Rear spoiler on the back of hardtop?

[longfiredragon]

Hello all, just a thought. Was wondering if anyone had incorporated a short spoiler on the back of their hardtop?

When I was a much younger man my first job after ETSing out of the Army was driving a cab in Junction City Kansas just outside of Fort Riley/First Infantry Division. The cabs the owner used were Plymouth Valare station wagons. On the back above the back glass they had rear spoilers. Not knowing much back in those days I thought it rather funny that these station wagons had rear spoilers. After talking to some people and looking into it further, and driving them I realized they were not there for looks at all but were purely for function.

The rear spoiler considerably reduced the swirling affect behind the vehicle and cut way down on the water, dirt, mud, snow and everything that would normally accumulate rather quickly back there without the spoiler.

In those days few cars had rear window wipers and Jeep is kind enough to throw one in for us Jeepers because they know what's going to happen back there.

I live 4 miles from work, if the road is even wet from a rain the night before, by the time I get to work the whole back of the Jeep is covered with misty water and mud. Now I know it's a Jeep and I truly don't mind if I get it dirty. And of course just looking at the design of a Wrangler and you know this is going to happen.

So my thought was a short 1 1/2 to 2 inch spoiler across the back would greatly reduce the swirling affect back there. Of course I know it may create some drag witch could be beneficial in that it might provide a little downforce and make the Jeep a little more stable at higher speeds, however it may slightly reduce fuel mileage.

Anyway just brainstorming and was curious if anyone had considered this, or maybe already done this?

(Oh, it might look ok to if tastefully done)

Thanks

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[Jjirish]

Umm no.... but im curious how it would look... not gonna lie... im already chuckling at the thought... but i see your reasoning!

 

[Walker Texas Wrangler]

Maybe a roof rack could solve the issue while still not looking like a spoiler?

 

[NullNomad]

I'm following this out of sheer curiosity on where the discussion will go. I get where the OP is coming from, especially as someone who remembers the Valare as well as other family wagons being everywhere... but for me there's only a few things that make me cringe that people do to their jeeps. This might be one of them if it's a reality.

 

[KeithF]

I think this is what you are referring to, not really a spoiler but a deflector. I've had the same thoughts and it appears they are available in the aftermarket, but I also wonder if the area it would be attached to would handle the stresses and not crack.

 

[Retrograde]

For me, the problem is dust & dirt from gravel roads-- the stuff cascades off the glass and into the back whenever I open the hatch.

That said, I've thought about the downdraft spoiler. Back in the day, Mom had one as part of her luggage rack on her '77 Chevy Wagon. It worked great. And you frequently see them on school buses. Would it work on our Wranglers? I'm certain it would. But...

It would effectively add to the frontal area of the vehicle, decreasing mileage, so you'll never see it as factory equipment. So that leaves aftermarket. And I for one am not quite willing to drill a bunch of mounting holes in my hard top just yet, until I know for certain it works. In other words, you first.

 

[Jeepney Johnny]

There already is a lip spoiler on the hardtop: https://blog.stellantisnorthamerica...gh-the-air-in-the-all-new-2018-jeep-wrangler/

Believe it, or naught, Jeep's spent many man-hours in engineering and testing to make the JL Wrangler the most aerodynamic rolling brick ever. Which must've included cleaning up the airflow behind the Wrangler. Airflow isn't just over the top, it's 3-dimensional, so modeling it gets pretty complicated, I'd guess.

 

[GATORB8]

May not be out there because of the clearance that would be required with the window in open position. Diode Dynamics has a rear window hinge mount light bar, but it has to get pretty far out of the way to clear the window when it's open:

Could always just put on a 40" spare and block it from below.

 

[AcesandEights]

Interesting topic. I spend most of my week engineering, designing and developing a workable plan for how I'm going to gather the most dust, dirt and mud on the Jeep over the weekend. Never thought about how to keep it clean(er).

 

[longfiredragon]

Keith you are correct, it may be more of a deflector. I did think about strength, that's why I was thinking of a flush mount not too tall of one. It may not do as good of job but it would still work pretty good. I was thinking 3 or so mounting points, and therefore not as many places to seal up, plus maybe going around the entire edge with some 3M double back tape for added sealing and strength.

I know they did work well on the station wagons I used to drive, even in a good downpour if you were above 35, 40 miles per hour almost no water got on the rear window until you slowed down. One person mention being on a dirt road and all the dust, thinking it could work well for the dust also.

Did look online and there are some, mostly from China, nothing really jumped out to me and said "Oh Yeah" I want that.
I am not an engineer so I am going to do some research on what design, height, etc. might be best.

All good points, thanks!

 

[ReimundKrohn]

Huh. Looks like Mopar makes one for the Patriot already, and for the same reasons discussed here: “to keep rain and dust off the back window”. See: Rear Air Deflector - Tinted - Mopar (82210418AB)

I wonder if it is because of the hinged glass that they can’t offer a similar product on the JL, or they just don’t believe there would be an interest for it?

 

[longfiredragon]

I was thinking if Jeep did it, just make it an option on the hardtop, that way if you want it, all good order it, if not, don't have to. It would be cheap enough (I think)

Most of the ones I saw online use the hatch attach points, so don't think that would be an issue for Jeep. As stated earlier especially on the JL it affects aerodynamics so Jeep gives you a wiper, probably why they didn't even consider it, not sure?

 

[AcesandEights]

If it's inexpensive they would probably have to just make it standard equipment and not an additional option. Adding another option, one they have to calculate prospective/forecast sales and manufacture and order for production/manufacturing, would add complexity (and therefor cost). If the price was nominal, it's not that the part would be too expensive, but it wouldn't be expensive, or profitable, enough to justify making the change.

It's like adding a part that costs $10.00, but creates more than $10.00 in additional expenses to the sales/ordering side, the part inventory, the forecasting, etc. You have to sell a lot of $10.00 optionally equipped vehicles to pay for it. At some point it becomes easier to just add it to all hard top models and raise the price of the vehicle by $2.00 or $3.00 across the board. People get upset with the nickel and diming, but trying to provide a $10.00 to 20% of the orders becomes more trouble than it's worth. Either you say, nah, not worth it. Or you say, it's enough of a benefit to everyone, including marketing and customer satisfaction, that we'll just make it standard.

 

[Jebiruph]

These wind deflectors were very common on station wagons back in the day. Some were on top, some were on the sides. Station wagons used to have seating in the back area, maybe the deflectors allowed for an open back window without dust getting in.

 

[longfiredragon]

jebiruph, You are right. Oh the fond memories. My very first motor and trans. swap. I had a 1967 Mustang coupe with a 289, C4 trans. I found an abandoned Mercury Montego 9 passenger MX station wagon with 351M (Modified to a 400 CI) with a C6 trans. and swapped it into the mustang, but another story.

The MX wagon seated 9, 3 up front, 3 in the middle, all facing forward. The 3 in the back faced to the rear, it had a fold up/down kind of a rumble seat back there and there was a big chrome hand crank that rear passengers could roll the rear window up and down inside the gate. (Some were power later)

And yes it had a rear deflector/spoiler above the rear glass. Oh the good old days even station wagons were cool in their own way.

Sometimes today it seems like engineers have to be so concerned with fuel economy, emissions, and aerodynamics they forget how to be creative.

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