Front splitter for the track

[G-Stick]

Disclaimer: The following is provided as a GUIDE ONLY, and neither myself nor Ozhonda take any responsibility for the outcomes of someone else doing the following. You follow these steps at your own risk!


Aim: To make a front splitter

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diffuser_(automotive)
As the front of the car slows down the air without a diffuser, this is the ideal place for an inlet. A splitter is commonly used here, serving to increase the amount of downforce at the front of the car. The airstream is brought to stagnation above the splitter by an air dam, causing an area of high pressure. Below the splitter, the air is redirected away from the stagnation zone and is accelerated, causing the pressure to drop. This, combined with the high pressure over the splitter creates downforce. The larger the area of the splitter, the more downforce is generated

Required:
Safety equipment
- Safety glasses ( I had a face mask)
- Gloves (aluminium is one of the fastest heating metals)
- Proper footwear
- Ear plugs or ear muffs ( angle grinders and drills can be quite loud)

Tools
- Angle grinder with stand – with 2 x aluminium cutting disc
- Jigsaw
- Drill with wood and metal drill bits
- Dremel with metal cutting disc
- Socket set 10mm - 14mm
- Tape measure
- Marker

Materials
- Black paint, I choose flat black but you can pick whatever
- Plywood 2400mm x 1200mm x 12mm
- 2 25cmx25cm 8mm aluminium sheets
- 2 4mm Bottlescrew jaw & jaw
- Wire eye strap
- 3mm aluminium L brackets
- 20 m8 x 40 cup head bolts
- 8 m8 bolts
- 52 m10 washers
- 3M automotive tape or pot rivets
- Garden edging

Cost roughly $192

Can be done cheaper if you are able to find off cuts of aluminium instead of getting new pieces cut off.


Angle grinder


Jig saw


work space


3m tape


aluminium sheet






Steps:

Step 1:
Locate and remove your stock tow hooks which are positioned on your front chassis rails, at the same time see how much room you have for the front splitter mounts. There should be three 14mm bolts on each side.

Step 2:
After getting a rough idea of space, mock up your splitter mount on cardboard. Cut out your cardboard mount and test fit it on the car itself.



Step 3:
Once you’re happy with the mock mount, trace the mount onto the sheet of aluminium and start cutting out the mount with the angle grinder. Best to take it in sections and let the aluminium cool down.







Step 4:
Proceed by drilling the holes for the chassis rail bolts, I found it easier to drill two holes for each bolt hole and used the dremel to cut in between. As you can see Ive made the hole longer instead of a fixed hole to help with removal of the bumper and also allowing height adjustment of the splitter itself.



Step 5:
Test fit the mount onto the car once all the chassis bolt holes are drilled and cut. I had to widen the holes a few times to get it sitting perfect.



Step 6:
Cut the aluminium L bracket into four 40cm long pieces and place them along side your splitter mount. Mark up the holes where you want to drill into. (I placed those holes 5cms apart)





Step 7:
Drill the holes in both the L brackets and the splitter mounts and bolt them together. (I used a drill bit slightly bigger then my bolt just to allow for any errors). When you are happy with the way it is sitting continue to drill another 16 holes between both splitters for the plywood to be bolted onto the splitter mount.




Step 8:
Remove your bumper and place it on the plywood and trace around the bumper allowing roughly a 10cm boarder. Once you are happy with where it is sitting move on to cutting up the splitter with the jigsaw. I made mine a bit bigger so shave down later once it is mounted on the car just in case it was too small.
I also planned on having the splitter go under the sump but with the K swap it wouldn’t allow it. So i proceeded to just cut the sump part completely off.



Step 9:
Bolt the splitter mount onto the car and place the plywood under and position it to your liking. Mark up where the holes are to drill on the plywood and mark up where the base of the mount will sit so you can secure it on.



Step 10:
Drill holes for the mount on the plywood (I ended up with 10 holes on each side) and secure the two together.





Step 11:
By now it would look alot more like a splitter, go and mount the splitter onto your car with the front bumper on. Take the garden edging and place it around your front bumper and on the splitter. Mark where the splitter is sitting and cut off any excess length.



Step 12:
To secure the garden edging you will need L brackets, nut and bolts and double sided tape(or pot rivets).
Instead of buying small L brackets I used the long left over L bracket piece I had and cut out 5 separate pieces. I then drilled a hole in each one and double sided tape it onto the garden edging. Place the edging on the outline marked before on the plywood and drilled my final 5 holes.
Secure everything on and once again mount back onto the car.







Step 13:
Position and install the bottlescrews and wire eye strap on the bumper and front splitter with the screws provided, this is for added strength of the splitter when down force is applied.



Step 14:
When you are happy with the splitter and nothing else really needs to be done, remove everything off the plywood and start prepping your plywood for painting. I filed down the edges to make them smooth and just wiped down the surface but you can always lightly sand it.

finish by spraying it in the colour of your choice, then assemble it all back together

[G-Stick]

Mine weighed in at



Final product





Tips:
Always take a break to clean up every so often
Found it easy to grind down rough edges of the aluminium with the dremel w/cutting tool
Drill a hole bigger than your bolt to allow for errors
Always measure and mark and double check after every hole is drilled.

[G-Stick]

please overlook any bad spelling or grammer :/

comments and criticism welcome

[Benson]

Awesome write up!

Product looks good. Keep up the good work

[G-Stick]

Thanks man, also for the inspiration after seeing yours

[mocchi]

[tiksie]

Very good DIY mate (Y)

Expect to get bombarded with rep.

[butterfingers]

thats some ghetto shit, but ingenious (Y)

[TypeS]

Thanks for the write up

I need to do this soon.

[Riced_Civic]

building mine 2morrow, thanx

[longers]

Always take a break ....

typical duy LOL!

[G-Stick]

haha typical Oscar xD

Very good DIY mate (Y)

Expect to get bombarded with rep.

thats some ghetto shit, but ingenious (Y)

Thanks guys, I am all for ghetto

Thanks for the write up

I need to do this soon.

building mine 2morrow, thanx

Nps, post them up here when your done

typical duy LOL!

Haha.. i dont take too many breaks lol.. ask the guys xD