hey this question is more for Handy Man and lightyear, did your set change from lets say before splitter and wing to after, did you lower ride height or add rake to help with aero or did u leave the setup as is,

I have not changed suspension settings. But I am still playing around with it. Basically will go off tyre temp readings, lap times, etc. And make adj. The local track is very rough, but in a month I will be at Phillip island track, and can really play with all the aero/ chassis. It's a fast and smooth track. About 2 minute track, with a very high top speed coming onto a long straight, then into a very fast turn 1. Good for seeing results for tuning of aero.

You probably don't want to change your setup to help with the aero (except maybe lowering ride height), you want to change your setup to better take advantage of it's effects.

If the aero is working worth a damn your suspension will see a higher load, so stiffer springs might be a good idea.

It also might be a good idea to actually run a higher ride height. With the airdamn/splitter you can still close the gap between the car and the road, and with a higher ride height your suspension geometry may be less compromised... but I haven't looked into Miata suspension geometry enough to know for sure how lowering effects it, I'm sure someone else here can comment on that.

The splitter does have a LOT of red paint on the underside from rubbing on curbing :cool:

P.S. I'd recommend using jam nuts or some other locking mechanism on your turnbuckles. I had mine loosen up a lot during a single session. If I'd stayed out much longer I may have lost the splitter.

Our STL Miata at Gateway Motorsports Park. Wing is APR "SCCA Spec" Splitter is custom built to SCCA STL rules

http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-...52116377_n.jpg

[QUOTE=Handy Man;882835]You probably don't want to change your setup to help with the aero (except maybe lowering ride height), you want to change your setup to better take advantage of it's effects.

If the aero is working worth a damn your suspension will see a higher load, so stiffer springs might be a good idea.

It also might be a good idea to actually run a higher ride height. With the airdamn/splitter you can still close the gap between the car and the road, and with a higher ride height your suspension geometry may be less compromised... QUOTE]

Agreed, especially if you have no flat undertray in the center. Running a higher ride height with a rough undertray (as the stock miata has) will reduce the positive lift effect it produces. Ideally you want the splitter 3" off the ground. Too low and the ground effects begin to trail off and become negated. Too high and you're not "choking" enough air to create a lower pressure area under the car. Remember, the ground and the car need to form a venturi tube.

Agreed, especially if you have no flat undertray in the center. Running a higher ride height with a rough undertray (as the stock miata has) will reduce the positive lift effect it produces. Ideally you want the splitter 3" off the ground. Too low and the ground effects begin to trail off and become negated. Too high and you're not "choking" enough air to create a lower pressure area under the car. Remember, the ground and the car need to form a venturi tube.[/QUOTE]

I dont know, i say even without an undertray you will see some gains by just the fact that u lowered the car and you are controlling airflow under it with a splitter. Alot of guys on this thread have said that they have run lower that 3" with out any ill effects, bear with me hear for a moment, when u lower the car at all with splitter or not ur basically creating this venturi if the car is flat ie; same ride height all 4 corners, because of the shape of the front bumper of the Miata it will naturally have some lift but if u raise the rear of the car thereby using the front bumper as the choke point then u will see gains, ever notice how nascar did it before they went to the setup they have now they didnt have flat bottom cars they used a higher rear bumper as part of their areo package.

you should post some pics of the splitter you built for my car ;)

Not the best pics, but here you go. Built to SCCA SSM specs (6" past front bumper) will have front supports to help support the front. Also goes all the way back to centerline of front axle and as wide and will fit between tires at full lock.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1339017660

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1339017660

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1339017660

Hey, I 've seen that car at Hallett.

You are going to need a serious wing for that front splitter. I never have understeer on fast corners, only over steer. So a standard sized splitter to stop lift is all i think most people will need.

Edens, that splitter is freaking huge.

Pikes peak edition?

Crazy talk Street Mod edition.

You do have to remember that at 30-65 MPH, you're going to need all the downforce you can get.

And SSM runs wings that look like
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1339089968

Yea. In SSM for autox drag is of 0 concern. You should already be making more power than you can put down 90% of the time, so all you care about for aero is max downforce.

Handy Man - quick questions for you or anyone else who built an air dam like yours:

Do you just rivet it on over the OEM bumper or do you cut the lower part of the bumper cover out? Do you put any material to back the rivets or is the skin strong enough? I've seen Crusher in person and Emilio left the bumper cover underneath but Crusher is in a more constant state of evolution. I'm going to replicate something similar to what you did when I can scrape the cash together to get a wing. I don't see much point until then since my a** would just beat me to the corner exit on a regular basis... :facepalm: Thanks!

12mm birch water cut, 2 - 8mm threaded rod front supports, 2 - 1" x 1/8" metal bar supports behind bumper between fog light holes and mouth, 4 - 10mm bolts to the subframe. Extends to the rear of the front lower control mounting point. I can stand on it.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1339245587

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1339245587

Posted these earlier
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-W...2/IMG_2703.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-z...2/IMG_2704.JPG

I'm glad you like it. Yes, learn from my mistake and get a wing first.

It is riveted to the bumper skin, and then the lower part of the skin was cut off. This gives me a lot more room in there for brake and radiator ducting and saves a bit of weight. The rivets don't have any backing but they aren't quite strong enough, a couple of the more stressed rivets pop out occasionally. I'd recommend backing them with rivet washers. I'm gonna add some washers myself next time they pop out.

The hardest part is getting the air dam cut right. It looks like its a perfect rectangle, but its not. I used the recessed line in the bumper skin as a guide and cut the dam to follow it. I found that a jig-saw worked well for cutting the ABS, a sawzall would probably work too. The hard part is to keep it from melting as you cut it, keep your cutting speeds low and be patient. Of course, a cardboard mock up is crucial.

Good luck, and feel free to ask here or shoot me a PM with any other questions.

Thanks for the suggestions. ;)

Just faeflora it. :fawk:

Gotta get a right angle and everything cut before you put it on assuming you want it perfectly straight, if u want an angle, then it would have to be an arc kind of a shape.

+1 on all of it. I did the same thing and this all matches my experience. Also do yourself a favor and buy one of these:

http://www.harborfreight.com/heavy-d...tle-66422.html
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1339525643

I went to sandown raceway with the fastback on, and it was raining on and off all day, so i didn't get any consisitant data. My top speed was 186km/h, best previous on a full dry track was 180km/h. There are 3 changes i made, pod filter, vented hood and fastback. I was going to remove things to see where the speed came from. But the weather was crap.

This is a mock up of the windows. Should be starting on the full fastback soon.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1339584864

goddamn it, that's awesome. move to Miami, let's go into business. I'll bring the hoes.

Here's a pic of the monster splitter from blytheville w/ my tiny wing. Support is just 1/8" cable running looped through splitter that attach to eye bolts added to the bumper.

Dollars spent: Material, ~$100, labor ~300
Hours spent: Many
How effective: 2 compared to previous composite (ISC Racing) airdam
0=slower, 1, no improvement, 2 =slightly better,3= big improvement
Materials used:
Econolite 2-piece splitter, PVC air dam, Dzus 1/4 turn fasteners, aluminum sheet supports, pop rivets
Size/thickness of materials:

• 1/4" 2-piece splitter extends to rear of front sub frame.
• Splitter is split along center line of vehicle and held together with bracket & 1/4 turn fastners. Allows easy transport and easy(ier) repair.
• Held to front bumper with 1/4 turn fastners, supported in the rear with 2 aluminum hooks which slide over pins/brackets welded to the subframe.
• Top of air dam is attached to oem bumper cover with 1/4 turn fasteners.
• Front center of air dam is attached to aluminum flange/grill which houses grill and brake ducts and which is solidly mounted to the bumper structure.
• Bottom of air dam is attached to splitter via 1/4 turn fasteners through aluminum L-shaped bracket attached to the splitter.

Tracks tested on: New Hampshire Motor Speedway, South Oval config
Race/TT class built for: COMSCC SPC
Result: 1:12.511, class record

No, that is not me in the pic. :)

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...5&d=1339616803

can we please see a detailed pic of the dzus fasteners?

did you cut the bottom off of your factory bumper?

I don't have any detailed pics of the dzus, but will take some.

Most of the bottom 1/2 of my bumper was removed by a gravel trap at Summit Point raceway. :rofl: But to answer your question, yes, the remaining part of the bumper was trimmed about 4" below the body crease.

idk if I wanna cut my current bumper (it's freshly painted) : - |

That almost has a 911 look about it-you just need a whale tail.

Splitter done:
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...5&d=1339664826
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...6&d=1339664826
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...8&d=1339664871
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1339665148
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1339665148

What's it weigh? It looks beefy.

Wildo, could you post some pics or just a more detailed description of the rear bracket/pin mounting setup you're using? That sounds like a good idea, as my current "long bolts going into the subframe" method is a PIA to remove/install.

Also, how reliable are those Dzus fasteners for you? Do you use any particular type that are better than others? I remember them being extremely unreliable when I used to road race motorcycles... we always had to put duct-tape over them to keep them from coming undone.

What do you guys do about the sides? Just let it open or what?

I'm referring to the area behind the wheel... the stock plastic panel covers the sides too (around the antisway bar)

If you replace that do u fill it with anything or do u just leave it open?

Poplar plywood is _very_ light. I can hold it up clamped between two fingers.

Hmm. I dont know if we can get poplar plywood in the states. At least, I dont think we can get it easily around here.

i would block it off.

Try Meranti/Luan. It is a marine grade plywood. Very light as well

I use Luan as core material in my carbon sandwich panels. I don't think it's available locally in anything but 1/4".

Word. We had the same problem when I used to Road Race motorcycles.

Hm, it is available in many sizes locally for me. Maybe they'll ship it to you lol

so do not do a "flat front" until I have a rear wing?

Correct. It will unbalance the car and your tail will race you through every corner. :crx:

Can you get some pictures of how it mounts? Also, whats it weigh? Im considering doing something similar, just without the splitter portion that extends beyond the front bumper.

Haven't weighed it, but maybe 6-10lbs at the most. Front to rear is 4ft, cannot remember the width.

In the first pic you can see the 4 x 10mm bolts. There are 5 8mm holes in the subframe, I drilled and tapped them for 10mm (I believe these were for the factory undertray.) The outside of the frame rails also have some 8mm holes in them which were drilled to 10mm. I used 1" metal bars for those. I used two 8mm threaded rods for the front two supports that attach to 2 of the 3 holes in the sheet metal you can see in the bumper opening. The front two will need more work as they started to pull through the thin sheet metal after the last track day.

hey just a quick question r u guys leaving out the factory belly pan that hugs the bottom of the rad when u install splitter or r u resealinng it

i used the factory belly pan but trimmed it down to right after the radiator ends.

I don't use it. You need to seal the radiator ducting.

Not a miata, but this was my old smf car. Had it one for the last event of the season last year. Didnt even have the air dam on and it made so much more front grip I could not keep the ass end of the car behind it to save my life.

Attachment 185901

Attachment 185902

Attachment 185903

Held to the lower rad support by 5 5/16 bolts and held to the bumper with 6 more. Super overkill, extended 6 inches from the body work, went to the wheel well openings, only because going to the centerline of the front wheels would have been a complete pain in the ass. 1/4 exterior grade pine plywood.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1341478685
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1341478685
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1341478685
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1341478685

Not track tested yet, but im hoping it will cancel out some of the understeer i got after putting on tg gtc200 wing. atleast it strong enough. 6mm plywood, 2layers of fiberglass pr side.

that looks lush.

do you have any better pics of underneath where it is fixed etc.

how far back does it go?

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1341486561

heavy duty(but lightweight) alu brackets up front, 4 10mm bolts from underneath(2 pr side). and connected to the subframe all the way back at the steeringrack.

you do know oil coolers don't work well that way up??

Holy crap thats overkill for sure. A layer of glass on one side and making sur it went over the edges would have been more than sufficient. You may have just made it hard enough that it'll crack the first time you hit something with it. Heck just straight 1/4 plywood is good and you can get the redbull F1 effect, at least those of us limited to a 3* attack angle think about that.

Leafy, have you used 1/4" birch ply with good success? I'm looking for something lighter than my current 1/2"

I used 1/4 exterior grade pine. To tell if its exterior grade look at the edge and you'll see that the glue is black, that denotes the water proof glue (typically). The normal plywood glue is not water proof. But if I had to do it again (and I will) I would coat the edges with resin. It did start to warp a bit after a few snow storms of daily driving.

people keep telling me they wont work.. they are overheating, im not, so i really dont care. :)

but im guessing there is a good reason why my car should be running hot, but isnt. ..

Because you live inside arctic circle?