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Does a wing really help?

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Old Aug 10, 2021 | 10:39 PM
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Does a wing really help?

To those that had a wing, stock wing, and removed it, did you notice any difference in handling or the back end going out on you? Watched a video from Japan comparing the FD with and without and he kept losing his back end at high speed around the corner. Was wondering how over exaggerated it may had been.
Debating on removing mine or not.
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Old Aug 10, 2021 | 11:07 PM
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I am no expert in fluiddynamics and physics, but I am pretty sure it does but to get the benefits of it you really need to be going fast. From a search on this forum, i remember reading a lot of forum members had tried this out and tested to see the difference and even the OEM wing the FD comes with helps a ton for downforce and stabilizing the car at high speeds.

Maybe someone who is better at searching than me can post the appropriate threads. I am replacing my FD OEM wing with a 99 spec one from graamotoring, but they're taking some extra time to polish the carbon fiber plates. I don't mind the look of the OEM one, and if I had the choice now I would likely consider keeping it OEM as well. Hell even the OEM front bumper grew on me a lot, even though I have the 99 spec one sitting in my garage now.
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Old Aug 11, 2021 | 12:36 AM
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'99 spec wing makes 200lbs of downforce @140mph. Air pressure goes up at the square of speed, so if you want downforce at low speeds, you need a huge wing. Look at formula SAE cars, low speeds huge wings. All track cars that are allowed to run aero, run aero.

Big wings invite big tickets.

If you're gonna go big wing, make sure you buy a proper one that is actually wind tunnel tested, with real airfoil sections. A depressing amount of large wings out there are purely for show. Dual element wings don't look as flashy as a nice swoopy carbon wing, but the science is behind them
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Old Aug 11, 2021 | 12:43 AM
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Originally Posted by mr2peak
'99 spec wing makes 200lbs of downforce @140mph. Air pressure goes up at the square of speed, so if you want downforce at low speeds, you need a huge wing. Look at formula SAE cars, low speeds huge wings. All track cars that are allowed to run aero, run aero.

Big wings invite big tickets.

If you're gonna go big wing, make sure you buy a proper one that is actually wind tunnel tested, with real airfoil sections. A depressing amount of large wings out there are purely for show. Dual element wings don't look as flashy as a nice swoopy carbon wing, but the science is behind them
So, in short, 80mph and under a wing won't do much to keep my back end in place?
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Old Aug 11, 2021 | 01:28 AM
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You might find this informative:

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Old Aug 11, 2021 | 03:35 AM
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Originally Posted by Tom Smith
So, in short, 80mph and under a wing won't do much to keep my back end in place?
it will if it's large
Sounds like you have other balance issues? Have you tried adjusting damping? Sway bar settings? Tire pressures? The FD is a tail-happy car by design, if your rear is really getting that loose on the streets at street speeds ... maybe it's time to go autox or track? Or simply stickier tires all around

Last edited by mr2peak; Aug 11, 2021 at 03:40 AM.
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Old Aug 11, 2021 | 04:16 AM
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My car is a touring and came with the stock spoiler. With it, I would notice that the back end lightened up and got floaty at around 120mph. Kinda nerve wracking in turns.

I swapped that out for the feed/afflux GT-III wing (set at a relatively neutral angle) and the *** end is now planted. Granted, I also added a diffuser at the same time.

At some point after my car gets out of the shop I'd like to add suspension potentiometers and run back to back tests of wing/diffuser, wing only, diffuser only, and naked during a track day.

The butt-dyno says that a wing helps!
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Old Aug 11, 2021 | 06:03 AM
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Originally Posted by mr2peak

Big wings invite big tickets.
No. Big wings correlate to big tickets because of how those with them often drive on the street…where a wing makes little difference at legal speeds.

Last edited by Sgtblue; Aug 11, 2021 at 06:06 AM.
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Old Aug 11, 2021 | 07:22 AM
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Originally Posted by Tom Smith
To those that had a wing, stock wing, and removed it, did you notice any difference in handling or the back end going out on you? Watched a video from Japan comparing the FD with and without and he kept losing his back end at high speed around the corner. Was wondering how over exaggerated it may had been.
Debating on removing mine or not.
Not that this relates directly, but for my F2000 racecar, I can feel the effect of front wing changes on handling at speeds as low as 40 mph, affecting the amount of understeer at all speeds. Rear wing settings seem to have a noticeable effect at higher speeds where oversteer is an issue (>80 mph).
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Old Aug 11, 2021 | 11:23 PM
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Originally Posted by Sgtblue
No. Big wings correlate to big tickets because of how those with them often drive on the street…where a wing makes little difference at legal speeds.
A big wing is a target. Police see it, notice it, and are more likely to hit you with a radar gun vs the person next to you. Same principle as a red and yellow cars getting more tickets
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Old Aug 11, 2021 | 11:55 PM
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Originally Posted by mr2peak
A big wing is a target. Police see it, notice it, and are more likely to hit you with a radar gun vs the person next to you. Same principle as a red and yellow cars getting more tickets
A Cop actually told me once Yellow isn't a target. They associate yellow with Taxis and School Busses. 🤷
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Old Aug 12, 2021 | 01:09 AM
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Originally Posted by Tom Smith
A Cop actually told me once Yellow isn't a target. They associate yellow with Taxis and School Busses. 🤷
I’d also argue red isn’t a target too, I think this is a huge misconception. It’s whether you drive crazy or not on the street. (Hopefully)
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Old Aug 12, 2021 | 06:48 AM
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He may have a point. That wing really catches the eye. …



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Old Aug 12, 2021 | 07:29 AM
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Just headed down to the Toshi Station to pick up some Power Converters, nothing to see here officer






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Old Aug 12, 2021 | 08:11 AM
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For the street, it doesn't really matter.

For the track, I drove a touring (no wing) with an R1/99 lip for years. Car was a bit loose in high speed sweepers. I added the '99 wing and I didn't find the addition dramatic honestly.

I added a 1" spacer to the '99 lip and that was a dramatic difference. Totally transformed lift on the straights above 125mph.

I switched to an APR GT250 wing with gurney flap on 14" risers and that was a dramatic difference. Settled the back down perfectly.
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Old Aug 12, 2021 | 08:32 AM
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Originally Posted by ptrhahn
For the street, it doesn't really matter.

For the track, I drove a touring (no wing) with an R1/99 lip for years. Car was a bit loose in high speed sweepers. I added the '99 wing and I didn't find the addition dramatic honestly.

I added a 1" spacer to the '99 lip and that was a dramatic difference. Totally transformed lift on the straights above 125mph.

I switched to an APR GT250 wing with gurney flap on 14" risers and that was a dramatic difference. Settled the back down perfectly.
Would you happen to have a pic of the 1" riser on the '99 wing installed on your car?
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Old Aug 12, 2021 | 12:12 PM
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Originally Posted by Jatt
Would you happen to have a pic of the 1" riser on the '99 wing installed on your car?

It was a spacer on the front lip, not the wing. Here's the thread on it:

https://www.rx7club.com/group-buy-pr...pacer-1050945/
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