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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / Maintenance and Repair / December 2005Fastening Fiberglass Spoiler ?
I have a brief question that a person familiar with auto body work might be able to help with. I just bought an aftermarket fiberglass spoiler to fit my car and, to my surprise, it has no mounting holes to fasten it to the trunk lid. Ok, so I can easily drill a few holes in it. But I'm not sure I would be comfortable with sheet metal screws holding up in a vibration environment. I thought about a toggle bolt, but maybe the oversized hole (to fit the toggle through) would allow the spoiler to slide around if the screws ever do loosen up. What's the usual way to bolt these things on? Is there a better kind of fastener customarily used in this situation? Thanks for your suggestions. > I have a brief question that a person familiar with auto body work > might be able to help with. I just bought an aftermarket fiberglass [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > Thanks for your suggestions. What do the directions say. >I have a brief question that a person familiar with auto body work >might be able to help with. I just bought an aftermarket fiberglass >spoiler to fit my car and, to my surprise, it has no mounting holes to >fasten it to the trunk lid. The obvious thing to do is ask the store where you bought the spoiler. If that doesn't work, get in touch with the manufacturer. It sounds pretty bogus to me that it did not come with instructions. >Ok, so I can easily drill a few holes in it. You can't be sure that where you drilled will hold up to a screw holding it in place. >But I'm not sure I would >be comfortable with sheet metal screws holding up in a vibration >environment. You should use a machine screw and a lock washer to hold it place. You could also use a nut with a nylon locking insert. >I thought about a toggle bolt, but maybe the oversized >hole (to fit the toggle through) would allow the spoiler to slide >around if the screws ever do loosen up. What's the usual way to bolt >these things on? Is there a better kind of fastener customarily used in >this situation? Will the material hold up to a toggel bolt? I have a spoiler and it used a single screw plus some double sided foam tape around the base of the leg that hold the spoiler to the trunk lid. It probably also provided some isolation from normal car vibrations. -------------- Alex > I just bought an aftermarket fiberglass spoiler to fit my car and, > to my surprise, it has no mounting holes to fasten it to the trunk lid. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > hole (to fit the toggle through) would allow the spoiler to slide > around if the screws ever do loosen up. Some spoilers are meant to be attached with nothing but double-stick tape. Don't use the ordinary type but get something by 3M specifically made for attaching trim to cars, like Dual-Loc.. You may have to go to an auto paint supply for this. Also de-wax the surfaces thoroughly first with lighter fluid or wax remover. Be careful about using toggle bolts or anything that concentrates the force in small areas because with fiberglass and urethane (some plastic spoilers are made of this, the same material used for Saturn car body panels) you want to spread the force evenly over a large area, such as with thick flat washers. It would be a shame to drill holes into a car body just for something as useless as a spoiler. > Some spoilers are meant to be attached with nothing but double-stick > tape. Don't use the ordinary type but get something by 3M specifically > made for attaching trim to cars, like Dual-Loc. I don't mean that Dual-Loc is double-stick tape. It's like velcro, only thinner. > Some spoilers are meant to be attached with nothing but double-stick > tape. Don't use the ordinary type but get something by 3M specifically > made for attaching trim to cars, like Dual-Loc.. You may have to go to > an auto paint supply for this. Also de-wax the surfaces thoroughly > first with lighter fluid or wax remover. I wouldnt feel comfortable with this sort of installation. I have seen some done with screws, and his spoiler should have come with some instructions. Even though wings (spoilers) dont serve any useful purpose on most modern cars, they can look nice, and you dont want them falling off, wavering, shaking. > > Some spoilers are meant to be attached with nothing but double-stick > > tape. Don't use the ordinary type but get something by 3M specifically [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > modern cars, they can look nice, and you dont want them falling off, > wavering, shaking. Adhesives and non-foam double-stick tape made specifically for car trim are incredibly strong, and I'd prefer them over drilling holes that can be hard to fix if the car owner later changes his mind. >It would be a shame to drill holes into a car body just for something >as useless as a spoiler. Not all spoilers are useless. A well designed one is beneficial by adding downforce or giving you smoother airflow. ------------------ Alex > >It would be a shame to drill holes into a car body just for something > >as useless as a spoiler. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > ------------------ > Alex Let's not forget the Audi TT as well... that said, *most* spoilers are useless. nate > >It would be a shame to drill holes into a car body just for something > >as useless as a spoiler. > > Not all spoilers are useless. A well designed one is beneficial by adding > downforce or giving you smoother airflow. Not all spoilers are useless, correct. The ones on F1 cars serve a definite purpose. But these little pieces of tin or plastic that you buy for your 'rice rocket' are essentially for looks. You don't go fast enough to get any real downforce out of them, if it would help you anyway. They are not optimized to give you any drag reduction in particular. Any effect would be almost accidental. Regardless of what the literature claims, a functioning airfoil for a rice rocket would be the exception....and incidental if not accidental. And that is just my 2 cents worth. Incidentally, Mythbusters did a show recently on the aerodynamic effects of leaving the pickup tailgate down versus traveling with it up and locked. Guess which worked best...... > > >It would be a shame to drill holes into a car body just for something > > >as useless as a spoiler. [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > effects of leaving the pickup tailgate down versus traveling with it > up and locked. Guess which worked best...... I was driving behind a Porsche a couple weeks ago that apparently has a automatic spoiler that pops up at some preset speed. We were in moderate traffic so the spoiler would pop up, disappear then pop up again every .5 mile or so. > > > >It would be a shame to drill holes into a car body just for something > > > >as useless as a spoiler. [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > moderate traffic so the spoiler would pop up, disappear then pop up > again every .5 mile or so. Both the Boxster and the new 911 have spoilers like that, I think they're kind of gimmicky and out of place on a German car. Actually come to think of it so does Michele's Corrado... nate > > Incidentally, Mythbusters did a show recently on the aerodynamic > > effects of leaving the pickup tailgate down versus traveling with it [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > moderate traffic so the spoiler would pop up, disappear then pop up > again every .5 mile or so. Yes, I have seen that. The Porsche is a whole different kettle of fish. That is an engineered device, not a strap on knockoff. Even so, I am not sure how much good it does to the normal driver. Many years ago, Mercedes started using the 'air brake' on its race cars, which was a panel that raised to increase drag for braking. Worked for them, BUT those cars were for track. > > > Incidentally, Mythbusters did a show recently on the aerodynamic > > > effects of leaving the pickup tailgate down versus traveling with it [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > cars, which was a panel that raised to increase drag for braking. Worked > for them, BUT those cars were for track. I was struck by the absurdity of the picture in front of me. Cruising along in moderate traffic behind a car that looks like it is going fast at stop sign, being helplessly stuck in 40mph traffic waving it's spoiler around like some sort of distress signal. My wife could not understand what that nut sitting next to her was was chortling about > > > > Incidentally, Mythbusters did a show recently on the aerodynamic > > > > effects of leaving the pickup tailgate down versus traveling with it [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > spoiler around like some sort of distress signal. My wife could not > understand what that nut sitting next to her was was chortling about It is a distress signal! The poor thing was begging to be set free of the confining shackles of traffic and to let its throttle butterflies be opened wide to breathe free like God and Dr. Ing. H. F. Porsche intended! Poor little car... nate > > > > > Incidentally, Mythbusters did a show recently on the aerodynamic > > > > > effects of leaving the pickup tailgate down versus traveling with it [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > be opened wide to breathe free like God and Dr. Ing. H. F. Porsche > intended! Poor little car... I haven't driven one of that marque for a long time...last one was a 356. So I've gotta ask, could that new Porsche with the fluttering spoiler hit the legal speed limit in first or second gear. > > > > > > Incidentally, Mythbusters did a show recently on the aerodynamic > > > > > > effects of leaving the pickup tailgate down versus traveling with it [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > 356. So I've gotta ask, could that new Porsche with the fluttering > spoiler hit the legal speed limit in first or second gear. Just saw a really neat looking little 356 on the highway yesterday... first one I've seen "in the wild" in quite some time. Anyway, I would guess second; European cars generally don't have Hand Of God(tm) torque and require a little deeper first gear than an American car. I don't get to drive new Porsches either, unless you count my '88 944 as "new." It certainly doesn't have any froofy movable spoiler on it :) I can just barely hit 60 MPH in first gear in my '62 Stude; that has a close-ratio T-10 and a 3.31:1 rear end. Not a combination most people would be happy with, but I didn't order the car... just takes a little more clutch slip to get going than a "normal" car. If I put a warmer cam in it, I could probably do a real 0-60 run all in first gear, just for bragging rights... nate > > > > > > > Incidentally, Mythbusters did a show recently on the aerodynamic > > > > > > > effects of leaving the pickup tailgate down versus traveling with it [quoted text clipped - 41 lines] > cam in it, I could probably do a real 0-60 run all in first gear, just > for bragging rights... That's pretty tall gearing in that Stude. Is it a Hawk with a 289? I see a few 356 back on the east coast, but our winter roads are murder on those rust-prone bodies. SoCal with it's mild climate seems to be home to those wonderful machines. Sitting here in 25 degree weather with snow on the ground I can imagine taking the Sideways cruise up the coastal highway in a top-down Speedster. >>>>>>>>Incidentally, Mythbusters did a show recently on the aerodynamic >>>>>>>>effects of leaving the pickup tailgate down versus traveling with it [quoted text clipped - 43 lines] > > That's pretty tall gearing in that Stude. Is it a Hawk with a 289? No, Daytona hardtop. I like the Hawk bodies better but I got a screamin' deal on a 25K mile "barn car" so... FWIW my '55 coupe has a 3.31 in it as well, although it appears to have been a factory automatic car. The rear end appears to be original although I never ordered the build sheet for it, because it's not getting restored (currently has a '63 model 289 in it and I see no reason to change it out) > I see a few 356 back on the east coast, but our winter roads are murder > on those rust-prone bodies. SoCal with it's mild climate seems to be > home to those wonderful machines. Sitting here in 25 degree weather > with snow on the ground I can imagine taking the Sideways cruise up the > coastal highway in a top-down Speedster. yeah, this one had a little rust showing at the back of the front fender too... but I give the guy props for driving it and not letting it dry rot in a garage somewhere. nate  Signaturereplace "fly" with "com" to reply. http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel |
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