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In summary - people have said it’s annoying and/or costly and then some back peddled once more opinions have been heard. Others have said it makes no difference in performance or it has (and it benefits them in way of tire life which is a plus).
To me it seems like a good addition, and should be left alone. You have a choice. No splitter, or splitter. Seems very reasonable to me.
[quote=“Rob in VA” post=60475]In summary - people have said it’s annoying and/or costly and then some back peddled once more opinions have been heard. Others have said it makes no difference in performance or it has (and it benefits them in way of tire life which is a plus).
To me it seems like a good addition, and should be left alone. You have a choice. No splitter, or splitter. Seems very reasonable to me.[/quote]
I’m with Rob. Anyone who actually has ran a splitter knows they work. I still think its a useful tool to set the car up for tracks that produce a lot understeer/graining. I ran one pretty much all season up here. I can tell a big difference in front end grip when I run without it.
I wouldn’t say it unbalances the car, just changes the balance. If you don’t like a car the oversteers, I wouldn’t recommend a splitter, and leave it like that.
Horizontal Front Splitters: These are still legal for 2012 but a rule change disallowing horizontal splitters is being recommended for the 2013 Season.
It’s officially unofficial now.
I would like a heads up on what the rule will likely be. I’m guessing all aftermarket and homemade airdams will be banned. If this is the case I’m hoping the “meets the profile of the factory part” rule like the rear spoiler rule is what we get.
My homemade carbon fiber airdam is a likely cause of my cooling issues so I need to do something before the next race. I have an 89 and I cut off the metal valence behind the airdam. I’m thinking of backdating to metal bumpers. Last time I checked a new 87is poly airdam is nearly 500$. I’m thinking of getting a 87 is or es airdamn, building a mold from it and making a dozen or more in carbon or fiberglass.
IMO it’s unlikely that airdams will be addressed in any new rule at all. The issue being debated is splitters, not air dams. Have there been complaints lately re. airdams? Communicate your feelings to your Regional Director. He/she will be part of the discussion on the rule changes so your voice will get heard.
Buying a new early airdam would be a mistake. They’re too expensive and our airdams take a beating.
I wasn’t planning on buying a new airdam because I couldn’t afford it. I am in the market for a 87 325es airdam if anyone is selling.
An early model air dam is a good PickNPull or part out find. For example, there’s a shop down the road that’s been trying to sell an early model auto with a perfectly serviceable air dam for a year or so. I’m sure the car could be bought for $500. Then you take the air dam, part out the car and end up pocketing a grand or two depending on how much work you put into the part-out and what you want to keep for spares.
I bought a 4 door because I didn’t want to deface a 2 door. Now I want to buy a early model to deface it and strip parts off of it. I’m such a hypocrite that if I stayed in the army I would be a 1sg by now!
I bought a really beat up and broken ‘is’ dam from a guy for $75 figuring I could fix it up good enough to use on a race car. In mocking it up over my existing valance/chin dam there is actually almost no difference in height over the stock setup. I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t tried it. So I would not spend money or effort in getting one of these dams (still haven’t done anything with mine). The only advantage I see to having one is it makes adding the brake ducts easier. And, last I heard the brackets to attach the ‘is’ dam are NLA.
Though I question the performance advantage of a splitter on a car like ours, I wouldn’t mind seeing them go away. I don’t think they fit the spirit of the class simplicity (translation: I’m too lazy and inept to fab one up to become a member of the splitter club).
Any chance that the ministry of airdamn/splitter design will share the progress of the current debate with the proles before March. Simply saying that it can’t extend past the profile of the bumper as seen from above would eliminate downforce.
No. The rules say no more than 2 inches past the profile of the bumper. Those 2 inches are the only part that provides the downforce.