What Are Front Splitters & Air Dams? - EZ Lip

If you’ve spent any time around the automotive forums (let alone real-life meet-ups at car shows and impromptu Saturday races) you’ll know that the jury’s still out on universal front splitters, spoilers and air dams. In other words, some aficionados, street racers and even commuters swear by them, claiming that they increase performance and handling while upping MPG. Detractors claim the opposite: that front lip splitters and lip spoilers actually cause lower MPG because they are designed to increase drag.

Still with us? Not sure what we’re talking about? Well, before we go on any further let’s take a quick look at what they are what they claim to do.

Front Splitters: Mods that look as good as they perform

According to the Formula 1 Dictionary front splitters are “essential aerodynamic components that serve to balance the front vs. rear distribution of down-force.” In other words, a splitter is usually located on the front end of a vehicle. They almost look like wings or flat extensions to the bottom of the bumper, kind of like a canard but much closer to the ground.

Splitters can be made from a variety of materials such as ABS plastics, sheet metal, fiber glass or, for those with means, even carbon fiber. The most advanced front splitters are those with cables that are made with springs to pull up when the wing hits something. This prevents damage to the body of the car itself as well as to the front splitter.  You may now begin to understand why you’d want to protect your splitter since it is, after all the lowest point on a vehicle, but more on that in a second.  First, let’s take a quick look at front lip spoilers.

Air Dams: A different solution to the same question

An air dam is often a wedge-shaped part of the lower portion of the front bumper that allows the air to pass through. Sometimes referred to as a “front lip” or “lip spoiler” it is often seamlessly attached to the front bumper, although it can also be attached as a separate piece. Unlike the front splitter, the lip spoiler isn’t a flat wing or sheet. Despite this fact, both front air dams and splitters have a similar function; to create lower and higher-pressure zones. Interestingly enough, air dams do so but are less extreme in terms of their effect whereas a front splitter’s effect increases in proportion to its sized and the speeds to which it is subjected.