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MG MGF Technical - Which Front Splitter is best

The front of my MGF seems to go light and wanders when going above 70mph. Common problem i here and easly rectified by fitting a front splitter. But which one is best is it the Trophy or the K&H? I prefer the looks of the Trophy one to the latter. So has anyone got any of these fitted to there MGF? If so could you tell me which one is the most effective and best value for money. ( I hope its the Trophy )
Paul

Hi Paul
I have had the K+H splitter fitted to mine for several years now and did find it worked well in keeping the front end lift problems at high motorway speeds under control. I did like the K+H splitter best but its all down to taste. Dead easy to fit and no painting etc needed unless u want it body colour...if so maybe the trophy lip spoiler would suit better.
In my opinion the K+H splitter does "stick out" more when painted in body colour . mine is the carbon effect,on BRG
Having said that i would like the trophy lip spoiler later once i have had the lowering knuckles fitted , plus my front bumper is showing signs of a few stone chips etc so i might just have it fitted when i have the bumper re-sprayed.
regards
jonathan

JR LEE

Paul

I've got the Trophy splitter fitted to mine, as jonathan has pointed out, the K+H splitter sticks out further, and as I've got lowering knuckles on my car, I went for the trophy option.
Does it work? Yes, I've noticed the front end doesn't go light at motorway speeds now, got it from MGF Centre, (already painted), fitting is simple too.

Have read somewhere ( can't remember where, that fitting Trophy splitter brings CD down to under that of the TF ).

Jason
Jay Smith

Cheers for the quick replies guys, will get them both priced up. I've noticed that on ebay there is a company selling the Trophy splitter for £45.00 and the KH design for £40.00 but they are copies and you don't know what the quality is like.
Paul

i had the fiberglass trophy fitted slight trimming to fit but east and good fit (i am a panel beater)big improvement highly reccomended
richard

Why not fit them both?? ;)
DaveyC

I had the KH splitter for a couple of years, but now have the Trophy front spoiler instead. Both really do make a difference to the front-end stability over 50mph. I reckon they're both just as good as each other, but the KH is slightly easier to fit. I say go for the one you prefer the look of.

(Also, try and get originals rather than copies - I have heard stories of the cheap ones on ebay requiring 'modification' to fit properly)
Ian Matheson

Had the k h splitter off ebay in black gel coat , mint item and top fit and works fine
no painting so as cheap as chips ....that was the one for me
mel.
m e johnson

The chassis development boys at MGR set up Advantage Handling Solutions (?) and they said that a splitter or some sort of effective front spoiler is a must! frontal lift is a big problem! So really WE SHOULD ALL DO THIS!

In the MGF book they tested deeper spoilers in the development of the car in windtunnels. These look like the trophy type and had a huge effect on the downforces of the car. Rob Bell and I discussed this some time ago, I think it is something I must fit to my car although I don't like the look of the spoiler as being a bit too Chavvy.

MEL who was the supplier??

this one?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rover-MGF-standard-front-splitter-fits-all-mgf-models_W0QQitemZ4607289136QQcategoryZ10414QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Neil

Neil...presumably the frontal lift problem has been solved with the TF??????
S R Kenyon-Edwards

No, for sure not.

The difference is the no longer changing ride height due to solid springs.
- Front ride height has influence on the front toe angles.
- Toe angles have influence on the steering behavior.

Which leads to the simple conclusion:
Get the ride height correct and you need no splitter ;)
Or put the toe angles correct to the current ride height.
Voilá, same result.

Anyway, nothing against the nice look of a splitter :)

Dieter

The ride height (for some unexplained design reason) affects the tracking. So yes you have to be very careful with ride height and tracking. But even when these things are spot on, as they are in my F there still is a significant frontal lift issue at higher speeds. I heard this direct from the MGR guys who worked on the cars. Anybody driving over 120mph/200kph will definatley feel this. So a splitter is more an item to buy genuinely to improve performance than just for flash.

Personally I dont like the look of either the splitter or the Trophy airdam but I think it is something that you just have to get.
Neil

I must say my TF feels far more planted on the motorway than my F every felt - it also wanders less than the 9-5 so someone got their sums right!
Tony

No doubt about it those guys know what they were doing!
Neil

The best solution to front lift is to re-direct the flow of the radiator air - from venting under the car to venting through the bonnet, a la Lotus Elise.

The VHS guys have performed this modification on their TF sprint car - and a similar modification can be found on the MIRA 200HPD. It completely solves the front lift problem (which, despite everything, remains on TF, albeit not as cripplingly so as on MGF).

In fact, this mod works so well, you actually need to fit a Gurney flap to the boot lid to balance out the lift front to rear! :o)
Rob Bell

Anyone know which of the two splitters mentioned above is better at clearing speedbumps?

Cheers
Jamie
J Wakeham

Depends on the sppedbump! The KH splitter sticks out slightly further, and the Trophy spoiler is slightly lower, so depends on the leading angle of the speed bump.

Saying that, I've had both and only very occassionally scraped the front on a speed bump. (My car isn't lowered, btw)

Ian Matheson

I had the KH splitter till I lost it coming off at Lydden a few years back. To be honest never really noticed the diference and speed humps were a problem. I now have the Trophy splitter and the difference is amazing. Well worth it and copes with th e speed humps much better.
m hanson

>> and the difference is amazing <<

Roy reckoned it was more efficient than the Krafthaus splitter - is this your experience Marc?
Rob Bell

I have both splitters on my F (was the first F in the UK to have it fitted ;o)).
I ran it for a while with just a KH one and now have the trophy and KH fitted and must say it handles perfect on a motorway and looks the nuts too.

I also have a front bumper with a trophy splitter sitting in my garage in platinum silver that is up for sale to the best offer.
I keep meaning to put it on ebay but never get round to it. It is not an original splitter and is a fiberglass copy but with a bit of prep and paint the bumper would be mint. It is in ok condition now but not perfect.
I managed to get my hands on a original splitter in GRP and have that on the car now with a carbon KH splitter that is also gonna be changed this weekend for a new one as well as the front edge is a slight bit damaged - (that is up for sale as well).

My car is in the MG Enthusiast mag this month under readers cars section if you want o see any pics of it.

cheers

D
DarrenB

I fitted the KH splitter to my MGF VVC (96) and found the effect very good above 50 mph. This was further enhanced by checking the front wheel alignment and setting it to 5 secs toe IN not out! Driving at illegal speeds was positively dangerous before the mods but now it's just illegal! :-)

Bruce
Selling my VVC :-( (£2000? any offers)
Bruce Caldwell

Bruce, haven't noticed you post recently - have I just missed your presence or have you not been so frequent a visitor? What will follow the VVC?
John Ponting

I made up my mind and decided to go fot the Trophy style front splitter. Ordered it this morning and will let you know what my opinion is when i have fitted it to my car. Cheers for all the info.
Paul

<<Bruce, haven't noticed you post recently - have I just missed your presence or have you not been so frequent a visitor? What will follow the VVC? >>

I've been loitering in the background! Had an HGF for Christmas; and a hernia.... very nice..

I'm jumping ship sad to say. MX5, but I will still be hanging about this BBS... sorry..sob..sob.

Bruce
Bruce Caldwell

Hi Neil,
Yes that was the guy i got it from. Very pleased with it. Sorry for late reply..
Cheers Mel..
m e johnson

Thanks Mate

Just bought one for the boy and I to fit

You just have to do it it's not chav or anything like that it is for pragmatic handling reasons!

Neil

I have just purchased a trophy splitter from Mgf Centre, cannot wait to see the effect of it above 120 kph(and how it looks).
Yigit

Nice one Neil, i presume its the k h splitter you bought , please let us all know your opinion on the difference it makes!! I must have a really good blast in mine to give it a full test ( i noticed the front end wondering on the mgf 10 run on the motorway before i had it fitted ) not quite gone that fast since !! but seems better than it was.
I think that they make the front end look more agressive , i,ve left mine in the black gel coat it came in .
HAPPY FITTING !! MEL..
m e johnson

I have had a local version of the KH splitter for the past two and a bit years and at find the cars stays straight with no wander at speeds above 90kmph.
Andrew Regens

It arrived all safe and sound and as described, however we are the Goth labs and hell bent on dynamic perfection, so I feel that a slight and perhaps fussy upgrade to the lower side of the splitter might be in order.

The splitter is good value and comes with a nice smooth top surface but underneath it is a bit of a glassfibre mess. I hear it works anyway so maybe I am being pedantic but I fancy filling the underside of the splitter with body filler to ensure that the airflow below the slitter is smooth

Frontal lift is a big problem for the F over about 90mph, I noticed it as soon as I had the car, so it's about time I fixed this problem. I dont want chav looks so any modifications have to be minimal, work properly and above all be elegant.

Neil

I've just taken delivery of the KH style splitter from these guys too, Neil, and I agree that the finishing on the bottom is shocking! Even the top isn't exactly perfect on mine, but I suspect that they'll all get a bit scratched up after a few days of use anyhow.

Quick question on installation - they've ripped off Rob's instructions, which state 'five nuts/bolts/washers'. But the diagram clearly shows six. Do we miss out one of the central pair?

And do we still need the spring washers? There seems to be a plastic-y bit in the nuts, which I assumed was to prevent loosening?

Cheers
Jamie
J Wakeham

did you guys get bolts and instructions with yours?

mine arrived without either - although i'd already swotted up on Rob's instructions prior to purchase..

haven't got round to fitting it yet - even though i bought it in November.

i have found though, that the high speed handling is vastly improved with a spare wheel in the front well - which has been enough for me not to regard fitting the splitter as a major priority!!!

cheers

mike

mike

5 nuts and bolts, ten big (1 1/2") washers, and a dodgy photocopy of Rob's instructions.

Jamie
J Wakeham

I have one of the original KH versions fitted by the company. The finish is raw underneath. It looks like the resin has been poured into an open mould then left to set without even scraping flat and too much resin was used for the number of cloth plies.

Originally it had two bolts in the central strut, but one has since dropped out without affecting its stability. The original screws were around 4BA and brass, with no locking system on the nuts, so the engineering all round was a bit iffy.

But it still does its job very well.

Chris
Chris

Forget what I said. They sent *four* bolts and eight washers. That seems too few to me - I'd have gone with five, but four is just asking for trouble.

Off to Halfords I go...

Jamie
J Wakeham


Thanks Jamie,

still it's better than the zero bolts and washers that I receved!

strange to only send 4 considering that there are 6 drilling points marked in the gelcoat on the spoiler..

i bought M8x30 bolts, nylocs and penny washers from a local hardware store - still far too expensive, but at least they had stock, unlike Halfords, who had a pitiful supply of fasteners at barmy prices.

Mike
mike

What I can't decide is what eBay feedback to leave.

The splitter itself is in *ok* condition, but not exactly pristine. There are a couple of rough bits in the glazing of the gelcoat. And he missed out one (or two) bolts.

But it was bl**dy cheap and came quickly. And I'm not sure I can be bothered to email him about a couple of bolts...

So positive feedback, letting him get away with ripping off Rob's instruction sheet and missing out bolts? Feels wrong, somehow.

Jamie
J Wakeham

I know what you mean,

i left positive feedback because as you say, it was bl**dy cheap, and arrived quickly - my slight disquiet about the finish on the underside was dispelled when i looked at the photos on Dieters site, the geniune KH seems to have been manufactured to a similar standard - further corroborated by Chris - and you can't see the scruffy bit anyway.

Mind you - if i'd known that he'd left the bolts out, i'd definitely have mentioned it.

mike
mike

Big washers a must to spread the load which could be considerable at high speeds remember we are playing with aerodynamics which could involve hundred of pounds of pressure!

Mike, even with a tractor spare in the front you arent going to get rid of all the lift issues, they are significant. Get it fitted boy!

I will see if I can get a job lot of filler to fill the underside of the splitter and bond in big fat washers. I had actually considered remanufacturing the spoiler from another suitable material that can take the pressure, but what? it'll cut the feet of anybody who would be unlucky enough to get run over by the car!

Neil

>> with ripping off Rob's instruction sheet <<

I've no problem with the instructions being used in this way - so long as they're of use for fellow enthusiasts! :o)

Of course, they could just provide a correct URL ;o) LOL
Rob Bell

This thread was discussed between 24/01/2006 and 12/02/2006

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