Splitters for everyday driving – practical tips

A splitter is mounted on the lower edge of the bumper, so it sits below the car’s factory line. In practice, it lowers the front by about 3–5 cm, depending on the model and the specific design.

Before you order, measure. Use a tape measure to check how many centimetres there are today between the lowest point of your bumper and the ground, then subtract 3–5 cm. That’s what you’ll have left under the splitter. Also remember that the front of a car isn’t flat: the splitter is usually lowest in the middle, but the corners are often the most exposed when you drive onto ramps at an angle.

With sensible ground clearance, you can comfortably drive with a splitter every day. Driving technique is key, though. Take speed bumps slowly – at speed, the front of the car dips more on the suspension, and that’s when contact is most likely. Approach steep ramps into underground and multi-storey car parks at an angle, one wheel at a time, rather than fast and head-on.

When parking next to a kerb, one rule matters most: don’t pull forward until you touch it. A kerb that looks low from the driver’s seat is very often higher than the bottom edge of the splitter. Stop earlier or reverse in.

A splitter looks its best on a lowered car – and that’s also where you need to think the most. Every centimetre of drop is a centimetre less under the splitter. With lowering springs, the clearance is fixed, so you have to live with it every day. Coilovers are adjustable, so it’s worth leaving yourself a bit of margin for daily driving. Air suspension owners have it easiest: before a speed bump or a garage ramp, they simply raise the car.

What clearance is sensible? That largely depends on your preferences and where you drive. For comfortable everyday driving, though, we recommend leaving at least around 10 cm under the splitter. With that much clearance, you’ll handle most speed bumps, ramps and car parks without stress. If you’re aiming lower, expect to take some routes more carefully.

The ABS we make our parts from is tough and flexible. A light scrape usually ends with a scratch at most, and the part springs back into shape. A harder impact is a different story: the plastic may deform, discolour slightly and, in extreme cases, crack.

If your car often runs low or drives on poor roads, take a look at our Street Pro line. It’s made from ABS with increased impact and scratch resistance, in matte black. It’s a good choice for anyone who wants a sporty look without stressing over every kerb.

Damaged a part? We don’t repair damaged parts, but you don’t have to buy the whole set again. You can order just the element that got hurt – a single side skirt, for example. Get in touch – you’ll find all the ways to reach us on our contact page.

The rule is simple: treat our splitters at the car wash exactly as you would the bodywork. If a washing method is safe for your paint, it’s fine for the splitter too.

Wash the parts with a pressure washer just like the rest of the car – from a sensible distance, without holding the lance close to the edges and mounting points. Use the same products you use on the bodywork, and treat gloss surfaces like paint: with a soft wash mitt, never an abrasive sponge.

The good news: ABS doesn’t rust, so road salt won’t harm it. Our plastic is resistant to weather and UV radiation, and our parts are on the road every day in very different conditions – from frosty Scandinavia to Africa and Australia.

You do have to remember the physics, though. In freezing temperatures, every plastic becomes less flexible than in summer. Hitting an icy snowbank or a hard ridge of snow while parking – which in summer would end with a scratch at most – can end with a crack in winter. So in winter, be even more careful around kerbs and high snowbanks by driveways.

A few practical tips for the season: don’t clear snow around the splitter with a shovel or ice scraper – use a soft brush. Rinse off salt and grime regularly, especially from the gaps around the mounting points. Watch out for packed snow and ice building up under the splitter – don’t knock it off by force, let it melt. After winter, check the mountings carefully.

A correctly fitted splitter shouldn’t vibrate or come loose at motorway speeds. The key word, though, is “correctly”. We design our parts for specific models, but how they behave at high speed comes down to fitting them according to the instructions: all the mounting points, a degreased surface for the tape and properly tightened screws. Instructions come with the products and are also available on our website and on YouTube. You can also book a fitting appointment at our headquarters in Wojnicz.

And what about the track – the Nordschleife, for example? Here we’ll be honest: our splitters are primarily aesthetic, and we don’t recommend taking them on track. On a circuit, parts work under far greater loads than on the road, and kerbs and trips off the track are a risk no add-on can eliminate. Carbon parts are a different story – we’ve also used our carbon body kits, such as the kit for the Mercedes-AMG GT, on track.

Every few months, as well as after winter and before a long trip, do a quick check. Make sure the screws are tight and none are missing. Gently move the splitter by hand – it shouldn’t have any play or rattle. Look into the gap between the splitter and the bumper to see whether the tape is coming away anywhere. Inspect the area around the mounting points for cracks. If anything seems off, don’t wait for the problem to grow – tighten it, fix it or get in touch with us.