For those who are running an aluminum front splitter, what material thickness have you found to be effective?
12 GA too thick?
16 GA too thin?

I guess the same question could be asked for CF and fiberglass?

 

Not sure what it translates to in gauge, but I used aluminum with a .050" thickness. I think that I could have gotten away with .040" if I were to do it again though.

 

Hey Don, I used alumalite like Jimmy (slammed 93 hatch) did.

His writeup : https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1161170

Mine:




Modified by Another Drew at 8:30 PM 12/19/2006


Modified by Another Drew at 8:35 PM 12/19/2006

 

Question is if you have a sturdy splitter that doesn't really want to deform what will be the weak link if you happen to hit something hard? You wouldn't really want to rip off the whole bumper and then run it over?

I would imagine one should find the balance to make it sturdy enough to prevent it from deforming too much while creating downforce, but allow it either to bend/deform or rip-out easily if it hits something hard.

 

I use alumalite also. Airdam is aluminum sheet. .065 or something, I think.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Another Drew &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Hey Don, I used alumalite like Jimmy (slammed 93 hatch) did.

His writeup : https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1161170

Mine:

</TD></TR></TABLE>Awesome thanks for the link! I can't see your pic though.....

 

Another link worth noting (from BudMan)
https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1817688

 

Interesting stuff on Alumalite:
http://www.signboards.com/Pane...x.asp

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> It’s the same weight as .040 aluminum sheet metal, tipping the scales at just 24 lbs. However, Alumalite is over 50 times stronger for a 4' x 8' sheet.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Pretty cool. I guess it's a lot cheaper and easier to work with too?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mrlegoman &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I can't see your pic though.....</TD></TR></TABLE>

Fixed.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by El Pollo Diablo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Question is if you have a sturdy splitter that doesn't really want to deform what will be the weak link if you happen to hit something hard? You wouldn't really want to rip off the whole bumper and then run it over?

I would imagine one should find the balance to make it sturdy enough to prevent it from deforming too much while creating downforce, but allow it either to bend/deform or rip-out easily if it hits something hard.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

I worried about that too. I ended up mounting the alumalite splitter to a spoiler that'll shatter, but otherwise the spoiler is pretty stiff too. Here is a pic after I had a little off (big pic) http://www.we-todd-did-racing....W.JPG

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Another Drew &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Fixed.
</TD></TR></TABLE>Ah! So did you just take an aftermarket front lip and bolt a splitter to it? I was thinking about that......

 

Yeah, I used about 10 very small bolts to attach the splitter directly to the lip.

 

Andrew: which lip did you go with?

 

ABS Dynamics Mugen lip from streetstyler.com ...about $75 shipped. The bottom has a very small horizontal edge so the splitter mates right up against it and I bolted through the edge and splitter.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by El Pollo Diablo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Question is if you have a sturdy splitter that doesn't really want to deform what will be the weak link if you happen to hit something hard? You wouldn't really want to rip off the whole bumper and then run it over?

I would imagine one should find the balance to make it sturdy enough to prevent it from deforming too much while creating downforce, but allow it either to bend/deform or rip-out easily if it hits something hard.


</TD></TR></TABLE>
&lt;---raises hand. almost took my bumper off putting the car on a tow dolly. if i ever hit anything with the splitter its taking my bumper with it...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by El Pollo Diablo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Question is if you have a sturdy splitter that doesn't really want to deform what will be the weak link if you happen to hit something hard? You wouldn't really want to rip off the whole bumper and then run it over?
</TD></TR></TABLE>

I use Econolight for my splitter (cheap Alumalight). The thing I do diffrently than most is that mine is mounted to the chassis not the bumper. the splitter/airdam are not connected at all.

 

How do you mount it to the chassis? Did you make some long brackets from the frame rails down?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by El Pollo Diablo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Question is if you have a sturdy splitter that doesn't really want to deform what will be the weak link if you happen to hit something hard? You wouldn't really want to rip off the whole bumper and then run it over?

I would imagine one should find the balance to make it sturdy enough to prevent it from deforming too much while creating downforce, but allow it either to bend/deform or rip-out easily if it hits something hard.


</TD></TR></TABLE>

You should not hit in the first place

That being said, when I blew my first motor and pull off on the dirt, the splitter dig into the soft dirt and really stopped the car very abruptly. Bent the splitter and radiator support since it is bolted there.

Take a look at any pro car, including ALMS. All of them bolted rigidly to the chassis.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Andrie Hartanto &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Take a look at any pro car, including ALMS. All of them bolted rigidly to the chassis. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Any pics?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Andrie Hartanto &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Take a look at any pro car, including ALMS. All of them bolted rigidly to the chassis. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Pretty sure that either the bolting method or splitter construction would allow the splitter to fall off/break off without doing any damage to the chassis itself.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by El Pollo Diablo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Pretty sure that either the bolting method or splitter construction would allow the splitter to fall off/break off without doing any damage to the chassis itself.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Matt,

take a closer look on them. Most of them are pretty rigidly mounted. Some of them torn body parts when contact, but not the splitter.

Very rarely people design cars so things fall off on impact. When things fall off, usually they don't have control over it. And us engineers hates it when things are beyond our control

 

fyi - I'm planning on talking to one of my sign sponsors about getting alumilite for the undertray. The current 1/4" balsa plywood probably isn't strong enough. We'll see after the first event

 

Here's the write up I did on mine with alumalite...
http://www.rr-ax.com/bbs/forum...art=1

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by thawley &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Here's the write up I did on mine with alumalite...
</TD></TR></TABLE>

So how long has it lasted you so far? I'm on my third one now

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Another Drew &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

So how long has it lasted you so far? I'm on my third one now </TD></TR></TABLE>

thats why i like one that is mounted good and solid. And don't like the idea of the plastic lips, that explode.

Maybe i will get my back on the car this year.

 

I dont know the way Andrie mounted his good and solid, but if I mounted it firmly to the bumper and fenders, I'm pretty sure I would have gone through 2 bumpers and 4 fenders too.

The first time I had an off and ripped my splitter off, it also ripped off the connection where the bumper attaches to the fender.

I'd like to see how Andrie mounted his.