I asked this of a susp vendor and he didn't know. There's the 2" bolt-on strip under the front bumper/spoiler. It's the lowest part of the car and I'm sure it's for some aerodynamic reason. So you lower your car 2", which changes the airflow significantly under the car. It might even be a bad thing now. Can you remove that plastic strip? I bet you can and then it won't hit stuff anymore. Anybody have a thought on this?

 

The strip is there to protect the underside of the car. If you bump it against the ground/parking bumper/etc., you will likely stop, thereby not mangling other parts under the car. If you remove it and lower your car, be very careful what you drive over.

 

I don't think so. I don't think it's like "curb feelers". I think that at 80mph that strip exerts an aerodynamic effect on the car's handling because it's very close to the ground and attached to the front edge of the car. I think that lowering the car 2" will do something to that, I just don't know what.

 

Of course it will have some aerodynamic impact, but that aint what it's there for.

 

if you lower the car 2", you will reduce drag enough that you wll probably outweight the effect of the strip. I agree that its a "curb feeler", nothing more.

 

I'm not sure why so many R56'ers seem so keen on removing the air dam. It's not some curb feeler, it's strictly there for aerodynamic purposes, specifically to reduce lift. If you want to remove it, by all means it's your car...just don't complain when you try a top speed run and lose control of the car. If you look under the front end of most any car on the road today, you'll see an air dam. The R53 had one, and while it was shaped differently, it certainly had a pronounced aerodynamic impact. The air dam is essentially a very poorly shaped splitter. If you think the R56 air dam hits things all the time, then don't even bother driving an R53, as that air dam is a proverbial broom.

 

maybe if you race, it's relevant. For the MINI on the road, it has about as much aerodynamic impact as the rear spoiler.

 

I can agree with that; normal driving under the posted speed limit on the street may never yield a marked difference. I still don't understand how you're hitting the air dam frequently though; my R56 is 2" lower and I have exactly 2.0" of air dam clearance, and I've only lightly scraped it once, and that was me being a dufus.

 

I believe, dont take this as gospel, that it was to keep the nose of the car down under hard acceleration. I dont know what impact lowering would have on the effect of the strip but it would be interesting to see.

 

well thats what happens when you dont refresh a page before you post. Thanks Ryan

 

my dealer says the 2" strip is to stop rain and sand from flying over the bonnet (picked up by the front wheels and actually swung forward).

hope you understand...

 

I think that's what I wanted to know, if you lower the car 2" and leave the thing on there will you then scrape it whereas you didn't before. My guess was that you would, but Ryephile says he doesn't. My guess is that if the car's lowered 2" the thing becomes more or less useless, but if it doesn't hit bottom leave it there.

 

#1 It also keeps air from under the car, which creates lift and drag as it passes the bits and pieces under the car....

 

The JCW Aero kit has two small strips instead of one single single one spanning the whole front clip. Given that it would have substantially different effect since it's got significantly less area, allows air to flow freely down the middle and is set back farther than the stock one, I'm supporting the curb feeler effect of telling you when you're dragging chin.

 

karl - Does the JCW front bumper not have a "deeper chin" that would lessen the need for a big air dam?


--->minimarks: You're pretty close! The air dam reduces lift by decreasing the air pressure under the car, forcing more air above the car. The air dam may increase drag slightly but it's worth it in reduced aerodynamic lift.

 

I didn't say I was hitting it. I never had. I simply suggested to the OP that he may experience that, depending where/how he drove and how much he lowers his car.

 

Whoever said dealers knew anything about cars, other than the colors they come in?

 

Agreed. I have not purchased a car yet that I didn't know more about the car than the salesman. Kinda makes you wonder what the heck they do when their sitting around waiting on a customer to drive up....

 

It's called an AIR DAM for a reason! The purpose it serves is to reduce the amount of turbulent air flow beneath the car. Remember an airplane wing? Then look at your car....flat on bottom smooth on top....lift is generated by the pressure diffrence when you have faster moving air on top and slower moving air on the bottom....so performance wise it serves to keep the car from lifting....The other reason it exists is that turbulent air causes more drag so most cars have them not for perfomance but more for fuel milage effeciency

 

I know the theory. And the reality at road speeds.

 

Glad I started this thread. I think we "established" the following (albeit without a shred of scientific windtunnel data, but so what):
Salesmen/dealers don't know nearly as much about the car as we do, which makes sense since they probably drive SUVs and don't do any research either.
It's probably a bottom feeler more than anything to affect the handling of the car most times. It may reduce lift at higher speeds.
If one lowers the car 2" (my original question) it probably isn't as neccessary anymore, but it doesn't hit stuff leave it on there (or not).
The JCW Aero kit has one, but it's not nearly as complete especially in the middle, so that should tell you something about how neccessary they think it is to limit lift when driving the car. Thanks.

 

Sounds like you got it down, Big. Have fun!

BTW, I don't think putting the sales people in wind tunnels will blow any more knowledge out their ears.

 

I new we would get to the bottom of this....

 

If you're asking if the clip itself is lower, I don't believe it is. Check the picture above and I think you'll agree that the addition of color coded plastic in place of black plastic makes it appear to come down farther. I believe it's about the same depth, but that's only a guess. I didn't try to measure it before and after.

 

I agree.

The Mini's front end has a very short overhang - despite the new model's increase. Thus, air flow cannot be massaged before it contacts the front end. These front aero aids and the ones under the car are indeed very important to air flow, not protection.

There are a few aero aids that will help the mini at higher speeds, but most of the significant pieces were removed in favor of style - R53 and R56.

I was very fortunate to have an opportunity to discuss many of these things with an aero engineer with 'inside' information...he is also employed by the Williams F1 team About the aero aids removed in favor of style...I was asked to keep that information confidential...I was given the go ahead to discuss these with one friend who races and the info will have to stay there.

KarlInSanDiego's new front end have one of the more subtle aero improvements - channeling air around the tires

Ryephile have given you the correct advise!