Although most of the people usually see side skirts as nice accessories that could provide a better overall visual appearance of the vehicle, the importance of these parts is significant. Of course, everyone likes to see a perfectly lowered car and these will always have a great contribution. Still, a priority is to provide best possible performances by offering an ideal ground effect. This part works is a pretty simple way. When you drive a car, air pressures from the side and from the underbody are different. While the underbody pressure is relatively low, air pressure from the side is higher. To have best possible downforce, you need to prevent air from the side to mix with the air from the bottom area, which besides lower pressure also has much higher velocity. A decent side skirt will split these two areas pretty well.
No matter if you are searching for universal or custom fit parts, the automotive market is full of hi-quality side skirts. One of the companies that offer a wide range of body kits for all kinds of cars and trucks is Icon Composites. This U.S. manufacturer covers a complete body kit program and offers parts for many models of all major carmakers. Also, consider a company called VIS Racing, as well as Duraflex. These manufacturers also cover a wide range of car and truck models. If you are looking for some more affordable solution, there are brands like Pure and PCI Racing, which offer a great value for the price.
Just like other body kits, side skirts could be made of various kinds of materials. One of the most common is fiberglass. Due to a low price, this material is hugely popular. Although light, it is not very flexible, and hence pretty fragile. Urethane would be a much better choice if you look for durability. Still, it is heavier than fiberglass, which means not that good if you want some racing performances. A perfect choice could be carbon fiber. This material is both light and durable. Also, it doesn’t need to be painted. Still, it is far more expensive compared to first two.