Removeable spoiler. . . any ideas??
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Joined: Aug 2000
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Removeable spoiler. . . any ideas??
I recently attended a Quattro club school at Virginia International Raceway and am now wondering if there is any way to afix a temporary spoiler to the car.
My car is one of the first in the US, delivered May '99. I opted not to have the suspension or spoiler modifications done because I love the sharper handling and cleaner looks of the original. (No offense meant to recent buyers, you have no choice.)
My concerns are that when going from 115 mph to about 45 mph + or - in a short distance while applying the brakes strong enough for the ABS to trigger, the rear gets pretty "squirrely." This is fairly easy to correct if you notice it quickly (by letting off the brake a bit) but the correction changes your apex and subsequent lines.
I would like to install a spoiler for track only purposes, and would like to be able to remove it for daily driving. Does anybody have any suggestions??
My car is one of the first in the US, delivered May '99. I opted not to have the suspension or spoiler modifications done because I love the sharper handling and cleaner looks of the original. (No offense meant to recent buyers, you have no choice.)
My concerns are that when going from 115 mph to about 45 mph + or - in a short distance while applying the brakes strong enough for the ABS to trigger, the rear gets pretty "squirrely." This is fairly easy to correct if you notice it quickly (by letting off the brake a bit) but the correction changes your apex and subsequent lines.
I would like to install a spoiler for track only purposes, and would like to be able to remove it for daily driving. Does anybody have any suggestions??
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Spoiler won't help much. You have 80%+ of the weight on the front wheels at max braking.
That's why the rear is squirrely.
At 115 you might get 50-60 lbs or so, but as you slow below 70 or so, the weight of the spoiler itself is about all the help you get.
At 115 you might get 50-60 lbs or so, but as you slow below 70 or so, the weight of the spoiler itself is about all the help you get.
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Re: I humbly disagree . . .
ooops, actually agree. All that wt. on the front is why the little brake dance (intended, sorry) occurs. and why aerodynamically adding wt. to the rear might help. (and thus all of the TT's w/ rear spoilers.)
My theory (guaranteed and valid only at my house.)
Testing opp?
My theory (guaranteed and valid only at my house.)
Testing opp?
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Joined: Apr 2000
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Spoiler helps a little, but it was mainly added for hard maneuvering @ 130...
when 37% or so is still on the rears (less the lift, but plus the downforce).
There's not much rear lift as you slow < 75-80, and very little downforce from the spoiler. Remember, about 550 lbs shifts off the rears onto the fronts during max. braking, and stays there until you stop, or brakes fade. 10-15% of that isn't a lot of help.
IMO, if I was driving the car on-track, I WOULD add the Audi spoiler. Maybe even have two deck lids...spoiled and unspoiled. The spoiler probably does more for highspeed cornering than braking, IMO.
My $.02.
I liked "brake" dance.
There's not much rear lift as you slow < 75-80, and very little downforce from the spoiler. Remember, about 550 lbs shifts off the rears onto the fronts during max. braking, and stays there until you stop, or brakes fade. 10-15% of that isn't a lot of help.
IMO, if I was driving the car on-track, I WOULD add the Audi spoiler. Maybe even have two deck lids...spoiled and unspoiled. The spoiler probably does more for highspeed cornering than braking, IMO.
My $.02.
I liked "brake" dance.
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Re: more . . .
Jon, I'm a HPV (human powered) fanatic. Have found that aerodynamics play a BIG role in a lot of things. (top speed, wind sensitivity, handling)
At about 18 mph, over 75% of power imput (talking bicycles here) is used to overcome aero drag!
Admittedly forces on a suspended vehicle combined with wt. transfers and handling issues make for some interesting math. Heck, turn in points and trail throttle braking could be a discussion for a week or two.
The size of the Audi factory spoiler speaks volumes, I think.
Fun discussion, thanks.
At about 18 mph, over 75% of power imput (talking bicycles here) is used to overcome aero drag!
Admittedly forces on a suspended vehicle combined with wt. transfers and handling issues make for some interesting math. Heck, turn in points and trail throttle braking could be a discussion for a week or two.
The size of the Audi factory spoiler speaks volumes, I think.
Fun discussion, thanks.
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Joined: Mar 2000
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You can always try braking sooner/earlier! Then you can carry more speed into and through the turn
Practice this until you have the proper braking point for your car. Just remember that with each succesive lap the braking distance will incrase, though at VIR since you are only getting 6-7 laps per session it might not be a problem. At a place like Summit Point it would be.