Well it has been confirmed. I had the wing installed and I was getting this high whistling sound that the radio could not drown out no matter the volume.
It happens between 40 to 65 MPH.

The BMW dealer checked it out and confirmed it. They had told me they installed another one on another customers car and it was louder than mine.

I emailed Mini HQ and I will also call ask mini. Maybe they can redesign it or even take it off the market until it is fixed. It is a flaw that they did not test or maybe did not care.

If I noticed it the 1st day I drove the car off the lot, I know they noticed it in England.

I really like it and bummed out their isn't another optional wing.

 

how are they going to create downforce without turbulence?

 

+1.. Interesting

 

Sounds more like a sound deadening issue.

 

I have one and don't notice any unusual noise. Maybe you should try your car without the rubber bumper on your door and lose the suv elevated look with some new springs. Whenever I hear the wind, it's pushing my car down and makes me feel better.

 

My car is dropped and the noise is behind me not from the doors. Its clearly the wing.
Plus I just read an article talking about it

 

Try the MCS spoiler then (they are very pretty) or just drive so fast you can't hear the wind behind you. 40 to 65 is third gear. You have 3 more to go!

 

I don't want pretty I want bad A$%

 

JCM, you know the same one on the challenge cars

 

Naw, that one is overkill. I'm one of those guys who makes fun of guys who put those giant things on honda civics. That one is not practical looking for the street.

 

All depends on how you drive

 

What does downforce have to do with turbulence?

Downforce results in drag? yes... turbulence? no.

MINI should have been able to design a nearly silent wing.

Is this the wing that attaches with double sided tape? If so, I'd guess that the whistling is coming from any gap that may be between the top of the boot and the wing pillars.

If there's actually a gap there, try sealing it with caulk or some other type of sealant. If you use tape, you can create a clean nice looking border.

Good luck with the wing!

 

Have you ever looked at the MINI? Mostly it's car pushing wind, not wind pushing car. They don't call it a 'flying brick' for nothing.

 

The BMW service department said its one big piece...the top boot area and the wing...not just the legs of the wing bolted to the top of the boot like the 06 wing.

The service department guys ask me to let them know if I find out anything that will solve the problem. So they have no clue what to do. That information has not been passed down by Mini Cooper in England.

 

I would give that distinction to a Jeep wrangler. I have one of those too.

 

This was the quote from this website that a commenter posted

"I was fortunate enough to drive the JCW & liked it. I would get the stage 2 just for kicks.I also drove the R56 MCS and could not find much difference power-wise between them. It took me a while to get used to the big kits and wing on the GP so when I saw the R56 JCW kit I immediately fell in love-that said with tongue in cheek as the wing doesn't stop whistling while driving. I also found the gear gates quite far apart and longer travel between them too but they were still smooth enough to ensure quickish changes. The R56 makes for a 'comfortable MINI' upgrade and the JCW the must 'go faster bit' but you will miss the supercharger whine."

http://mini2.co.za/blogs/mininews/ar...uning-kit.aspx

 

I've taken mine off for painting and it's not one piece. The pedestals and wing are glued together, but they attach to the body piece with 2 bolts and glue (this is absent for the spoiler which comes primed). Then the whole spoiler is attached by some fasteners and 5 or 6 bolts. You might check all of these fasteners and also make sure the strip at the bottom are secure. I think the fasteners are pretty lame and it's the bolts which are important. Send me a photo and I'll see if there is any significant difference to mine. Or you can pm me and stop by sometime. Sorry you are having this problem. I also have the JCW tune so the exhaust drone may mask the whistle.

 

Will do...where are you located by the way.

 

PM me. DC area.

 

Are you guys talking about the the carbon fiber jcw spoiler for the R53??

 

2nd gen forum.. they're talking about the new one

 

at thinking a wing actually produces effective downforce at (US) legal speeds

 

PM Sent

 

The turbulence is generally caused at the end and trailing edge of an object. So I would start my investigation there. Check over the trailing edges to be sure they are even and as sharp as possible. If they are rounded, especially if they are also asymetrical in profile, or if they are square edged, this will allow vorticies to form behind the trailing edge. It is the formation of these vortices that start a vibration that causes the whistle.

Something simple to try would be to put a piece of 1" wide tape on one side of the wing all along the trailing edge, with half of the tape trailing off the edge, and see if that stops it. Use a fairly stiff tape so that it stands out straight. By only doing one side you will alter the flow characteristics and interrupt the way the vorticies form.

The other thing to try would be to take some clear tape and close the openings in the bases/supports. Try to get the tape as smooth, tight and flat as possible. Cover both sides of each base.

Good luck.

 

Its rounded but its not just one piece so you can see openings on the edges, as circled, where the outer layer(black) surrounds the inner layer.
I don't know if it is because of the small space between the two layers effects this. It is the same on the two outer sections as well. Could this be the source of the high pitch whistling.