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Trackday front wind splitter build.

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Old 10-21-2010, 10:01 AM
  #1  
djtimodj
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Smile Trackday front wind splitter build.

Well.............lol...

After grounding out my Varis CF splitter a few times (its horrible to hear!) And as we all know down force is great Im building a removable front wind splitter :disguise:

I have done quite a a bit of research on what to use CF,Alu, lexan and finally PLY WOOD!! lol.. Now I know lots of you will be like "Has he lost his mind!?!?!?!" Look at it like this, CF costs a fortune and if I hit anything it will crack or shatter, Alu is quite expensive and hard to work with and source, lexan again is hard to get hold of and in sheets large enough and the right thickness. Marine plywood is cheap,easy to work with, very stiff, light and cost £10 so if it gets banged up Ill just make another! :thumbs:

I have managed to get some tie rods like the APR ones below for £6 each!!!! APR ones are £50 for two!

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Any way on with the pic's!


Yes thats a 200cm by 70cm 9mm thick bit of marine ply in the zed!! lol
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Making the card template.
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Half way through making the template.
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Cut out the plywood.
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Offered up to the car. Splitter sticks out 50mm from the Varis CF one.
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The edges are going to be trimmed to match the width of the varis splitter soon. The 50mm lip should give a good edge to load up the front end. Im still not sure how im going to tie the splitter into the car yet? It needs to be attached with some strong alu brackets as this thing will have quite alot of force on it at high speed.

Im looking to use 4 tie rods on the lip edge and some sort of quick release fasteners on the underside so it can be whipped on and off with no tools. I think ill just use it for events as its gonna be quite large! :surrender:

Its going to be painted black and Im using edging covering for the front edge. Ill post pic's as it gets made but this is so far...

Flame away for using wood now! ahahaha :P :P :P
Old 10-21-2010, 10:41 AM
  #2  
midz350
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I like having wood, but not in the car.lol
Old 10-21-2010, 11:07 AM
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KingBaby
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this is somewhat crazy...

I would take what you've done and mark it up and take it to a fab shop to make a stainless steel/fiberglass/carbon fiber/straight metal version...

props for DIY though...
Old 10-21-2010, 12:47 PM
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cheshirecat79
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I think you should make a wood wing.
Old 10-21-2010, 01:14 PM
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350z006
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This is what happens to wooden splitters...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6U0Q6...eature=related

C'mon djtimodj, don't tell me you never saw this episode...

Last edited by 350z006; 10-21-2010 at 01:17 PM.
Old 10-21-2010, 01:26 PM
  #6  
Erik@R/Ttuning
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With some abuse it will splinter and crack but who cares when it is that cheap.

I have seen some ingenious usage of hood pins (Aerocatch) to hold a splitter on in the past. The studs get mounted to the chassis and the Aerocatches lock it on.
Old 10-21-2010, 01:43 PM
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BEBO'S ZEE
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sub'd. I want to see this done
Old 10-21-2010, 04:46 PM
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terrasmak
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Nice, seen it done many times at the track.
Old 10-21-2010, 06:27 PM
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BoomerZ33
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interesting. never seen that before
Old 10-21-2010, 06:41 PM
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lgear080
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Check out the worlds fastest s15 @ Tsukuba - wood splitter
On that ride tooo... good idea. Keep the original template as
This won't be your last woodie.
Old 10-22-2010, 03:53 AM
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mw9
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I have read alot of people do this, wood is cheap. Good idea, post up final results and pics
Old 10-22-2010, 08:06 AM
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djtimodj
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Little bit of progress on the front splitter.

I've been out and picked up some grey primer,gloss black auto paint and some 30mm x 2mm aluminum flat bar that Im going to use as some internal braces.

I have also taken the corners off the splitter so its more ankle friendly! I bit more hand sanding and the shape is spot on now.

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Never mind the tape over the il cooler, its just there for some testing :bangin:
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As you can see from the pic above, the Varis splitter has a curve in the center that is leaving a gap from the wood splitter. Im coming up with some ideas on how to sort this as if I leave it open the air that builds up pressure onto of the lip would escape under the car! not really what I want.lol..

This is a quick drawing of what Im thinking of doing.
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This is a pic's of what my alu brackets may look like, I want to fasten mine to the front crash brace and drop them down vertically as the alu is stronger under tension loading than if it's at an angle like on this scooby.

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Should be good once done! :P
Old 10-23-2010, 09:14 AM
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djtimodj
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Little more work done today.

I went and picked up for zinc plated steel L-brackets and some more Aluminum flat bar (a little wider now at 40mm).

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Went about marking out where all the L-brackets were going to go.

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All marked out if you can see, There are 20 L-brackets so the air dam part should add some stiffness to the front lip too.

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Fitted with just the bracket at each end. Note the nut and bolts are just there for now as these wont fit (and look s***e! ha) when offered up to the car.

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All 20 brackets fitted to the splitter but not yet attached to the alu air dam. Im still unsure on how im going to do this so if any one has any ideas throw them up. Im thinking of counter sinking the holes and rivet them and hammer flat and smooth over/sand the surface??

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Thats it for today
Old 10-23-2010, 12:37 PM
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fakejojo
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You sir have been watching TOO much Top Gear!!!

But hey, good work though!
Old 10-23-2010, 12:57 PM
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TAHorizon
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Wooden splitters are extremely common for track use because they are so cheap to reproduce once they are damaged (like all splitters become with track use). However, what are you doing about sealing/treating the wood to prevent it from catching fire and or damaging your car?
Old 10-23-2010, 01:45 PM
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djtimodj
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Originally Posted by TAHorizon
Wooden splitters are extremely common for track use because they are so cheap to reproduce once they are damaged (like all splitters become with track use). However, what are you doing about sealing/treating the wood to prevent it from catching fire and or damaging your car?
Once im happy with the final thing after I have sorted out strong mounting points I have spray primer, gloss black spray paint and clear coat for it.

It should not be close to any heat because Im running a z speed steel belly pan too. and this only extends back until the rad core support the back section Im looking to make will be 1.2mm alu sheeting. this will cover most of the bottom of the car.
Old 10-23-2010, 05:52 PM
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Originally Posted by TAHorizon
Wooden splitters are extremely common for track use because they are so cheap to reproduce once they are damaged (like all splitters become with track use). However, what are you doing about sealing/treating the wood to prevent it from catching fire and or damaging your car?
Easilest way is not having a FWD with the header and cat directly above the wood splitter. So since he is doing this to a 350Z with the headers way high and well behind the splitter, and the cats and in the footwell, he will be good.
Old 10-23-2010, 07:09 PM
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TAHorizon
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Originally Posted by terrasmak
Easilest way is not having a FWD with the header and cat directly above the wood splitter. So since he is doing this to a 350Z with the headers way high and well behind the splitter, and the cats and in the footwell, he will be good.
Fire isn't the only thing you have to worry about with wooden splitters. Have you seen them damaged due to hitting something or someone? It isn't pretty...
Old 10-23-2010, 07:15 PM
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TAHorizon
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Originally Posted by djtimodj
Once im happy with the final thing after I have sorted out strong mounting points I have spray primer, gloss black spray paint and clear coat for it.

It should not be close to any heat because Im running a z speed steel belly pan too. and this only extends back until the rad core support the back section Im looking to make will be 1.2mm alu sheeting. this will cover most of the bottom of the car.
The safest thing to do with wooden splitters is to coat them with fiberglass resin. Just a thought...
Old 10-23-2010, 10:12 PM
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terrasmak
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Originally Posted by TAHorizon
Fire isn't the only thing you have to worry about with wooden splitters. Have you seen them damaged due to hitting something or someone? It isn't pretty...
Have you seen what a CF, alum or other various material splitter will do? Whatever material, its dangerious as hell.


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