Wondering if anyone has compared the benefits of a horizontal vs vertical oriented spoiler on a car? While the horizontal is by far the most common, my guess, the vertical orientation would deliver the best aerodynamics and reduced drag. Click on tiny icon below to see photo of vertical orientation.
The Tatra has a âfinâ or vertical stabilizer, not a spoiler
Ok, semantic point taken, but is the vertical fin better or not as good than the horizontal spoiler for aerodynamic and mpg purposes?
In todays day and age of getting the best MPG, MPG, MPG, save the world, gas is killing us all etc etc, needing to be the absolute best MPG it can be, how many cars do you see with fins now a days??? That answer should answer your question⊠
And a vertical spoiler would be the same as pushing a billboard down the road, about the least aerodynamic you could get⊠lol
two separate things and used for different reasons basically, think of an airplanes wings and tail finâŠ
Then there was the 57 Plymouth with two vertical stabilizers. I thought it âwas just to make it look like a rocket.
Interestingly, sounds like Porsche stole some of the design and vw finally paid them off.
Basically yes, just styling cuesâŠ
That was in the space age era and used on vehicles to make them look more space ageâŠ
That Tatra had wicked oversteer. The claim is Tatraâs killed more Nazi officers than the allies. The officers were banned from driving them after more than a few were killed. The fin was to mitigate it a bit. Didnât really work butâŠ
Spoilers go across the car and are attached to the car⊠front or rear. Drag tends to really increase at angles of 45 degrees or so although front spoilers can be vertical. Wings are upside down airplane-types mounted front, rear or mid that are far more efficient in producing downforce than a spoiler. Their angles of attack tend to be below roughly 30 degrees from horizontal and can have several planes.
None tend to decrease drag unless they are basically Gurney flaps, or very small spoilers. Spoilers and wings are designed for downforce at the expense of drag.
Fin only affects directional stability, no benefit for mpgs or road holding.
One of the car magazines in 1959 or â60 ran an article tititled Fins, function or fashion.
American auto makers also argued their case for who was first.
To add to Georgeâs confusion, the 1959 Chevy had horizontal âfinsâ, more like wings, rather than stabilizer or fin. Allegedly they actually provided some lift, reducing rear end stability.
I think what George is trying to say is the difference between a wing and a rear deck spoiler - and the answer is that spoilers are there to help generate downforce, but they do have the effect of reducing drag, but wings generate downforce without excessive additional drag, so they are more efficient, which is why if the rules allow, youâll find race cars with wings rather than spoilers.
But for the best MPG, you want the body designed so it doesnât need a spoiler.
Or an absurd looking âfinâ.
Personally, on a regular passenger type car, I think the best spoiler orientation isâŠnone at all.
I see some ridiculous spoilers around my part of the world, on both Asian-type âenhancedâ cars, and on pickup truck beds. All may be âfunctionalâ in some way, but I suspect itâs more for ego-maintenance than actual aerodynamic function.
But Iâm no scientist, so what do I know.
You would think that someone who watches so many vehicle TV shows and reads lots of car magazines would know that Spoilers are never vertical.
The late, great Virgil Exner was fond of calling tail fins âvertical stabilizersâ.
The Superbird and Daytona were not popular when they were new. Thatâs one of the reasons why they are so expensive now. Iâm still unimpressed with the looks. I realize that they were built for NASCAR and sold to regular customers to meet NASCAR requirements. IMO they took a good looking Charger/Road Runner and ruined it with that aero nose and huge tail.
Iâm watching the IMSA race at Laguna Seca. The GTP cars all have horizontal and vertical stabilizers. These advanced racers wouldnât use them if they werenât useful.
Once again, a spoiler does NOT create downforce, it reduces lift. A wing creates downforce (as used on cars). Vertical stabilizers are only effective at very high speeds, like at Bonneville.
Vertical stabilizers down the center improve yaw stability⊠at racing speed. The endplates, the vertical plates at the sides of the wings, improve the wingâs downforce and reduces drag.
IMSA GTP cars, Indycars and F1 cars all use these parts.
