Car alterations have existed since the beginning of the automobile era. In the 1920s, enthusiasts made numerous changes to their cars in pursuit of better performance. In the 1950s, modified stock cars led to the creation of Nascar, and eventually to the custom car scene. People began modifying their vehicles not just for speed, but to make them more distinctive and personal. Modification has grown so popular that it has created a thriving industry that offers premium aftermarket components designed to enhance a car’s performance in multiple ways. Indeed,some vehicle alterations attempt to correct original manufacturing defects.
Nevertheless, although they offer enhancements in certain aspects, modifications can also negatively impact your vehicle in other areas. For example, lowering the suspension improves handling, but leads to a rougher ride. Certain widely used car modifications can actually reduce your maximum speed, sometimes quite substantially. Indeed, in most cases, they provide advantages in different areas, but some are simply not needed. In this article, we will specifically examine those modifications, explaining how and why they cause your vehicle to be slower at high speeds. Let’s take a closer look!
Read more: 6 Methods to Utilize Your Vehicle’s Trailer Hitch (Other Than Towing)
Aggressive lift kits
Perhaps it’s due to the COVID-19 pandemic reminding us of the importance of outdoor areas, but off-road vehicles have been becoming more popular with buyers since 2020. There has also been a notable increase in people customizing their SUVs and trucks to enhance their off-road capabilities. Among all the essentialupgrades to enhance your truck’s off-road performance, lift kits have ranked as the third most common upgrade, following tires and wheels. It’s not surprising, since they are affordable and offer much greater ground clearance for navigating rough, uneven surfaces.
However, there are notable drawbacks to using lift kits. Raising your truck or SUV increases the frontal area and disrupts the airflow underneath, leading to more aerodynamic resistance. This can impact both speed and fuel efficiency. On average, each inch of added ground clearance typically increases aerodynamic drag by approximately 0.01 Cd. The extent of the top-speed reduction largely depends on how aggressive the lift kit is. A minor lift of 2-3 inches may cause a slight decrease in top speed, while a more substantial lift of 6-8 inches can significantly lower the maximum speed of your vehicle.
Lift kits also elevate the center of gravity, which can harm on-road handling. Additionally, they alter the suspension design, potentially leading to a less steady drive on highways. You may experience a rougher ride, although this can be improved by installing higher-quality, more expensive aftermarket shocks.
Larger wheels featuring extremely wide tires
Lift kits often come with bigger wheels and tires since they also create more room within the wheel arch. If you’re planning to reach the most isolated areas, larger “floatation” tires are the ideal choice. They offer better grip on various surfaces, especially when navigating rocks, and can be used at reduced pressures to enhance traction further. Larger, broader tires also have a striking appearance, which is another major reason why more people are opting for them when customizing their vehicles.
Nevertheless, larger tires tend to be heavier, and many drivers have discovered they can adversely affect performance. By themselves, they may not significantly influence top speed, but wider tires also feature a greater surface area, leading to increased drag. When combined with the additional weight, this can indeed affect your vehicle’s maximum speed. All-terrain tires, commonly chosen when modifying a truck, also exhibit higher rolling resistance, which negatively impacts performance.
People who install big wheels on their cars can also experience a decrease in top speed. Yes, they appear cool, but they add rotational weight, which negatively affects all performance aspects. Poorer acceleration. Reduced top speed. Increased stopping distances. Less agile steering and deteriorated handling. In fact, the comfort of the ride is also impacted with bigger, heavier wheels. Because of these disadvantages,we strongly recommend steering clear of inexpensive replacement rims. Instead, opt for counterfeit rims, which are lighter and more rigid than the more affordable cast wheels.
Major Spoilers and Widebody Kits
Spoilers create higher downforceand are an unavoidable feature of high-performance vehicles. This is because, as speed increases, the spoiler presses the car downward, giving the tires greater traction and improving stability. Because of this, spoilers enable you to navigate corners at higher speeds, and reduce lap times.
Nevertheless, spoilers also contribute to increased aerodynamic drag. This holds true even for spoilers that come standard from the factory, as they have been thoroughly tested by engineers to achieve the optimal balance between straight-line speed and handling during turns. Want evidence? Let’s examine the 911 GT3 and 911 GT3 RS. Both models are equipped with the same 4.0-liter engine, yet the GT3 RS produces greater power (519 hp compared to 503 hp). However, thanks to its more pronounced rear spoiler and enhanced aerodynamics, it has a top speed of only 184 mph. In contrast, the 911 GT3 can reach 193 mph. Installing large rear wings and flaps on your vehicle, especially those that are not well-designed aftermarket versions, can greatly reduce your car’s maximum speed.
The same applies to widebody kits. They also offer benefits, such as enabling you to widen the track and install larger tires for improved traction, along with a visually striking appearance. However, they also raise the car’s drag coefficient, which can negatively impact its maximum speed. Inadequately designed widebody kits can boost aerodynamic resistance by as much as 30%! If your goal is faster lap times, choose well-engineered and thoroughly tested aftermarket kits that enhance your vehicle’s handling without significantly affecting its top speed.
Roof carriers, roof storage containers, and roof-mounted light bars
Running out of room in your vehicle? A roof rack offers additional storage in an area that’s often unused. You can secure nearly anything on these racks, including extra cargo, tools, bikes, kayaks, and more.car roof top tents for camping. Alternatively, you can install a roof box, providing a secure, enclosed area for carrying different items. The possibilities are essentially endless.
Nevertheless, even the smallest roof modifications, such as crossbars, can greatly influence aerodynamics.Car and Driver evaluated a Kia Carnivalwith and without the factory-fitted crossbars, and observed a 3-mpg improvement in fuel efficiency when they were taken off during a 75-mph highway test. Drivers express the same opinion — crossbars negatively impact fuel economy. This occurs due to the increased drag, which also reduces your vehicle’s maximum speed. Placing items on the crossbars makes the situation worse, as additional drag is generated. This is also true forroof storage containers, which can also negatively affect your vehicle’s performance, even with their aerodynamic shapes. Drivers also observed a notable rise in wind noise, which impacts the vehicle’s performance over long distances.
Roof-mounted light bars, which have gained popularity among off-road enthusiasts, can also have a negative impact on top speed. According to a paper published by theDepartment of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University College Dublin, roof-mounted bars on emergency vehicles result in an 8-11% rise in drag for square-back vehicles.
Shorter gearing
Internal combustion engines generate usable torque and power within a narrow range of revolutions. As a result, connecting them directly to the wheels would lead to very sluggish acceleration and a low maximum speed. Because of this, all vehicles with internal combustion engines have a multi-speed transmission; lower gears provide increased torque for improved acceleration, while higher gears boost the engine’s rotational speed to enhance velocity, along with improving efficiency and driving comfort.
Each vehicle is also fitted with an extra gear known as the final drive. Similar to the gears within the transmission, adjusting the final drive ratio affects the car’s performance. Using longer gearing, akin to higher gears in the transmission, results in a greater maximum speed, but reduces acceleration. On the other hand, shorter gearing enhances acceleration but lowers the top speed.
Lower gear ratios are a common modification among sports car drivers, as they enhance the vehicle’s acceleration from a standstill. The engine will appear more reactive and quick to increase RPMs, which can be advantageous during track driving. Nevertheless, this can limit the maximum speed and cause the engine to operate at higher RPMs on highways, leading to increased fuel usage.
Did you know? Electric vehicles also feature a final drive ratio, sometimes referred to as a “single-speed transmission.” Since electric motors deliver peak torque across their entire speed range, they don’t require multiple gears. Therefore, in theory, you could adjust your EV’s performance by using a shorter or longer final drive ratio.
How we selected these mods
This article began with the writer’s background in automotive engineering, having studied the subject at a university. Next, we reviewed online forums to determine if drivers noticed reduced top speeds after installing those modifications. Finally, we verified all information by consulting other professionals in the area, including well-known automotive publications and academic research.
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Read the original article on Muara Digital Team.
