818-R Splitter Suggestion

[Mulry]

It's great to see so much positive reaction to the 818 twins at SEMA, although as an intended early adopter, I kind of wish that it was still our little secret :) Anyhow, I was thinking about the 818-R and the carbon fiber splitter, and have a suggestion to make, and I hope that Dave & crew see this and give it some consideration.

Since this is a competition car, those splitters are going to see contact. We all know that CF is (a) not cheap and (b) brittle when it gets hit. Look at any F1 race and see what happens when the front wings get damaged. We're going to pay for a lot of splitters and a lot of cut tires if we use a CF splitter.

I suggest that the splitter be manufactured from Tegris instead. It's what they use on the Sprint Cup car splitters (or at least until they went to the new splitter this year, I don't know because I don't have one of those). Tegris is a little heavier, but it's still a kevlar-resin mix, only it abrades very cleanly and doesn't shatter in heavy contact. I picked up three used Car of Tomorrow splitters a couple years back for use on the front of our LeMons race car and those things have been beat to hell, but they never break. Even if we break one of the stays and the splitter is dragging on the ground, it just abrades cleanly. Last year I got hit in the front left at a race and it beat the crap out of the car, but the Tegris splitter was like a Timex watch. We just got it strapped back on the car and away we went. If that splitter had been CF, it would have been destroyed along with probably all 4 of my tires.

I'm all for the CF stuff generally, but in this particular application, I think that a Tegris substitution would be of great benefit to all potential 818-R racers. Cheers.

Pat

[Turboguy]

I'm pretty sure the standard issue will be fiberglass, with Carbon offered as an upgrade -- but it's a still a great point to make. A more durable material in place of the standard fiberglass would be great!

[Mulry]

Yeah, I guess I should clarify that my thinking is focused more on what's going to wind up being spec as far as use for the 818 Challenge or Spec 818 or whatever that series will end up being named. For time trial or autocross, either fiberglass or CF would be less likely to get damaged (so long as you watch out for cones), but in wheel-to-wheel action, a CF or fiberglass splitter is just going to get trashed fast. At least it will if it's out where it's actually performing an aero function. Of course the NASCAR guys would use a material that won't get all busted up when they are bump-drafting :)

Anyhow, I was just thinking that if we can get a Tegris option in right at the start, it'll be easier than trying to work one in later.

[Rasmus]

Other than Tigris consider:

Alumalite/Econolite 10mm

Plascore AA3.6-80. Great because it has a hexagonal core. 6mm or 10 mm

Or just lay up your own in Carbon Fiber/ Kevlar with Divinycell Foam for a core

[jimgood]

When I saw the splitter and the side sills I wondered the same thing. But I also wonder if they used that simulated carbon fiber plastic stuff for the ones that are on the car now.

Mulry, I didn't think any of the LeMons cars were fast enough to justify a splitter. :p

[longislandwrx]

If you want to go the cheap route, just use some plywood. If you break it, back to home depot.

[Mulry]

When I saw the splitter and the side sills I wondered the same thing. But I also wonder if they used that simulated carbon fiber plastic stuff for the ones that are on the car now.

Mulry, I didn't think any of the LeMons cars were fast enough to justify a splitter. :p

LOL. You'd be surprised then :) Our MR-2 has a pretty known problem with high speed float on the front above say 85mph. Putting a serious air dam with a strong splitter helps keep the front end from lifting, which makes it much easier to drive faster with confidence. It makes a big difference.

Plywood doesn't work as well as the Tegris. It busts up too easily (we know this from experience) and you don't want to have to run to the hardware store and manufacture a replacement in the middle of an endurance race when you want to be turning laps. I've run the same Tegris splitter in 8 LeMons races despite multiple contact incidents and a car with a soft front suspension that on some tracks has the splitter dragging on the ground in hard corners following high speed runs. For the spec/competition version of the 818, it seems like we'd want a high wear item that is long-term economical

The aluminum/honeycomb core stuff has a similar problem as the CF -- out on the front of the car, it's too exposed and gets beaten up too quickly. I like plasticore materials for their price in non-contact locations (like as a flat floor on a LeMons car), but they aren't as durable as the Tegris. It's really amazing stuff. And although this wouldn't be necessary for a spec part for the race series, what I've found from re-purposing the COT splitters is that it cuts with a sabre saw very easily using wood bits so long as you move slowly so that you're not melting the plastic as you cut it. Cuts the same in that regard as Lexan, actually.

[apexanimal]

i'll also be afixing the splitter separate from the bodywork incase of an off-road excursion if they don't have it setup like that already... splitters are easy-ish to replace... i don't want to have to fix/replace body work as well...