Wing or Spoiler?

I remember reading that a spoiler is low and usually just a lip off the trunk and a wing is the big style

I tried to search for it, but couldn't find it
Some guy i was talkin to said that "wing" is just the nickname people call a spoiler
And he justified it by saying in his Supra manual they always refer to his wing as a rear spoiler

Where can I show him that there is a difference between a wing and a spoiler?!

Long time no see buddy, i've always thought that a spoiler was small and a wing is big. but i don't know of any place that says that for sure.

I think you're correct there, but the terms seem to have become fairly much interchangeable in conversation.

The way I understand it:
Wing
http://www.spoilers.com/images/spoilers1/integra722rwl.jpg

Spoiler
http://208.203.130.150/max/spoiler.jpg

Originally posted by boingo82
The way I understand it:
Wing
http://www.spoilers.com/images/spoilers1/integra722rwl.jpg

Spoiler
http://208.203.130.150/max/spoiler.jpg

yeah but how do i prove that to the guy....
i remember a thread on AF where somebody proved it, i forget though lol :)

A wing has to have air slowing over both upper and lower surfaces.

A spoiler has air flowing over only one surface.


:cool:

Originally posted by Moppie
A wing has to have air slowing over both upper and lower surfaces.

A spoiler has air flowing over only one surface.


:cool:

Look at it this way. A plane has wings and spoilers. A wing on a plane causes lift. The vertical stabilizer spoiler on an airplane controlled by the pilot causes the plane to go left or right, different directions. There are also spoilers on the horizontal stabilizers also.

Take your pick. I call it a spoiler. Doesn't matter to me.

Yes, a spoiler is smaller, but where the line is - hard to say. The spoiler is meant to "tidy up" the air behind the car, the wing is meant to produce downforce. So the wing is taller to be able to get "clean" air.

Ales is the closest.


A wing is designed to have air flow over both sides of it so that there is high pressure on one side, and low pressure on the other.

This then creates Lift on a Plane, and downforce on a car.


An spoiler is disigned to do exactly as it's name suggests.
It spoils the air flow over a surface.

When used on the wing of an aeroplane (as an elevator, eliron or rudder) it alters the air high and low pressure on each side of the wing, which will either increase or decrease the amount of lift.

When used on a car they are designed to do many things.
Some create an area of negative pressure under the car to aid with down force, (effectivly turning the whole car into a wing) while others can break up or smooth out the air flow behind a car to increase high speed stablity or to lower the amount of aerodynamic drag.

Originally posted by Moppie
or to lower the amount of aerodynamic drag.

Now how can any extra added appendage reduce the amount of drag? It increases the cars area and therefore would increase the amount of drag.

Spoilers are put on the majority of cars merely for LOOKS

It would reduce drag by making airflow more efficient. I'm referring here to front spoilers.

Originally posted by tazdev


Now how can any extra added appendage [b]reduce[b] the amount of drag?


Go read this: http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=15587&highlight=Wings+spoilers

:impressed: Very interesting.

Originally posted by Moppie



Go read this: http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=15587&highlight=Wings+spoilers

I read that and it does not clear up how a wing/ spoiler would reduce aerodynamic drag. and yes I do understand the theroy behind areofoils (wings).

however even if the wing did reduce aerodynamic drag the resultant downforce will create more pressure onto the ground and therefor increase drag.

I believe that for any type of "spoiler" to be termed as "wing" it would have to have a cross sectional shape of an aerofoil.

Will have to search more to clarify. BACK SOON:licker:

well I'm back from my search on the web that came up with NOTHING

Looks like I'm going book shopping tomorrow:D

even howstuffworks.com was no use, although now I now how an ice hockey Rink works:p

a wing and a spoiler are the same to me :)

Originally posted by tazdev



I believe that for any type of "spoiler" to be termed as "wing" it would have to have a cross sectional shape of an aerofoil.

Will have to search more to clarify. BACK SOON:licker:


Just to clarfiy for the slower skyline owners here.


A WING HAS AIR FLOWING OVER BOTH SURFACES! (i.e. its an aerofoil)

A SPOILER HAS AIR FLOWING OVER ONLY ONE SURFACE.

A wing creates lift, or down force, and produces drag.

A spoiler breaks up or spoils air flow over a surface so it will not create a low pressure zone (vacume) behind the car and so create drag.
i.e. by reducing the low pressure by spoiling the air flow it actualy reduces the aerodynamic drag on a car.

Just out of curiousity why did single out the skyline owners? Are we that much more hard headed? :p

here in N.Z there is an intense sometimes friendly rivalry between the Honda owners and Skyline owners. You see all Honda owners want to own skylines and they are just jelous:flipa:

Isn't that right Mr Moppie:silly2:

Originally posted by tazdev
here in N.Z there is an intense sometimes friendly rivalry between the Honda owners and Skyline owners. You see all Honda owners want to own skylines and they are just jelous:flipa:

Isn't that right Mr Moppie:silly2:

I thought every one wanted to own a Skyline :confused:

Originally posted by tazdev


Isn't that right Mr Moppie:silly2:


Thats right, in fact its so right that I will gladly race your skyline for ownership papers.

Thats how badly I want to own it! :finger:

Originally posted by Moppie



Thats right, in fact its so right that I will gladly race your skyline for ownership papers.

Thats how badly I want to own it! :finger:

:eek:

ouch, and Moppie comes back with the blistering reply. That puts the score at love love...

can't you just feel the love in this thread?My car owns you all:flipa:

but what would I do with your shopping trolley Moppie

J/k

I have to say after further research I have to conceed theat Moppie is correct in what he has said and now I finally understand.

I always found that the best example of a "spoiler" is the dimples on a golf ball. They break the airflow so that it seperates farther back on the ball resulting in a smaller effective frontal area and higher pressure on the back of the ball-- less effective drag -- so the ball flies farther....

In addition to the Honduh driver.. er Moppie's correct technical explination I would like to add this.

Practicly speaking when we think of a wing, it is somthing that air flows faster over the top of creating lift. A spoilier on a car creates downforce and is an upside down wing. So there arn't wings on cars, but I still call GT spoilers wings :p

I still say that to be claseed a wing it must thave an aerofoil cross section it doesn't matter if it is right side up (plane wing) or upside down (cars wing)


An areofoil being a shape that air travels faster over one surface than the other (as Gonthrax mentioned)

Originally posted by tazdev
I still say that to be claseed a wing it must thave an aerofoil cross section it doesn't matter if it is right side up (plane wing) or upside down (cars wing)


An areofoil being a shape that air travels faster over one surface than the other (as Gonthrax mentioned)

I suppose it's still a wing no matter which way you turn it.

*Concedes*

:smoker2: :smoker2:
















:alien: