Bumper splitter: types, purpose, installation

2025 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2025-01-22 21:14

Very often motorists improve their cars. Among the most popular upgrades are the headlights, and the color of the car, as well as the bumper splitter. To choose the right splitter, you need to consider their types, pros and cons.

Splitter for cars

An automobile splitter, or, in other words, a splitter (in a very simple way - a “lip” or a “skirt”) - a decent-sized carbon fiber (or from other suitable material) mounted on the bottom of the car bumper, which reduces aerodynamic drag of the vehicle (hereinafter referred to as the vehicle).

Improvement of the aerodynamic qualities of the vehicle splitter on the bumper achieves by limiting the flow of air under it. Thus, achieving its corresponding rarefaction in this area and creating downforce acting on the object from top to bottom. The front bumper splitter vents the air in the upper way on the sides or through the corresponding channels in the bumper. This air can also be directed to cool the engine, front brakes, or use the rear diffuser.

Splitter - what is it and whyneed?

The part can also be factory-made, but, as a rule, it is installed by the owner of the vehicle at the service station or independently. Especially if the lip is “attached” to the front of the vehicle for beauty and to improve the exterior (it is possible to mount it on the rear bumper and side sills), and not to improve its handling.

Another thing is when a car splitter, which is one type of a diverse family of spoilers, is mounted on buffers to improve aerodynamics. This is done in order to take part in near-sport races on ring tracks and other similar events. There are many companies that manufacture splitters for certain types of vehicles, usually status.

Disadvantages of the splitter

An obstacle to the movement of the vehicle is not only the aerodynamic resistance of its shape, but also the process of filling with air the space it has just left, which creates vortex flows of a lower density than the vehicles are encountered.

Vortices cause braking forces and, accordingly, an increase in the load on the "front" of the body. This is where the mounted bumper splitter helps. It directs the appropriate air flow to other trajectories and helps solve problems with aerodynamics and effective braking of the vehicle.

Relevant experts strongly recommend either not installing splitters at all, or installing them directly on the front and rear buffers. And here's why:

• If you install only the front bumper splitter, the down pressure will becomeact only in the front of the vehicle, while the rear wheels will get worse grip than the front. And a rear-wheel drive vehicle will significantly reduce power and increase fuel consumption.
• Installing a splitter only on the rear buffer will create a similar situation behind the vehicle, which will certainly reduce the load on the front steering wheels. This is clearly not to the taste of the drivers of vehicles with front-wheel drive.

Types of splitters

Materials from which splitters are made are very diverse:

• Fiberglass. A very cheap material made from synthetic resins with a fiberglass mesh placed inside for added strength. It is not used in mass production, as it is unprofitable for manufacturers.
• ABS plastic. It is also a very cheap material, which (with the addition of various impurities) is widely used by car manufacturers, but the service life of parts made from it is relatively short due to the evaporation of volatile phenol compounds from it.
• Silicone. Found application in the automotive industry recently. This polymer is valued for its plasticity, heat resistance and long service life.
• Carbon or CFRP. This material is good for everyone, but has one drawback - a high price, so it is usually used for expensive and prestigious vehicles.
• Steel or aluminium. In the 21st century, completely steel and aluminum parts are practically no longer manufactured. In the case of splitters, they are mainly used as spoiler blades.

How to make your own bumper splitter?

Let's give a short description of the self-installation of the skirt (splitter). In any case, the splitter is attached to the bumper from below, adjacent to its rear edge.

• We make a careful fitting of the purchased splitter to the bumper of the vehicle. After that, we carry out an adjustment so that the lip fits snugly, there are no distortions, unnecessary tension, and so on.
• Define and draw a sealant application line. Easier to work with modern primerless sealants.
• We carefully process all the necessary surfaces in order to remove factory varnish and other particles and substances. We degrease the surfaces to be glued with a special or ordinary detergent.
• We paint by spraying paint in the right places. Of course, the shade may not fit, but we are not at the service station. Saving money.
• We apply primer and primer to the surfaces to be glued, and sealant to the corresponding places of the splitter. In such a way as to remove excess glue later, and not try to fill the voids that have arisen with it.
• Together with an assistant, we press the surfaces to be glued together and patiently hold them for a quarter of an hour. It is better to grab the bottom and edges of the skirt with self-tapping screws. It will not hurt to connect its top with the bumper with adhesive tape, which can be removed in a day.
• The formed seam is covered with transparent silicone sealant.

Bumper splitter installed, now it's time for another bumper.

Important! Carry out the above workin the absence of a special room, it is better in dry calm weather at an air temperature of about 20 degrees.

Cons when installing splitters

In order of appearance of minuses when installing splitters, their list is as follows:

• Material costs. Minimum - when purchasing cheap bumper splitters. When they are installed by the vehicle owner himself (especially if this is done for beauty, including from rubberized materials). Decent enough - if the material is expensive, the splitter is not universal, but special (especially expensive - individual) and the work is done at the service station.
• Reducing vehicle clearance.