RS5 Retractable Spoiler Settings

[krism]

Hey all, I've done some extensive internet research and haven't been able to find anything on this topic so hoping someone out there knows something. Can the retractable spoiler settings be changed? For instance, changing the speed at which it goes up and down, or in my case I want to do some custom work and make it into an air brake. I know it's not practical and/or needed at all but just think it's cool and want a challenge. If the settings can't be changed my other option is to wire it directly to the rear brake lights, if that works...

[AsherAudi]

Great question as Id like mine to pop up at say 45mph instead of 77mph. Never seen any info on this either - I know there's a separate Control Module and Control Switch as part of the package when people want to upgrade their S5 trunk to RS5 retractable version so the coding may be in there - still, it seems the Vagcom is capable of a LOT so look forward to finding out more...

[ENV²]

I was curious about this as well

Sent from a misfiring cylinder

[JamesRS5]

I believe the speed signal is pulled off the CAN bus by the spoiler control module so any adjustment may have to be made in the module itself? Maybe someone with electronics skills could figure how the control module interprets the CAN signal to trigger it deploying earlier.
I know KW suspension DDC taps into the CAN bus next to the spoiler control and it also takes a speed signal to adjust the damping as speed increases.

I’m not sure how long the spoiler motor would last if you wired it up to the brake lights, driving in traffic would shorten its life dramatically.
You’re right about practicality, putting on my aircraft engineering hat, the rear spoiler isn’t an air brake nor would it have any braking effect in its current configuration, you’d have to alter its deployment angle to have any type of drag effect and that sounds like an awful lot of work for very little result, putting your head out of the window would have the same braking effect.

[AsherAudi]

the rear spoiler isn’t an air brake nor would it have any braking effect in its current configuration, you’d have to alter its deployment angle to have any type of drag effect and that sounds like an awful lot of work for very little result, putting your head out of the window would have the same braking effect.

I LOL'd :) I just want mine to deploy above 45mph so it gets used more often as the car simply looks better with it up and the up/down in motion looks cool and reminds me of 911 Carrera's...

[ENV²]

I LOL'd :) I just want mine to deploy above 45mph so it gets used more often as the car simply looks better with it up and the up/down in motion looks cool and reminds me of 911 Carrera's...

ѕαmє hєrє, juѕt wαntєd tσ uѕє ít mσrє.

Sent from a misfiring cylinder

[krism]

I believe the speed signal is pulled off the CAN bus by the spoiler control module so any adjustment may have to be made in the module itself? Maybe someone with electronics skills could figure how the control module interprets the CAN signal to trigger it deploying earlier.
I know KW suspension DDC taps into the CAN bus next to the spoiler control and it also takes a speed signal to adjust the damping as speed increases.

I’m not sure how long the spoiler motor would last if you wired it up to the brake lights, driving in traffic would shorten its life dramatically.
You’re right about practicality, putting on my aircraft engineering hat, the rear spoiler isn’t an air brake nor would it have any braking effect in its current configuration, you’d have to alter its deployment angle to have any type of drag effect and that sounds like an awful lot of work for very little result, putting your head out of the window would have the same braking effect.

Spoiler alert (pun intended), I'm actually getting an aftermarket CF wing that I'll custom fab brackets for. So it'll be able to rotate and go basically vertical which should actually have some impact on braking. However you're right the motor would burn out pretty quick, so I have 2 ideas on how to avoid this.

There's emergency braking where the lights flash under hard braking, could possibly tap into this.

Second idea is still tying into the rear lights but adding an on/off switch so the 'air brake' only activates when I have the whole system turned on.

[leew102]

Anyone know if you can set a lower speed the spoiler retracts at? I assume same issues with setting the upper limit.

Did the speed it deploys at vary by year? My 2015 seems to deploy at 70. I’m good with this upper limit as to be honest, not hard to hit when driving the rs5 but would like to see it retract at maybe 25-30 mph.

[krism]

I haven't found any info on this anywhere... from the R8 forum I found they can turn it on/off completely but no speed adjustment. I just got a VAGCOM so maybe when I have time over the holidays I'll play around and see if I can dig into the settings

[JamesRS5]

Spoiler alert (pun intended), I'm actually getting an aftermarket CF wing that I'll custom fab brackets for. So it'll be able to rotate and go basically vertical which should actually have some impact on braking

It’s a nice project and will look fun to see it operate but with the weight of an RS5 and the size of the spoiler it won’t have much braking effect, also, attempting to drive the spoiler to a vertical position when it’s aerodynamically loaded could be a problem for the actuator?

Increasing the spoiler pitch angle during braking to increase downforce maybe more useful than attempting an airbrake.

[krism]

It’s a nice project and will look fun to see it operate but with the weight of an RS5 and the size of the spoiler it won’t have much braking effect, also, attempting to drive the spoiler to a vertical position when it’s aerodynamically loaded could be a problem for the actuator?

Increasing the spoiler pitch angle during braking to increase downforce maybe more useful than attempting an airbrake.

Ya I'll have to do some calculations, I'm still in the development stage of this whole project. I'm actually a mechanical engineer and have done post-grad courses in aerodynamics and supersonic flow (maybe one day I'll have a car that fast lol). Unfortunately I don't have any CFD programs but I can do some rough calculations and at least come up with some stress calculations.

I was actually thinking of having a 2-stage 'lift' if it's possible, first would be to increase the angle just like stock, second would be air brake position. We'll see how this project turns out lol

[JamesRS5]

Personally I’d like to see a wind tunnel test on the A5 body shape before investing and time or effort, air usually separates from the body at the top of the rear window and become turbulent by the trunk lid, this can cause drag by creating a low pressure behind the car, my belief is the RS5 spoiler sole purpose is to reduce this drag by cleaning up the air and reducing the low pressure so reducing drag. This is another reason the airbrake may not be so effective, you’d have to lift it pretty high to get clean air, you could fit Evo style vortex generators to the rear window roof line to make the air stick to the body but be very wary of this, you’ve now make the air stick to what is basically a big wing shape as the air flows over the front screen, roof and rear screen so you’ve just created lift!! Oh and if you ever fit vortex generators to an RS5 I’m pretty sure it’s an instant ban from this forum and a severe reprimand from the style police.

Lots to think about on this project

[krism]

To be honest for me this is more about aesthetics than performance, and doing something a bit different and what I think is cool. I know there will be haters but I've learned enough in my age not to care lol

[jdmnomore]

On a completely separate note.. but since I saw it mentioned. What constitutes emergency braking? Like what would actually prompt the lights to flash under braking. I remember activating that via vagcom but not sure if it's ever worked.

Sorry for to go off topic lol

[krism]

On a completely separate note.. but since I saw it mentioned. What constitutes emergency braking? Like what would actually prompt the lights to flash under braking. I remember activating that via vagcom but not sure if it's ever worked.

Sorry for to go off topic lol

I'm not exactly sure either, the little information I've found is that it only works at highway speeds

[JamesRS5]

On a completely separate note.. but since I saw it mentioned. What constitutes emergency braking? Like what would actually prompt the lights to flash under braking. I remember activating that via vagcom but not sure if it's ever worked.

Sorry for to go off topic lol

Come off the gas and hard on the brakes very quickly.

[Yoda1]

I was actually thinking of having a 2-stage 'lift' if it's possible, first would be to increase the angle just like stock, second would be air brake position. We'll see how this project turns out lol

Hi Krism, did you ever figure out a 2 stage process?

[Yoda1]

Looks like the OEM antenna is a vortex generator for the center

[JamesRS5]

Looks like the OEM antenna is a vortex generator for the center

I thought it's a rudder to keep you straight at speed?

[Yoda1]

I thought it's a rudder to keep you straight at speed?

No. The exhaust flaps handles that function. That’s why the car turns better in dynamic mode.

[Boston RS5]

Maybe not the right forum but I'm only trying. to get the rear spoiler to go down. I replaced pads a week ago and. the rears didn't have the wear sensor. For now its just an open circuit with the 2 brake warning lights on. I plan to complete the circuit to get those lights off. Could this be related to my spoiler problems? Same circuit??

[hahnmgh63]

Should be completely independent. Obviously you've tried the manual switch on the center console to no avail? Do you have vagcom? There is a spoiler control module that you can scan for faults.

[Boston RS5]

Should be completely independent. Obviously you've tried the manual switch on the center console to no avail? Do you have vagcom? There is a spoiler control module that you can scan for faults.

I do have vagcom yes. I'll run a scan before I fix the brake wear warning.

[Boston RS5]

Still stuck up. Dealership says I need a new module.