Raised wing type rear spoilers
Introduction
Sure, the shady used car dealer or that go-fast kid on the corner might've convinced you that giant rear wings are good for downforce, but in reality, most are merely a cosmetic addition that at highway speeds add more drag than anything.
The vehicle pictured here has a spoiler, not a rear wing. Care should be taken in identifying rear wings and differentiating them from spoilers. The two are very different in appearance and intended function.
A wing is typically a very large contraption that sits on the rear of rice rockets and Formula 1 cars. While it is an aerodynamic mod, it aids in creating downforce and thus can improve handling at high speed where fuel economy is not the first priority. It also creates effeciency killing drag at typical highway speeds.
A spoiler is usually much smaller and probably made of fiberglass - this is what's shown in the picture above and what's on the back of your stock Honda. They exist to aid in flow attachment to the rear of the vehicle and reduce the amount of turbulence in the vehicle's wake. Many are intended to reduce your drag coeffecient and thus improve fuel economy. Some are simply cosmetic, or poorly designed and should probably then be removed.
That said, not all designs are equal, and it isn't always obvious whether a wing or spoiler is a help or a hindrance. See this thread for discussion How to decide whether to remove rear spoiler to decrease drag, improve mileage
Contents
Instructions for mod
Information required: How do people perform this modification, pictures, problems, what to look out for
Information required: A listing for different ways to do this if its different on different types of cars
User experiences
Please enter your user name and any relevant data in the table
| User Name | Car Make, Model, Year | Cost of Mod | Time to Perform Mod | MPG Before Mod | MPG After Mod | MPG improvement guess | Instruction Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Example Data Saand | Example Data Mazda, 626, 1991 | Example Data $5 USD | Example Data 1 Hour | Example Data 27.2 | Example Data 29.8 | User mod detail or measurement detailed data |
Problems / Consequences of mod
Information required: What are the consequences of the mod, Eg: drivability issue, stalling, engine wear,
Removing a well designed rear wing will reduce vehicle stability and handling at high speeds. Removing a well designed spoiler will increase drag and reduce fuel effeciency at all speeds.
References
Forum thread links
How to decide whether to remove rear spoiler to decrease drag, improve mileage
External links
Flow Field Features and Aerodynamic Drag of Passenger Car <<< Page 26, Rear spoilers
