Styrofoam

GreeNeons03 · Post by **GreeNeons03** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 12:43 am

Just how important is that Styrofoam behind the front bumper? Would it really make that much of a difference in a crash whether I have it or not?

Mat00ES · Post by **Mat00ES** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 12:49 am

I think the foam is there to stop the bumper from shattering in light accidents, and take a little more of the impact. Probably helps the bumper keep its shape too. So, if its not in your way, I'd leave it.

Post by **occasional demons** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 7:01 am

It is quite functional at 30 mph - under impacts. I don't think it wll make much difference above that, but then there isn't really much that will help above that.

JeffM · Post by **JeffM** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 12:11 pm

GreeNeons03 wrote:Just how important is that Styrofoam behind the front bumper? Would it really make that much of a difference in a crash whether I have it or not?

I think it helped save my bumper when I had my little fender-bender. Granted I was only going like 10mph, but my bumper cracked in an area where there wasn't any styrofoam and in the areas where there was - spotless.

Broken Glass · Post by **Broken Glass** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 2:42 pm

its doing really nothing, a car traveling under 10mph has more than enough force to crush it. mine is gone and when i got into a fenderbender the bumper held up fine

OB · Post by OB » Tue Jan 13, 2009 2:49 pm

I've had mine out for over a year. Even rear-ended my friend at about 10-15mph and the fascia was fine, structurally. Got a little paint transfer but that was it. OEM body paneling FTW, it's very flexible and resilient.

Broken Glass · Post by **Broken Glass** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 2:49 pm

physics time!
P=MV=1179kgs*5m/s=5880joules
5880 joules of force is around 600 kilogram-force per meter. so 1320 pounds of force in a 10mph accident in our cars. styrofoam isnt gonna do much

GreeNeons03 · Post by **GreeNeons03** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 3:36 pm

Broken Glass wrote:physics time!
P=MV=1179kgs*5m/s=5880joules
5880 joules of force is around 600 kilogram-force per meter. so 1320 pounds of force in a 10mph accident in our cars. styrofoam isnt gonna do much

Broken Glass · Post by **Broken Glass** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 3:53 pm

my physics is showing!

glasswars · Post by **glasswars** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 5:59 pm

ughhh i fucking hate physics with a huge passion

Broken Glass · Post by **Broken Glass** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 10:09 pm

im a physics major so im the one weird enough to love it. im focusing in alternative energies so its a good time for that

billm0066 · Post by **billm0066** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 10:51 pm

Yes it does help with light impacts. Dont let anyone tell you otherwise. Why do they put it on almost every single car on the road?

Broken Glass · Post by **Broken Glass** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 11:27 pm

if you can stand on it, and put a dent in it. what is it going to do in a car accident?

benzsxt · Post by **benzsxt** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 11:30 pm

^^ They help keep the shape of the bumper, black car in Arizona. They do help in an accident. I am a body man, I have taken thousands of them out of cars. I have seen them in cars that need both frame rails replaced and not much damage to the absorber. I think Hondas have the worst ones. They kind of look like a styrofoam beer coolers after an accident. It is okay if you want to leave it out but just dont remove the reinforcement.

Sykora · Post by **Sykora** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 12:00 am

Broken Glass wrote:physics time!
P=MV=1179kgs*5m/s=5880joules
5880 joules of force is around 600 kilogram-force per meter. so 1320 pounds of force in a 10mph accident in our cars. styrofoam isnt gonna do much

physics rebuttal!
siudbn8bq3raefianfasd=asewr9i23rnlqaifn!

billm0066 · Post by **billm0066** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 12:41 am

Broken Glass wrote:if you can stand on it, and put a dent in it. what is it going to do in a car accident?

It will help absorb a low mph impact. If you hit a tree at 60mph its not going to do crap. If you rear end someone at 5mph it will help to save your bumper.

Heres a simple test. Put a piece of thin wood about 5 inches in front of metal with nothing in between. Punch it and you will probably put a hole in it.

Now do the same thing, but put bumper foam in between and see if you can punch a hole in it. Its going to be alot more difficult to punch a hole in it. Its only purpose is to absorb the shock of a low mph collision. Anyone who disagrees is stupid. I dont have it in my front bumper, because I bought it used. I personally dont care because a new bumper is cheap.

Broken Glass · Post by **Broken Glass** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 12:55 am

Theres one major flaw in your idea. A car traveling at low miles an hour has MUCH MUCH more force than punching the bumper, as i stated before 1320lbs hitting a non moving object at 10mph, take 1320 pounds or even half that to simulate a 5mph impact. the foam wont do anything. itll suport the bumper if a shopping cart hits it, but not much more than that.

benzsxt wrote:^^ They help keep the shape of the bumper, black car in Arizona. They do help in an accident. I am a body man, I have taken thousands of them out of cars. I have seen them in cars that need both frame rails replaced and not much damage to the absorber. I think Hondas have the worst ones. They kind of look like a styrofoam beer coolers after an accident. It is okay if you want to leave it out but just dont remove the reinforcement.

Im not sure if i understand you. Frame rails were damaged, but the foam was not? Then the car was hit in such a way that the foam wasn't hit. Surly the foam didn't save the frame from some damage

Sykora wrote: physics rebuttal!
siudbn8bq3raefianfasd=asewr9i23rnlqaifn!

dude, you forgot to carry the 1

Sorry if i come off differently. Im stating that the foam wont do anything if you hit something even at low speeds. But if a shopping cart or a door hit it, then it will provide suport

Speeder · Post by **Speeder** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 11:40 pm

when i change my rear bumper it was in two pieces so just tossed it and then when i changed the front bumper i left it out because i think it looked ugly though the bottom two front grills

benzsxt · Post by **benzsxt** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 12:19 am

It was a 2007 Infinity M45 that hit a Jersey wall at about 60 MPH. I know nothing about Physics but take a peice of 1'' foam and put your hands on both sides of it and try to compress it. Good luck. Now if it is hit on an angle yes the foam will break.

yellowpatrol · Post by **yellowpatrol** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 10:12 am

Sykora wrote:
Broken Glass wrote:physics time!
P=MV=1179kgs*5m/s=5880joules
5880 joules of force is around 600 kilogram-force per meter. so 1320 pounds of force in a 10mph accident in our cars. styrofoam isnt gonna do much
physics rebuttal!
siudbn8bq3raefianfasd=asewr9i23rnlqaifn!

Hahaha yours makes as much sense as his!

Broken Glass · Post by **Broken Glass** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 4:20 pm

benzsxt wrote:It was a 2007 Infinity M45 that hit a Jersey wall at about 60 MPH. I know nothing about Physics but take a peice of 1'' foam and put your hands on both sides of it and try to compress it. Good luck. Now if it is hit on an angle yes the foam will break.

im sorry im still not understanding you. your saying the foam protected the car at 60mph?

turbodudey · Post by **turbodudey** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 7:58 pm

yellowpatrol wrote:
Sykora wrote:
Broken Glass wrote:physics time!
P=MV=1179kgs*5m/s=5880joules
5880 joules of force is around 600 kilogram-force per meter. so 1320 pounds of force in a 10mph accident in our cars. styrofoam isnt gonna do much
physics rebuttal!
siudbn8bq3raefianfasd=asewr9i23rnlqaifn!
Hahaha yours makes as much sense as his!

Actually you're right... cause that doesn't make any sense.

That eqation is used completely wrong for this situation. I have no idea where those numbers came from. For one, Joules is a unit of energy (work) not force. And the rest of the unit conversions are... wrong. Sorry Broken Glass, but I think you need to try running your calculation again using the impulse-momentum equation (F*t=m*V).

GreeNeons03 · Post by **GreeNeons03** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 8:07 pm

I have an equation for you. F + U x C / K = U.

Anyway, I'm glad I left it in. See post HERE.

Speeder · Post by **Speeder** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 8:14 pm

GreeNeons03 wrote:I have an equation for you. F + U x C / K = U. Anyway, I'm glad I left it in. See post HERE.

good one

turbodudey · Post by **turbodudey** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 11:10 pm

To actually answer the question: Yes, the foam does make a difference. Most notably at low speed of course, but none the less still meaningful.

Any elastic deformation will absorb energy, which reduces the energy that will in turn be propigated to plastic deformation.

Styrofoam is an excellent material for absorbing a lot of energy too. That's why they put it there in the first place. It's good stuff.

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