Good article on DIY active aero

I shot a video about three years ago about my active aero experiment using Miata headlight motors. Lewin Day came across it and wrote a pretty solid article about the content.

https://www.theautopian.com/how-budgets-racers-built-supercar-like-active-aero-out-of-pop-up-headlights/

Here's the video:

Here's a track video of it in action - I apologize for the poor soundtrack. Wrong case on the GoPro.

TL;DhTtW: Did it work?

In reply to rdcyclist :

Yes. 

In reply to Keith Tanner :

Well then, I needa watch that then...

Thanks for posting that Keith!

If you use two headlight motors on a linkage at each end of the wing or in the middle,  you can get 4 positions. Imagine the two motors, each with a crank. The cranks are attached to a linkage. At the end of the link is the vertical link that attaches to the wing. The motor closest to the vertical is A and the other motor is B. While 4 positions are possible, the three wing positions deemed useful are max drag, max downforce, and DRS (Drag Reduction System),.  Since 4 positions are possible there are some choices in how to achieve them. For the least vertical link extension which corresponds with DRS, A is down and B is up. Medium low is A down and B down. Medium high is both cranks up, High (most vertical link extension and max drag) A is up, B is down. 

The control strategy is a bit beyond my capabilities, and which of the Medium positions to skip would depend on the geometry of the linkage and the wing profiles and lift/drag curves. If skipping Medium low, the brake light switch could control B. Perhaps a steering wheel and throttle combination could control A?

I am thinking there must be a way to get 3 or 4 positions with one motor, but it would probably have to a much more complicated linkage. Maybe not though!!

Thank you for reading this.