Do side skirts and front splitter help when you go off track?

[USSEnterprise]

Weird question I know, but hear me out.

I have a carbon front splitter and carbon side skirts on my CS. It's a track car so I don't really care for the dress-up. However, part of me thinks they will keep stones/sand/grime off the front bumper and bodywork when I skid off track. My local track has no walls and plenty of run-offs but they are unpaved and when you skid off you are skidding on sand/rubble which tend to kick up.

It's not the reason you would have aero on your car haha, but curious if the aero offers any protection from paint wear.

[Gomeler]

How many times are you sending the car off track?

If your track uses rock/gravel for runoffs then you're going to see more damage from cars in front of you kicking rocks into your windshield and front bumper cover/hood. My windshield looks like some kids hucked a pile of rocks at it, but my paint is blemish free under Xpel PPF. Plenty of blemishes in the Xpel that heal over time. Highly recommend it if you are concerned about paint damage.

[ABenLauda]

Splitter and side skirts don't offer protection from anything on track. PPF will for the most part (but not from big stones). Otherwise they are all gonna get peppered with rock chips along with front bumper, hood, windshield, headlights, front part of roof, mirrors, A pillar, rocker panels, rear fender. In fact, the front splitter might be the 1st thing cracking or breaking off if you go off track.

[F80Speed77]

If you go off track, especially into gravel, these will be the first things to come off lol.

[fanatic1]

Originally Posted by Gomeler

How many times are you sending the car off track?

If your track uses rock/gravel for runoffs then you're going to see more damage from cars in front of you kicking rocks into your windshield and front bumper cover/hood. My windshield looks like some kids hucked a pile of rocks at it, but my paint is blemish free under Xpel PPF. Plenty of blemishes in the Xpel that heal over time. Highly recommend it if you are concerned about paint damage.

Originally Posted by Gomeler

How many times are you sending the car off track?

If your track uses rock/gravel for runoffs then you're going to see more damage from cars in front of you kicking rocks into your windshield and front bumper cover/hood. My windshield looks like some kids hucked a pile of rocks at it, but my paint is blemish free under Xpel PPF. Plenty of blemishes in the Xpel that heal over time. Highly recommend it if you are concerned about paint damage.

This^^^^

Made the mistake of no PPF on my last F82 and paid the price.

Current F82 looks pristine, but my windshield has been repaired three times - needs a 4th

[jmg]

I ripped up my CS splitter going off track. I didn't save anything. Still have multiple rock and gravel marks all over the side of the car. That little PPF strip on the rear arches? Gravel goes right through that if you slide off the track at 100mph+.

[sc_tr0jan_m3]

Neither do jack for you if you go off.

Perhaps the only thing that would be beneficial the under body panels to make sure you don't rip anything while going off.

A splitter in general is just something waiting to be cracked and replaced. Learned a long time ago with my e46 that it's just a matter of when not if.

Now if you're just looking to protect the paint from rocks, debris, tire kick up while on track then a combo of proper PPF and even the mini mudflaps will help some.

[jfritz27]

For track-off protection, never mind the paint, what you really want is an oil cooler guard. Depending on the track, the run-off areas can be very uneven with big ruts. If you're lowered, there's a chance you hit one of those just the wrong way.... quick way to grenade your motor.

https://www.ecstuning.com/News/BMW_T...tection_24801/

[Spun Crankhub]

Can I just put it out there that you should keep your car on the pavement? If you are just doing HPDE's then risking an off for 1/4 second off your best lap may not be worth it.
Get your tires and brakes in order, and work on lines so you keep at least 2 tires on the tarmac.

[USSEnterprise]

Originally Posted by jfritz27

For track-off protection, never mind the paint, what you really want is an oil cooler guard. Depending on the track, the run-off areas can be very uneven with big ruts. If you're lowered, there's a chance you hit one of those just the wrong way.... quick way to grenade your motor.

https://www.ecstuning.com/News/BMW_T...tection_24801/

My car is lowered and I just ordered this. Weird place for BMW to put an oil cooler (facing downward). Thanks for the pointer.

[USSEnterprise]

Originally Posted by jfritz27

For track-off protection, never mind the paint, what you really want is an oil cooler guard. Depending on the track, the run-off areas can be very uneven with big ruts. If you're lowered, there's a chance you hit one of those just the wrong way.... quick way to grenade your motor.

https://www.ecstuning.com/News/BMW_T...tection_24801/

OK I got around to installing the turner oil cooler guard / skidplate today. Thanks for the suggestion jfritz27

Seeing it up close and after taking off the stock plastic cooler guard, I agree that the skid plate is a must have, especially on a lowered car. There are rubber hoses there in addition to the cooler itself and it has got to be pretty easy to catch a rock and have a real bad day.





I was disappointed to find the Turner skid plate was not drilled and notched to work with my CS front splitter. I am not sure if there is a different version I was supposed to order (only saw one version listed on their website) but folks who have front splitters, you may want to pay attention in case you are buying this. I got it to work with some drilling and grinding.





I’m happy with it, it’s pretty solidly made.

[x.shell]

Originally Posted by xxaarraa

OK I got around to installing the turner oil cooler guard / skidplate today. Thanks for the suggestion jfritz27

Seeing it up close and after taking off the stock plastic cooler guard, I agree that the skid plate is a must have, especially on a lowered car. There are rubber hoses there in addition to the cooler itself and it has got to be pretty easy to catch a rock and have a real bad day.





I was disappointed to find the Turner skid plate was not drilled and notched to work with my CS front splitter. I am not sure if there is a different version I was supposed to order (only saw one version listed on their website) but folks who have front splitters, you may want to pay attention in case you are buying this. I got it to work with some drilling and grinding.





I’m happy with it, it’s pretty solidly made.

The Turner oil cooler guard was designed well before the CS was revealed. The cut outs you had to make on the skid plate is due to the extra brackets that enable the CS lip to be chassis mounted. It's a nice trade off in my opinion; having the CF lip solidly mounted is much better than screwing it into the bumper.

Also, nice job on the cutting. You really took off the bare minimum.

[USSEnterprise]

Originally Posted by x.shell

The Turner oil cooler guard was designed well before the CS was revealed. The cut outs you had to make on the skid plate is due to the extra brackets that enable the CS lip to be chassis mounted. It's a nice trade off in my opinion; having the CF lip solidly mounted is much better than screwing it into the bumper.

Also, nice job on the cutting. You really took off the bare minimum.

Thanks. Yes, I did notice the lip is chassis mounted in 3 places. Which makes me wonder about replacement options. Once this lip is ripped up, am I limited to the OEM CS lip to fit my chassis mounts? I assume the cheaper aftermarket lips just screw into the front bumper correct?

[x.shell]

Originally Posted by xxaarraa

Thanks. Yes, I did notice the lip is chassis mounted in 3 places. Which makes me wonder about replacement options. Once this lip is ripped up, am I limited to the OEM CS lip to fit my chassis mounts? I assume the cheaper aftermarket lips just screw into the front bumper correct?

The regular polyurethane M-Performance lip does come with a mounting brace of sort, but it's mounted to the chassis in bolts. But the mounting brace is just plastic; not metal like the CS and GTS lips.

My APR lip uses the same exact mounting brace as the M-Performance one, but is a more rigid fiber glass material.

Other lips do come with their own style of mounting; some are good, some are lame. But most of the cheap lips will have no mounting solution; just self tapping screws that go into the plastic bumper (include CS replica lips).

But keep in mind, even the M-Performance lip requires trimming of the lower OEM air dams. So whatever lip you decide to go with, you'll be making some decisions on how to mount it. The F8X is so tightly packaged, it's hard to make a good mounting solution without trimming something hear or there. So don't let that deter you from looking at other splitters and lips.

IMHO though, don't downgrade from the CS lip. If you're gonna go aftermarket, go with a lip that is just as good (in terms of mounting and CF quality), or go better.