[Ron Sutton]

Originally Posted by Panteracer

Ron,
I always wondered how much the ends effect the wing?
I see some with a lot above the wing and others with most
of the end below the wing... I guess if you look at the F1 cars
now they are adding louvers etc in the ends

I have changed the ends on my Pantera several times but
mostly for looks or holding a number

Bob

Hey Bob, good question.

The end plates on wings play a HUGE role in grip. The actually do two key things. First ... they ensure the airflow over the wing ... out near the ends ... doesn't simply roll over the sides. If the airflow did ... the downforce on the wing would be 20-25% less.

Second, the end plates create "side force". This is not talked about much in "car guy" circles. But side force is a big goal & part of the conversation in racing. Depending on the size of the end plates ... we can generate anywhere from 60# or 300# & more of side force at the rear of the car. This helps the car have more grip on corner entry, so we can drive the car in deeper, faster & brake later ... making us quicker of course. But sideforce doesn't add tire grip in the traditional sense like downforce does by loading the tires. Side force is creating a resistance to the back of the car coming around (getting loose).

Most of us understand g-forces from cornering speeds are pushing the car towards the outside of the corner. Side force is simply airflow pushing back ... on the wing sideplates. This gives us more rear grip ... but by reducing the g-force push with side force push back. This is why all racing sanctioning bodies that allow wings ... control the size of the end plates ... as much as the size of the wing itself.