Splitter vs. Front Lip

[alpha]

Do you have any photos of how it attaches to the car?  If not, can you please take some?

I will take some next week when i lift up the car to install these.

Did you get a chance to take pics?

[olecram39]

Did you get a chance to take pics?

Yes i did. Sorry man i had forgotten i took the pics lol here you go.





My advice is the following. Do NOT use self tapping screws because they will not hold up. I did the first time and the lip/splitter fell off the first day.
So what i did instead was use rivets and washers. Put the rivets through the washer on the bottom and then put another washer on the inside so that when you tighten the rivets it presses against the washer and not the plastic. Make sure the rivets are long enough to stick out of the washer inside and make sure the washers are big enough so that they have more surface area to hold the lip.
It should be rivet -> washer -> STI Splitter -> Lip/bumper->washer

[gargantula99]

So you made holes through the lip eh?

[CrackerTeg]

Obviously. How else is he supposed to put the splitter on? Gum, staples and prayers?

[timot_one]

Obviously. How else is he supposed to put the splitter on? Gum, staples and prayers?

Functional splitters are usually attached to the front sub frame or chassis.

[CrackerTeg]

True but that's if it were a functional splitter.

[alpha]

Obviously. How else is he supposed to put the splitter on? Gum, staples and prayers?

Functional splitters are usually attached to the front sub frame or chassis.

This is why I wanted to see pictures.  In this application, it is purely cosmetic and would provide no function towards the intended use of a front splitter.

True but that's if it were a functional splitter.

In this case, the STi "splitter" is not a splitter, it is a front lip.  

[olecram39]

^^correct

[gargantula99]

Isn't air still being deflected? Meaning its still doing the job if a splitter, regardless of where it's mounted.

[timot_one]

Not quite. The function of a splitter is to provide grip in the front at speed. If mounted to the bumper cover/lip, it will only pull the bumper down since it is flexible abs that is not securely mounted to the chassis. That kind of set up is purely cosmetic.

If you really wanted a functional splitter, it would be made of rigid, thick gauge metal and mounted to the sub frame or chassis. That way the down force created will pull the front end of the car down instead of trying to pull the bumper off.

[alpha]

Isn't air still being deflected? Meaning its still doing the job if a splitter, regardless of where it's mounted.

A splitter is not designed to deflect air, it's purpose is to direct air. 

When air hits the front end of the car, a splitter's function is to direct air both into the front air dam and below the car.  The air that is directed above the car/in the front air dam area will cause high pressure downwards, which keeps the front end of the car from lifting.  This in turn, causes low pressure air flow to go underneath the car.  Ideally, a front splitter will add on to the undertray of a car, so that the low pressure air continues to flow beneath the car and allows a rear diffuser to direct that air away from the car.

Not quite. The function of a splitter is to provide grip in the front at speed. If mounted to the bumper cover/lip, it will only pull the bumper down since it is flexible abs that is not securely mounted to the chassis. That kind of set up is purely cosmetic.

The high pressure area that is created (see above) is what causes the bumper to be pulled down.

If you really wanted a functional splitter, it would be made of rigid, thick gauge metal and mounted to the sub frame or chassis. That way the down force created will pull the front end of the car down instead of trying to pull the bumper off.

I have also seen functional splitters that were made from carbon fiber.  But the mounting is the same, ideally mounted to the sub frame or the chassis with proper brackets.  The "support rods" that get mounted to the front of the bumper don't count.

[gargantula99]

So it's a front end downforce spoiler. I see. Thanks.

[alpha]

So it's a front end downforce spoiler. I see. Thanks.

Close, but not quite.  And I know this is starting to get picky on semantics, but the way I've always seen it is:

spoilers are designed to disrupt/"spoil" the airflow in order to reduce lift
wings are designed to provide downforce

[gargantula99]

When I get home, if there's no objections, I'm splitting this into its own topic.  I think there's some good info here that will be lost in Marcelo's profile.

[Jeff Likes Bagels]

When I get home, if there's no objections, I'm splitting this into its own topic.  I think there's some good info here that will be lost in Marcelo's profile.

I see what you did there.