What is the Purpose of the Rear Spoiler?

[gaijin]

Clearly, the purpose is NOT to keep the rear window clear:

After a few miles on a dusty trail, the rear window is useless.

So why is it there?

The "spoilers" on my 80 and 100 did keep the rear window clear, but something has obviously changed with the 200 ...

 

[kreiten]

I think the spoiler on the 200 series is ugly, just saying!

 

[Billfish]

Its there to spoil the airflo over the car so as to reduce drag. Better aerodynamics, better fuel efficiency, less noise. Like the winglet tips on a jet.

Conversely, a deflector acts like a flap or aileron on that same jet. Yes it deflect wind and thereby may prevent dust adherance or buildup but it most assuredly increases drag. "So What?" You say? Me too. SO WHAT!.

IH8Dust.....and Sand....And Snow.......But Mud?? Well not so much but at least its fun.

 

[gaijin]

Its there to spoil the airflo over the car so as to reduce drag. Better aerodynamics, better fuel efficiency, less noise. Like the winglet tips on a jet.

Conversely, a deflector acts like a flap or aileron on that same jet. Yes it deflect wind and thereby may prevent dust adherance or buildup but it most assuredly increases drag. "So What?" You say? Me too. SO WHAT!.

IH8Dust.....and Sand....And Snow.......But Mud?? Well not so much but at least its fun.

Correct. I grok the whole reduce drag thing - the vortex generators on the side view mirror mounts and on the side of the tail lights.

My buddy's 80 went with me over the same roads. His rig undoubtedly exhibited more drag, but at least his rear window was still useable:

I guess I'm hoping this topic might stir some of the collective creative juices of other members here into action to come up with some modification that will return the rear spoiler to its original function - keeping the rear window clear. I'd gladly trade off some increase in drag for better visibility.

 

[patrickfinley]

With these things being the gas guzzlers they are, I'm sure the focus has shifted from clearing dust to reducing drag and better stability at high speeds.

With the rear windshield wiper they are probably not as concerned with collecting dust.

 

[Jurwin]

More pics of your land cruiser please :-D

 

[Billfish]

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=http://www.roo...MOREACCESSORIES/RearWindowDustDeflectors.aspx

 

[gaijin]

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=http://www.roo...MOREACCESSORIES/RearWindowDustDeflectors.aspx

That was less than helpful ...

 

[Billfish]

What more do you want Gaijin. My intention was not to prick your balloon. You asked for suggestions that would return the rear spoiler to its original function. The rear spolier's original function has not changed. It continues to spoil the air as it was designed to do. I thought I'd made this clear and assumed you understood this. What you want is a dust deflector. Do You Understand? Would a finger-painting help perhaps? The only way to make a dust spoiler out of it is to rip it off and stand at the back of your truck and wave it vigously at the accumulating dust.

Or, and this is only a suggestion of course, you could remove it and replace it with a real dust deflector - and here's the bit you need to really concentrate on -just like the one I kindly googled for you.

 

[Steve3911]

When my back window gets like that, I just dry wipe it with the rear wiper. Been doing it for years,

 

[stonepa]

The rear spoiler is there to disrupt the laminar flow of air over the vehicle to keep the rear window clear at high speeds. Not enough airflow to work at low speeds. It does nothing for stability or reduced drag considering you are basically driving the aerodynamic equivalent of a brick.

 

[Ozi200Cruzer]

I think the spoiler is large, so as to increase the size of the vehicles profile from the front when deployed in the event oncoming Nissan patrol drivers may get intimidated..... kinda like in the animal kingdom

 

[TeCKis300]

Here's some Toyota engineers talking about a spoiler on a SUV.

An extreme example, but it serves the same purpose nonetheless - http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ZN6qpUbba0Q#t=193s

 

[OTEP]

It's a styling element. I hope that helps.

 

[soslo]

The spoiler is there for aero purposes.

The rear window wiper is there for keeping the window clean.

 

[kreiten]

I'm not sure what he purpose is of the rear spoiler, pretty ugly if ya ask me, but I can tell you after 3 hours of trying to break through Stampede pass my rear windshield was one of the only clean things on the rig, something is doing something

 

[gaijin]

I'm not sure what he purpose is of the rear spoiler, pretty ugly if ya ask me, but I can tell you after 3 hours of trying to break through Stampede pass my rear windshield was one of the only clean things on the rig, something is doing something

Looks like it's time for me to Rain-X my rear window ... :whoops:

 

[dtt255]

How come everytime I see an LC with stock bumpers and running boards I think it's cute. Lol

 

[kreiten]

How come everytime I see an LC with stock bumpers and running boards I think it's cute. Lol

I've always had ARB front bumpers on every Cruiser I've owned, but just can't get past the look of them on the 200 series, just not into it... I'll rock the stock bumpers until they break off... The wife and daughter wanted to keep the running boards on, so far they have not gotten in the way, so I'll rock them until they break off too

 

[stonepa]

I've always had ARB front bumpers on every Cruiser I've owned, but just can't get past the look of them on the 200 series, just not into it... I'll rock the stock bumpers until they break off... The wife and daughter wanted to keep the running boards on, so far they have not gotten in the way, so I'll rock them until they break off too

My thoughts exactly. I've driven my 100 all over north and South America and never needed anything beyond stock (except for tires). However, I do have a prepped Discovery 2 for when the urge to get a little crazy hits me.

Come to think of it, I've rarely had to use even half the extra stuff I've added to the rover no matter how bad the 'road'. Rock crawling, ledge climbing, mud, you name it. But it sure does look cool.