Windshield Wiper Spoiler "Findings"

[66sprint6]

In my quest to make a decent chin spoiler for the Escort, I ran across how the ricers often make little chin spoiler out of garage door weatherstripping. I grabbed some up for $9 and some double sided tape while I was at it. After realizing that, altho it would look good as a spoiler, it would prolly be too small I ditched it and went with garden edging. While I was doin the spoiler I got to messing with the garage door strip and realized I could prolly make a small windshield wiper spoiler out of it. Some ShoeGoo, double sided tape and a couple hours later and I had this little guy.





Now, I know it doesnt look like much at all and prolly isnt worth a flip, but it fits into the requirements for my mods. Cheap, moddest and nearly looks factory. With all that said, I noticed somethin on the way to work this morning and thought Ide see what yall thought.

Its foggy this morning with a light misting of rain, barely enough to even require winshield wipers but enough to notice. I noticed that the top 3/4 of the winshield had mist on it, heavier at the top and gradually getting lighter towards the bottom and then the bottom 1/4 was almost entirely clear. The windshield wipers sit WELL below the line where the rain started showing up in any measurable quantity. Does this mean this little guy it bein effective, any thoughts? I appreciate it guys!
Matt

[Frank Lee]

Take it off and try that test again.

I've found the bottom 1/4-1/3 of the windshield to be basically out of the airstream, stock.

Ricers sometimes do things that not only don't work, they are worse. For example, drilling the rear bumper cover full of holes "to vent".

[winkosmosis]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

Take it off and try that test again.

I've found the bottom 1/4-1/3 of the windshield to be basically out of the airstream, stock.

Ricers sometimes do things that not only don't work, they are worse. For example, drilling the rear bumper cover full of holes "to vent".

With a more vertical windshield sure, but his is angled back pretty well. Modern cars have the wipers shielded, usually by lowering them below the hoodline. Some cars had little spoilers like the previous gen Camaro.

[66sprint6]

I know AAALLLLL about ricer BS mods, and my goal was to stray away from ANY and all mods that were considered worthless and looked tacky. Unfortunately, alot of mods found on here are also done by the Ricers, like the spoilers which is what I originally bought this stuff for. When I figured out it was too small to make work other than for looks on the lower bumper, I scrapped the idea and came up with this one instead. I believe Basjoos aerocivic is one of many cars I took the inspiration from for a windshield wiper spoiler. With this car, the hood lips up ever so slightly before ending at the cowl, I just continued the lip another inch or so. I used to notice when I would get water on the hood and cowl that it would run up under the wipers and up the windshield. I could also watch the wipers quiver a bit especially at highway speeds, I havnt notived that yet with this in place. Not really a test, more like an observation. I appreciate the feedback and the thoughts, It will give me somethin more to think about when it comes to keeping or tossing this mod. Basically, if its has no gain or negative gain...its gone. If it could possibly even do the slightest good, then I will keep it cause its not hurtin me to look at.
Matt

[Otto]

Could be, your little spoiler guarded the wipers such that less turbulence was made by them such that the airflow was smoother and faster and so deposited less rain than may be the case with unfaired wipers.

Did cabin noise change? I read somewhere that drumming on the windshield by buffeting air off the wipers can cause noise, so wonder if your little cheapo fairing made any noise difference.

[66sprint6]

I did this while doin the front spoiler and noticed a HUGE drop in road/wind noise. I didnt know which cause it or if both helped together but I did notice a drastic drop. Even my girlfriend (who doesnt care lol) noticed it.
Matt

[66sprint6]

Not wings on the windshield wipers themselves, but a spoiler on the hood to keep the wipers out of the wind. Ive actually ran across some of those "wings" before and laughed thinkin about em but it makes sense!
Matt

[Frank Lee]

Originally Posted by Old Tele man

...the original reason for windshield wiper "wings" was to help KEEP them up against the windshield at high speeds in high wind situations.

And that was for when the wipers were in use i.e. up on the windshield where the flow is.

[tru]

Frank doesnt seem amused...

I think its a cool little project and will consider it on my own car, may act as a "better" bug deflector.

[Frank Lee]

I have tried wiper delete and "filleted" cowl panel filler to no noticeable fe change whatsoever.

BTW I'd wager Tempo and Escort windshield angles are very similar.