Aftermarket splitter advice

[JustSomeGuy]

I’m looking at adding a splitter to balance the FP spoiler w gurney flap I’ve added to my car. Anyone with an aftermarket splitter have advice? Which one do you have, how do you like it, how’s part quality, how’s the company to work with, etc?

I’m considering the liquivinyl one…

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[LethalSteveG]

So many designs that it is going to be a personal preference IMO. I run the APR carbon lip with rods on mine and love how it looks and functions. We offer tons of versions so if find something you like, let us know.

https://www.lethalperformance.com/s...ustang-body-styling-parts-1/front-splitters-1

 

[GTP]

My advice is to set a budget and then shop the aftermarket dealers, plus eBay.

I decided to go with the RTR style to fully replace my PP OEM splitter. These are on eBay for under $200, but Steeda had an even better black Friday price so I got that. Still waiting for warmer weather to add a light wrinkle black paint finish to better match the OEM side skirts texture.

You can also choose the add-on thin piece that attaches under your OEM splitter. But I (and wifey) did not prefer the "two layer" look of that.

 

[JustSomeGuy]

My advice is to set a budget and then shop the aftermarket dealers, plus eBay.

I decided to go with the RTR style to fully replace my PP OEM splitter. These are on eBay for under $200, but Steeda had an even better black Friday price so I got that. Still waiting for warmer weather to add a light wrinkle black paint finish to better match the OEM side skirts texture.

You can also choose the add-on thin piece that attaches under your OEM splitter. But I (and wifey) did not prefer the "two layer" look of that.

Good advice thank you, I’ll check that out.

Yeah I def don’t like the layered look either…

 

[GTP]

I wanted something that was a bit "thicker", i.e. so it would reach a little lower, but without running into parking curb risk. I also wanted one that reached a little more forward. A buddy has a full RTR car, so I was able to walk over to his car and inspect things a bit before ordering.

It's an important decision because you generally can't see the product beforehand, they are a bit pricey (as with all large plastic parts), plus shipping is high since the box is so big.

I got this basically: eBay RTR splitter

 

[JustSomeGuy]

I wanted something that was a bit "thicker", i.e. so it would reach a little lower, but without running into parking curb risk. I also wanted one that reached a little more forward. A buddy has a full RTR car, so I was able to walk over to his car and inspect things a bit before ordering.

It's an important decision because you generally can't see the product beforehand, they are a bit pricey (as with all large plastic parts), plus shipping is high since the box is so big.

I got this basically: eBay RTR splitter

Wanted something a bit thicker… I think we can all agree on that.

Yeah, it’s hard to get a good idea from pics on stuff other than looks. I like the prop rods and know I don’t want stacked or super thin… but I’m also concerned with it being a quality part. I don’t like cheap stuff on my car.

 

[Vert]

Wanted something a bit thicker… I think we can all agree on that.

Yeah, it’s hard to get a good idea from pics on stuff other than looks. I like the prop rods and know I don’t want stacked or super thin… but I’m also concerned with it being a quality part. I don’t like cheap stuff on my car.

Don't get the ebay one, it's on the weak side compared to the actual RTR one. I had both on my 19 since the ebay one broke from a hitting squrriel.

 

[WItoTX]

IMO, if you got the M1 swing or the FP spoiler and gurney, get the M1 splitter. They were designed to work together, in a wind tunnel. Ford will have massive amounts of hours into the R&D compared to something aftermarket from a a small company.

 

[JustSomeGuy]

IMO, if you got the M1 swing or the FP spoiler and gurney, get the M1 splitter. They were designed to work together, in a wind tunnel. Ford will have massive amounts of hours into the R&D compared to something aftermarket from a a small company.

Do they make a Mach1 splitter for the normal
GT? The front end is (obviously) different on the two cars, the Mach1 splitter couldn’t possibly be a direct bolt on piece could it?

 

[NightmareMoon]

I don't have much advice. Splitters which just bolt in where the stock belly pan goes are not going to help (much at all) with downforce.

For performance, a flat splitter should have the front leading edge lower than the back edge by 1-3 or so degrees, and none of the aftermarket ones I've seen get that right. Splitters loose almost all of their benefits if they're too high from the ground too. Anything bolted to the bottom of the front lip (i.e. where the stock pan goes) is too high unless the car is slammed on the ground.

All that stacks up to aftermarket splitters being ineffective. The stock parts at least route air effectively and duct air to the wheel wells and brakes effectively. The Mach 1 belly pans goes really far back past the wheels. Some of the stock parts also move air away from the wheel tread which also removes drag.

It seems like you're assuming the balance will be off if you don't do some kind of splitter, but I'm not so sure. The swing wing with the gurney isn't so high-downforce that it will throw off the balance too far IMHO.

 

[JustSomeGuy]

I don't have much advice. Splitters which just bolt in where the stock belly pan goes are not going to help (much at all) with downforce.

For performance, a flat splitter should have the front leading edge lower than the back edge by 1-3 or so degrees, and none of the aftermarket ones I've seen get that right. Splitters loose almost all of their benefits if they're too high from the ground too. Anything bolted to the bottom of the front lip (i.e. where the stock pan goes) is too high unless the car is slammed on the ground.

All that stacks up to aftermarket splitters being ineffective. The stock parts at least route air effectively and duct air to the wheel wells and brakes effectively. The Mach 1 belly pans goes really far back past the wheels. Some of the stock parts also move air away from the wheel tread which also removes drag.

It seems like you're assuming the balance will be off if you don't do some kind of splitter, but I'm not so sure. The swing wing with the gurney isn't so high-downforce that it will throw off the balance too far IMHO.

That’s a very interesting perspective… most of my opinion comes from EVERYONE on this forum that’s ever talked about spoilers and splitters always says you have to balance them out. Anytime I post anything about my spoiler and gurney flap I get a litany of comments about running the gurney flap and no splitter and blah blah blah.

I come from two wheels. This is the first car I’ve ever built and (obviously) I don’t know anything about spoilers and splitters aside from minor aero work with motorcycle helmets like 10 years ago…

 

[NightmareMoon]

That’s a very interesting perspective… most of my opinion comes from EVERYONE on this forum that’s ever talked about spoilers and splitters always says you have to balance them out. Anytime I post anything about my spoiler and gurney flap I get a litany of comments about running the gurney flap and no splitter and blah blah blah.

I come from two wheels. This is the first car I’ve ever built and (obviously) I don’t know anything about spoilers and splitters aside from minor aero work with motorcycle helmets like 10 years ago…

Well not everyone, clearly.

Most people are parroting back what common sense logic somebody else told them, and that advice may or may not be worth more than you paid for it.

I've actually built and tested a number of aero setups. I've done three different front splitter/aero setups and three different rear aero setups. I currently run a big wing and a big splitter. I test those setups on tracks and at autocrosses. So I have opinions based on how those different setups actually drive.

The reason I'm going against the common-sense grain here, is because 1) a mild rear-biased setup (like the FP spoiler w/ gurney flat) tends to feel pretty great at speed all by itself, and 2) the amount of aero downforce you get from a splitter is marginal compared to what you can get from the rear spoiler or wing anyway. They're far from equal, and they don't ever really balance out as the speeds go up, nor do you need them to.

First, you need to be going pretty fast to feel any aero changes. Below 60 you need a monster wing, spoiler or splitter to feel anything at all.

Up above 80 or 100 mph your Ford spoiler is probably doing enough to feel, but at those speeds on a track or on the street, you generally want the car to be biased to understeer for stability anyway.

The best advice is your own experience and what your car is telling you. Try it with just the spoiler+gurney flap and see if you can tell if the handling needs adjusting. It may be fine.

Pics for attention

 

[Jupiter Sean]

https://ajhartmanaero.com/custom-splitters/

 

[JustSomeGuy]

Well not everyone, clearly.

Most people are parroting back what common sense logic somebody else told them, and that advice may or may not be worth more than you paid for it.

I've actually built and tested a number of aero setups. I've done three different front splitter/aero setups and three different rear aero setups. I currently run a big wing and a big splitter. I test those setups on tracks and at autocrosses. So I have opinions based on how those different setups actually drive.

The reason I'm going against the common-sense grain here, is because 1) a mild rear-biased setup (like the FP spoiler w/ gurney flat) tends to feel pretty great at speed all by itself, and 2) the amount of aero downforce you get from a splitter is marginal compared to what you can get from the rear spoiler or wing anyway. They're far from equal, and they don't ever really balance out as the speeds go up, nor do you need them to.

First, you need to be going pretty fast to feel any aero changes. Below 60 you need a monster wing, spoiler or splitter to feel anything at all.

Up above 80 or 100 mph your Ford spoiler is probably doing enough to feel, but at those speeds on a track or on the street, you generally want the car to be biased to understeer for stability anyway.

The best advice is your own experience and what your car is telling you. Try it with just the spoiler+gurney flap and see if you can tell if the handling needs adjusting. It may be fine.

Pics for attention

The info, experience and pictures are very much appreciated. All of my (two wheel) experience is on the track so I tend to like the way cars look when they’re set to actually go on the track. That being said I love the look of your car. Something tells me it performs quite well…

 

[TopJimmyCooks]

So many designs that it is going to be a personal preference IMO. I run the APR carbon lip with rods on mine and love how it looks and functions. We offer tons of versions so if find something you like, let us know.

https://www.lethalperformance.com/s...ustang-body-styling-parts-1/front-splitters-1

I've been happy with the APR splitter. Nightmare Moon makes a good point, lower is better, but what are you doing with the car? If you aren't tracking it on roadcourses, I'd skip it completely. If you also daily drive, don't go too low, you'll be re-attaching it once a month.

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