Minimizing Splitter Damage | Aero Setup [TECH TIP]

The downforce produced by a front splitter is extremely sensitive to ride height. To maximise the performance you generally want to keep the front splitter very close to the ground. This has to be balanced against preventing damage to the underside of the splitter which can occur due to irregularities in the road or during heavy braking when the front of the car pitches down.

To allow us to run a low ride height while preventing damage to our Topstage Composites splitter, it's common to attach a sacrificial part that's designed to be replaced easily. There are a range of different materials that can be used for rubbing blocks, in this case, we're using titanium with a specific streamline shape to minimise disruption to the airflow from Professional Awesome.

There are a couple of reasons titanium is a popular choice for sacrificial rubbing blocks. Like any materials selection choice, when you start digging into it there is always a bit more going on than first meets the eye. If we used steel blocks they would corrode quite quickly which would stain our carbon and make a bit of a mess. Titanium doesn't rust and it has the added benefit of being a lot lower density than steel so it helps save some weight while keeping things tidy.

Aluminium blocks would give you lower density than either steel or titanium, however, by comparison, the abrasion resistance of aluminium is quite poor so they wouldn't last long enough to justify their usage as a protective measure.

There are other good solutions including specific wood-based composites to make rubbing blocks. These work best when they are designed to form part of the aerodynamic surfaces rather than being attached afterwards like we are doing here.

Even for simple things, understanding the pros and cons of the options you have available is all part of a good decision-making process.

Want to learn more about motorsports specific setups? Come along to the next free live lesson to dive into the world of wheel alignments.