[zolo]

Dumb / heretical question warning.

What is the purpose of the front splitter on the Challenger?
Can it be removed? If so, what's the downside?
Or maybe it can be switched out to a smaller / less obtrusive one?

I ask because firstly, I don't like how it looks (surprise), secondly, it looks like it's unreasonably detrimental to clearance. Not just because of its thickness, but because it angles the car right into a speed bump or some such.

Thank you

 

[Rockster]

Dumb / heretical question warning.

What is the purpose of the front splitter on the Challenger?
Can it be removed? If so, what's the downside?
Or maybe it can be switched out to a smaller / less obtrusive one?

I ask because firstly, I don't like how it looks (surprise), secondly, it looks like it's unreasonably detrimental to clearance. Not just because of its thickness, but because it angles the car right into a speed bump or some such.

Thank you

To limit the amount of air flowing under the car and to increase the amount of air that flows through the radiator.

The less air under the car the lower the air pressure under the car which helps air that flows through the radiator exit out of the engine compartment. This improves engine cooling and reduces heat exposure to the components in the engine compartment.

In CA the splitter on my Hellcat scraped at every driveway entrance/exit. It never contacted any speed bump. But when I moved to AR the splitter didn't scrape one time.

As was my way with previous cars with air splitters/air dams at the front I quickly learned to judge how far I could pull into a parking space to avoid contact with the curb. And when possible I elected to back in because I could get the rear of the car in more and with much less risk of having anything at the rear of the car contact the curb.

The splitter is just part of the experience of owning a car, first a Scat Pack, then the Hellcat, and then a 2nd Scat Pack, that has such high cooling demands and offers a high level of performance.

My advice is to leave the splitter in place. The risk is engine cooling could be compromised and the car's aerodynamics at speed -- and it doesn't have to Salt Flats speed just freeway speed -- could be affected.

 

[zolo]

Thank you for the detailed answer, @Rockster ! 🙏
You convinced me, it stays on.

 

[Slidd]

Trying to look cool I guess, lately about all they've done is take the high end parts and move them down the line. So now even the GT gets the Scat Pack front spoiler. But yes, you can go back to the old short spoiler that was used on R/T through 2018 but is now only used on SXT. It's a fairly complicated swap but will increase your spoiler clearance from 6.50 inches to about 8.25 inches and also move it back. Maybe find somebody to do a swap because many want the big spoiler. It can definitely hit things so take it easy on speed bumps and entrance and exits, always go in at a sharp angle, never straight at it. Even if you've got to go the wrong way leaving or entering a parking lot to maintain that angle you have to do it. And always back in to spots with a curb, never pull in. All these issues will pretty much go away with the short spoiler.


Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[zolo]

Thank you @Slidd , that's very interesting!

but will increase your spoiler clearance from 6.50 inches to about 8.25 inches.

Oh, super! I'm aiming to get the 5.7 RT, so the low profile spoiler should suffice from a cooling standpoint I guess.

 

[Cuda340]

The front splitter, or spoiler, was added to the high-performance models to help keep the retro-styled Challenger stable at high speeds. Before the 2008 model was released, the Dodge engineers spent a lot of time in the wind tunnel with this car, to get the right proportions of lift and drag. Watch the following designer interview. Start at the 1:52 minute mark.

 

[zolo]

Thanks so much @Cuda340 !

 

[Cuda340]

Watch what had to be done to race a non-aerodynamic 1970 'Cuda on at track at 208 mph.

 

[Cuda340]

Try this You Tube link.

 

[zolo]

@Cuda340
Awesome videos, thank you man! I love watching designers talk about the process!
Also, it's hilarious that out of all the parts on the Cuda, it's the windshield they almost lost

 

[RickBlue]

Trying to look cool I guess, lately about all they've done is take the high end parts and move them down the line. So now even the GT gets the Scat Pack front spoiler. But yes, you can go back to the old short spoiler that was used on R/T through 2018 but is now only used on SXT. It's a fairly complicated swap but will increase your spoiler clearance from 6.50 inches to about 8.25 inches and also move it back. Maybe find somebody to do a swap because many want the big spoiler. It can definitely hit things so take it easy on speed bumps and entrance and exits, always go in at a sharp angle, never straight at it. Even if you've got to go the wrong way leaving or entering a parking lot to maintain that angle you have to do it. And always back in to spots with a curb, never pull in. All these issues will pretty much go away with the short spoiler.


Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

I have had both and prefer the old RT one. The current one looks overboard and yes, it has less clearance, so you need to be more careful.

 

[zolo]

Much appreciated @RickBlue , thanks!

 

[SRTMASO]

I want to get a splitter, but I’m worried abo it the scraping, hard to pay 3-5 hundred for something that’s going to be hitting the ground.