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Hello all!  We're in the process of placing splitter on our Supra and wanted some discussion on the rules.  Ultimately, the final decision will come from Doug at SCCA, but wanted feedback from other SM competitors.  Below is the rule from the 2008 rulebook.

 

 M. Front splitters are allowed and shall be installed parallel to the ground (within +/-3 degrees fore to aft) and may extend a maximum of 6 inches forward of the front bodywork/fascia as viewed from above. Splitters may not extend rearward past the centerline of the front wheels. No portion of the splitter may extend beyond the widest part of the front bumper/fascia as viewed from above.

 

Please look at the following and you'll find two interpretations of the distance allowed for the splitter.  View A assumes that the maximum of 6" measurement is allowed in the forward direction only.  Whereas, view B measures 6" radially from the edge of the front bumper.  In my opinion, View A is the correct interpretation, but I'd like for other opinions to weigh in.

 

Also, I have noticed in a few pics on nationally competitive cars that their splitter has a lateral edge that extends a few inches beyond the bumper just before the tire.  My interpretation of the rule is that it can not go beyond the width of the bumper/fascia.  I am reading this incorrectly?

 

Thanx for the help,

 

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Julia Aebersold
97 SM
97 Supra Turbo

I built mine much closer to B, however I think the rule is actually a B+ meaning if you wanted to, it could have square corners extending parallel with the widest point of the bumper/facia to a point 6 inches in front of the bumper/facia.  I doubt that would do more than knock the hide off a few ankles, but I think you could if you wanted to.

You can see my  Holy Splitter Batman! - is it legal? thread for pictures of my interpretation.  Perhaps someone from the SMAC could comment unofficially here, or maybe it's time for a letter asking for clarification.
 

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Chris
51 SM2

 I'm not SMAC or anything, but just an opinion:  The key word is "forward" I think.  Image A shows the 6" dimensions being measured in a "forward" direction, meaning to me along the longitudinal axxis of the car.  "B" shows the dimension being measured perpendicular to the bodywork, resulting in a dimension greater than 6" in the "forward" direction. If we're going to split hairs to this degree, I think that would be the correct interpretation of the wording.  To make "B" correct, or the alternate square cornered idea noted above, I think it would have to say something like: 

M. Front splitters are allowed and shall be installed parallel to the ground (within +/-3 degrees fore to aft) and may extend a maximum of 6 inches forward of the "forward most point of the" front bodywork/fascia as viewed from above. Splitters may not extend rearward past the centerline of the front wheels. No portion of the splitter may extend beyond the widest part of the front bumper/fascia as viewed from above.

 Just an opinion.

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Patrick Washburn
STU Evo
www.winghats.com

In particular I am wondering about the legality of the square corner extending parallel to the ground just before the tire.  This feature prevents air roll off making the splitter more effective.   You could even add a small wing element at that point to gain further downforce.  Most splitter pictures I have seen have the square corner, which I would like to retain, but my interpretation of the rule leans towards A. 

 Also, one more question.  When adding a splitter, was a there a noticeable difference in the front end under certain conditions (i.e. overall stability, high speed transitions, etc.) and did you have to adjust front bump settings or rear rebound to counter the effect?  Now to load the question even more, was the same encountered when the rear wing was added?

 
Thanx,

 Julia
 

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Julia Aebersold
97 SM
97 Supra Turbo

Actually, a STRICT reading of the rule results in a splitter that is straight across the front, and the front edge of the splitter is no more that 6 inches from the furthest forward (front most) portion of the body.

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Aut tace aut loquere meliora silentio.

Good illustration of my point made above.  My read is that it does not say "forward most point" in the rules, therefore the stricter interpretation is what I mentioned above....6" "forward" of the bodywork.  Meaning anywhere along the bodywork, the splitter cannot extend more than 6" in the forward direction.  This results in a  picture that looks like "A".  The corners on the sketch above has the splitter more than 6" forward of the rounded corners.  <shrug>

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Patrick Washburn
STU Evo
www.winghats.com

The intent of the rule was that the 6" viewed from above would follow the forward projection of your bumper fascia, so C would not fit.  Although not spelled out in the SMAC rules, I would encourage no sharp edges on the splitter from a safety standpoint.

Erik Strelnieks

Former SMAC member, present SEB member.

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Erik Strelnieks
93 3-ROTOR RX7
01 Honda S2000
05 SLK 350 AMG
08 BMW 135i

Double post...

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Erik Strelnieks
93 3-ROTOR RX7
01 Honda S2000
05 SLK 350 AMG
08 BMW 135i

Again...

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Erik Strelnieks
93 3-ROTOR RX7
01 Honda S2000
05 SLK 350 AMG
08 BMW 135i

jaebers:

Hello all!  We're in the process of placing splitter on our Supra and wanted some discussion on the rules.  Ultimately, the final decision will come from Doug at SCCA, but wanted feedback from other SM competitors.  Below is the rule from the 2008 rulebook.

 

 M. Front splitters are allowed and shall be installed parallel to the ground (within +/-3 degrees fore to aft) and may extend a maximum of 6 inches forward of the front bodywork/fascia as viewed from above. Splitters may not extend rearward past the centerline of the front wheels. No portion of the splitter may extend beyond the widest part of the front bumper/fascia as viewed from above.

 

Please look at the following and you'll find two interpretations of the distance allowed for the splitter.  View A assumes that the maximum of 6" measurement is allowed in the forward direction only.  Whereas, view B measures 6" radially from the edge of the front bumper.  In my opinion, View A is the correct interpretation, but I'd like for other opinions to weigh in.

 

Also, I have noticed in a few pics on nationally competitive cars that their splitter has a lateral edge that extends a few inches beyond the bumper just before the tire.  My interpretation of the rule is that it can not go beyond the width of the bumper/fascia.  I am reading this incorrectly?

 

 

 

 

Yes

Erik Strelnieks

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Erik Strelnieks
93 3-ROTOR RX7
01 Honda S2000
05 SLK 350 AMG
08 BMW 135i

jaebers:

In particular I am wondering about the legality of the square corner extending parallel to the ground just before the tire.  This feature prevents air roll off making the splitter more effective.   You could even add a small wing element at that point to gain further downforce.  Most splitter pictures I have seen have the square corner, which I would like to retain, but my interpretation of the rule leans towards A. 

 Also, one more question.  When adding a splitter, was a there a noticeable difference in the front end under certain conditions (i.e. overall stability, high speed transitions, etc.) and did you have to adjust front bump settings or rear rebound to counter the effect?  Now to load the question even more, was the same encountered when the rear wing was added?

Thanx,

 Julia
 

You mention a front wing element in regards to your splitter.  The only allowance for wings is in the rear of the car.

We noticed that adding the splitter seemed to balance some of the push that starts to develop in the 50+ mph range, when the wing is starting to become more effective.  Even more important when heading into a 20mph Topeka headwind.

Erik

 

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Erik Strelnieks
93 3-ROTOR RX7
01 Honda S2000
05 SLK 350 AMG
08 BMW 135i

ErikZ06:

jaebers:

Hello all!  We're in the process of placing splitter on our Supra and wanted some discussion on the rules.  Ultimately, the final decision will come from Doug at SCCA, but wanted feedback from other SM competitors.  Below is the rule from the 2008 rulebook.

 

 M. Front splitters are allowed and shall be installed parallel to the ground (within +/-3 degrees fore to aft) and may extend a maximum of 6 inches forward of the front bodywork/fascia as viewed from above. Splitters may not extend rearward past the centerline of the front wheels. No portion of the splitter may extend beyond the widest part of the front bumper/fascia as viewed from above.

 

Please look at the following and you'll find two interpretations of the distance allowed for the splitter.  View A assumes that the maximum of 6" measurement is allowed in the forward direction only.  Whereas, view B measures 6" radially from the edge of the front bumper.  In my opinion, View A is the correct interpretation, but I'd like for other opinions to weigh in.

 

Also, I have noticed in a few pics on nationally competitive cars that their splitter has a lateral edge that extends a few inches beyond the bumper just before the tire.  My interpretation of the rule is that it can not go beyond the width of the bumper/fascia.  I am reading this incorrectly?

 

 

 

 

Yes

Erik Strelnieks

 

Erik, thanx for all of your input.  Was your "yes" reply in reference to my question about the lateral edge sticking out before the tire?  If so, then I am assuming that most of the splitters I have seen with a corner showing before the tire are not legal since it goes beyond the width of the bumper/fascia.  Of course, this has to be confirmed by Doug Gill or the SMAC.  The reason why I am pushing this small detail is I have a splitter waiting to be cut and placed on the car and I would prefer to keep the corner.

 

Julia Aebersold
 

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Julia Aebersold
97 SM
97 Supra Turbo

On our XP car, I have vertical panel extension of my fascia just in front of the tire (not quite to the width of the tire) .  My splitter extends to that point.   I think the issue is if there were no modifications to the fascia, and the splitter extending beyond it.  No reason to not extend the fascia outward, as that  corner is a nice high pressure area - although it does seem to snag cones.....

modernbeat:

Actually, a STRICT reading of the rule results in a splitter that is straight across the front, and the front edge of the splitter is no more that 6 inches from the furthest forward (front most) portion of the body.

This matches my interpretation of the rules.

"may extend a maximum of 6 inches forward of the front bodywork/fascia as viewed from above"

"The" bodywork means the bodywork as a whole. Otherwise they would have specified "6 inches forward of any individual point of the front bodywork"

EVOlutionary

EVOlutionary:

This matches my interpretation of the rules.

"may extend a maximum of 6 inches forward of the front bodywork/fascia as viewed from above"

"The" bodywork means the bodywork as a whole. Otherwise they would have specified "6 inches forward of any individual point of the front bodywork"

EVOlutionary

 Or they would have said the forward edge of the splitter must be within six inches from the bodywork directly behind it.
 

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Aut tace aut loquere meliora silentio.

I think it's a "if it doesn't say you can, you cannot" thing.  It does not say "can extend from the forward most point of the bodywork".  It just says "can extend from the bodywork".  (Italics and paraphrasing mine)  Literal interpretation of this means that at any point of the bodywork, the splitter may not extend 6" in a forward direction from that point.  Any point.  Seems pretty straightforward to me.  (Get it?   Straight-forward?   I kill myself.)  :)

My 2 cents anyways.... Funny how a seemingly simple sentence can mean different things.

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Patrick Washburn
STU Evo
www.winghats.com

Interesting discussion so far.  What does everyone think about the following, especially the corners extending out about 2 inches?

 

 

Julia 

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Julia Aebersold
97 SM
97 Supra Turbo

If you want that wide of a cone catcher you can do it, as Stan said,  if the extra width is because your front fascia is also that wide.  I'd be careful about how you put on an extension and make it clear it is part of the fascia, or you ray run into trouble with a Protest Committee if they think it is not part of the fascia, or you are doing something that is aero not covered by the splitter/wing allowances.

 -Andy M.

Hmmm.  What about the splitter corners on Vic Sias' car? (Sorry Vic. I don't know you, but your car brought up my questions.)

http://www.siastuning.com/yellow4sale.htm

 

Julia 

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Julia Aebersold
97 SM
97 Supra Turbo

Julia,

That picture shows a splitter not conforming to the rules, but Vic may have trimmed things down since that picture. 

Erik

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Erik Strelnieks
93 3-ROTOR RX7
01 Honda S2000
05 SLK 350 AMG
08 BMW 135i