land Speed Trials.

You guys are making me think I should take it off, I don't have a prob with tape on the holes!

 

[DavidKFla]

I would want rear downforce at those speeds.

 

[Marc W]

Ok. I guess it’s time to do this again 😑. I ran the standing half mile a few years ago. I ran 183+ mph. I had the stock 2016 spoiler. I also had a chute. It was angled up at 45* (like they are supposed to be). When launched, the pilot chute goes up into the airstream and pulls the main chute, that is packed in a deployment bag, out behind the car until it opens. The turbulence coming off that spoiler drove that pilot chute and the bag with the main chute straight into the ground, where it bounced along until it was all the way out. That took its toll on the whole thing. Pics tell the story. The roiling wake turbulence behind the car creates drag. That makes the car unstable and slows it down. That’s why the DragPak cars (as has been mentioned) take them off. There’s only one thing that will cause a launched chute to hit the ground 2’ behind the bumper at 180 mph. And it ain’t good.

 

[DavidKFla]

A side effect of downforce is drag. It's a transfer of energy. Finding the happy medium is another thing.
What's the downfall if you're not running a chute?

 

[Marc W]

A side effect of downforce is drag. It's a transfer of energy. Finding the happy medium is another thing.
What's the downfall if you're not running a chute?

That’s right. The question is…. In a 4500 lb car, why do you need downforce. Drag cars try to reduce turbulence with long flat extensions and side plates (drag wings) to reduced drag and increase stability, not create downforce. The car will go faster because of that (or they wouldn’t run them). The clean chute launch is just another benefit.

 

[DavidKFla]

That’s right. The question is…. In a 4500 lb car, why do you need downforce. Drag cars try to reduce turbulence with long flat extensions and side plates (drag wings) to reduced drag and increase stability, not create downforce. The car will go faster because of that (or they wouldn’t run them). The clean chute launch is just another benefit.

Do these cars get tail end happy at high speeds? To me that would be the answer to whether they need 1 or not.

I've never noticed the Charger doing it but I was only running a max of 140.

 

[Marc W]

Do these cars get tail end happy at high speeds? To me that would be the answer to whether they need 1 or not.

I've never noticed the Charger doing it but I was only running a max of 140.

Without the controlled data from a wind tunnel it’s just guessing. That’s why earlier in this thread, I mentioned that the factory DragPak from Schumacher Racing had removed that spoiler and was running with nothing. Teams at the level do have access to wind tunnels and I don’t have any doubt removing that spoiler was a result of that. I saw what I saw in that video with my chute and didn’t like it. I also notice that when the chute opens now with the drag wing on my car, it is stable. With the stock spoiler it wagged the rear around to the point that it was unsettling.

 

[RGPIII]

I've noticed it will wag the rear a few times as well on deployment. had no idea it was from the spoiler though. I may remove mine just to test that out.

 

[DavidKFla]

I've noticed it will wag the rear a few times as well on deployment. had no idea it was from the spoiler though. I may remove mine just to test that out.

I've seen the rear wheels come off the ground when the chutes hit.

 

[2ndAmend]

Do these cars get tail end happy at high speeds? To me that would be the answer to whether they need 1 or not.

I've never noticed the Charger doing it but I was only running a max of 140.

My best was 191 and it is shocking how stable they are, and I never had an alignment or wheel balance. Crosswind will cause a lane change and you just ease the wheel ever so gently like you are driving on snow. Not sure what the FL equivalent is, sorry.

 

[DavidKFla]

My best was 191 and it is shocking how stable they are, and I never had an alignment or wheel balance. Crosswind will cause a lane change and you just ease the wheel ever so gently like you are driving on snow. Not sure what the FL equivalent is, sorry.

I lived up north for more than 40 years.

I've never been that fast so I don't have any idea of what it's like.

 

[2ndAmend]

I lived up north for more than 40 years.

I've never been that fast so I don't have any idea of what it's like.

I'd suggest you come visit Land Speed Trials next summer, but didn't you sell the Cat? Or did I mix something up?

 

[DavidKFla]

I'd suggest you come visit Land Speed Trials next summer, but didn't you sell the Cat? Or did I mix something up?

Still have Taxi Kat. Sold the Scat Pack, 2500 and the trailer.