Delberts Wallet Posted January 2, 2002 Share Posted January 2, 2002 I'm going to replace my rear wing protectors with carbon ones (hope the wife doesn't noticewink.gif) and wanted to know if I need to remove the rear wings to do so? Cheers Gareth Who Dares Twins bum.gif bum.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Dixon Posted January 2, 2002 Share Posted January 2, 2002 Gareth, I have just replaced mine- finished last night You do not need to take wings off. Relatively easy job although the rivet holes on new ones did not line up exactly with the previous holes. Caterham supply new rivets with the protectors although you get only just enough, I messed one up so had to get some more - they are black which are not the easiest to get. Suggest you ask Caterham for some extra when you order the protectors Am also replacing the sills with carbon ones and had to get some black rivets for those as well. My wife found out !!!! and boy does the carbon fibre cost !!! No idea how I am going to get away with the front wings though!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberts Wallet Posted January 2, 2002 Author Share Posted January 2, 2002 Cheers Geoff, I got the wing protectors second hand so I'll need a wholw hand full of black rivets. As far as the front wings are concerned don't tell her until you've fitted them like I did! She doesn't like them and wants me to get them painted the same clour as the rest of the car....thats gonna happen...not! How easy is it getting the rear wings off? Gareth Who Dares Twins bum.gif bum.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmar Posted January 2, 2002 Share Posted January 2, 2002 Gareth - I have a whole bunch of black rivets left over from my build so if you are in the area (finchampstead, berkshire) let me know or could post for donation to NTL how many do you need? rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slarty Blat Fast Posted January 3, 2002 Share Posted January 3, 2002 My previous 7 had ally stone guards, but my new car has CF ones. I'm amazed at how they stand up to punishment - not a mark on them although the surronding paintwork is blasted. As I windsurfer who has used CF components for many years I had expected them to be very brittle. Take care with the front CF wings tho' as they can crack at the point where the top wing stay support ends if you put any weight on them whilst leaning over the front of the car. How much of a job is it to replace the sills? They seem to be riveted through the inner lining of the cockpit. Highspeed muckspreadingwink.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Gillet Posted January 3, 2002 Share Posted January 3, 2002 I am currently replacing the ss protectors by CF ones. I decided that afer 4,5 years it was time to respray the rear wings to remove stone chips.So I removed then. While sanding the varnish coat of the right wing a large star appeared right below the rear light. It had been invisible up to now though, but was obviously existing. So the "small" job turned into carving the gel coat along the star arms,casting epoxy, etc... The left wing is already back in place. Despite the care I took, there are some undulations around the rivets. It seems that they all do that as I can see on the red Caterham SL ad pic on the back of LF. Note that I have used the black rubber "ribbon" which is soft and is the cause of the undulation. I had to "ease" several CF protector holes by drilling them at 5 mm instead of 4 mm. This allowed the protector to locate itself smoothly on the wing, but undulations due to constraints induced by pop rivet remained. Bon courage Pierre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAM Posted January 3, 2002 Share Posted January 3, 2002 I did not like the look of the depression in the CF caused by the strong compression of the rivet, so I used black allen-headed mushroom shaped bolts with nylocs behind. This way the bolts can be tightened enough to hold the protector on, but no so much that they crush it causing the dent. The only downside is the time it took to do it. Looks very neat (if I say so myself). JAM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Gillet Posted January 3, 2002 Share Posted January 3, 2002 JAM, could you send a pic? cheers Pierre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Gillet Posted January 3, 2002 Share Posted January 3, 2002 Sorry JAM, I forgot to ask you if you used M4 Mushroom bolts. Must cost a fortune though. Cheers Pierre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAM Posted January 3, 2002 Share Posted January 3, 2002 Pierre, Yes, they were black anodised mushroom bolts, and probably M4. I still have the box in the garage so I will double check tonight. I can borrow a digital camera from one of my colleagues for a picture. I don't recall the bolts and nylocs being that expensive. However, during the build of my car I probably had a warped sense of what constitutes good value. I will check the price as well. While on the subject of wing protection, I have been very impressed with Armourfend. I had this fitted around my wing protectors and under the sidescreens. It has done an excellent job of looking after the paintwork. JAM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EFA Posted January 3, 2002 Share Posted January 3, 2002 What you need do to avoid the dents to the c/f guards is place a rivett washer between the rivet and the bodywork - This does not then compress like the rubber and all looks 100% Fat Arn INVENTOR OF THE CARBON STONEGUARD!! The NOW PROVEN R500 Eaterid=red> See the Lotus Seven Club 4 Counties Area Website hereid=green> Edited by - Fat Arnie on 3 Jan 2002 18:27:04 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Gillet Posted January 3, 2002 Share Posted January 3, 2002 Arnie, is it correct to undrestand that I need a washer between the back of the CF protector and the rubber. Cheers, Pierre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Gillet Posted January 3, 2002 Share Posted January 3, 2002 Thanks JAM. If you do not have a pic available please do not bother making one. I would be interested to see how it looks like, on condition that it does not give too much hassle. The origin (and price) of the bolts is more important given the number of bolts required! Best Regards, Pierre Pierre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Gillet Posted January 4, 2002 Share Posted January 4, 2002 Just checked on Demon Tweeks catalogue. They do not offer musroom head bolts in anodised ali in the M4 size sad.gif Pierre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EFA Posted January 4, 2002 Share Posted January 4, 2002 Pierre, You are correct - washer goes between the protector and the wing. Stops the rubber trim distorting so much. Personally I'd ditch the rubber and stick them on with black goo. Fat Arn The NOW PROVEN R500 Eaterid=red> See the Lotus Seven Club 4 Counties Area Website hereid=green> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAM Posted January 4, 2002 Share Posted January 4, 2002 Pierre, I have e-mailed a couple of images of my CF guards to you. I ordered the black mushroom bolts from a specialist nut and bolt shop in Southampton (UK). They cost about 12 UK pounds for a box of at least 50. They could have been M3 size. Anyway, I selected the size to fit through the holes pre-drilled in the CF. Incidentally I had to cut a tapered sliver off the inner edges of my CF guards to make them fit the curve of the wing. If you hold them up against your wing you will see what I mean. JAM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Gillet Posted January 4, 2002 Share Posted January 4, 2002 Thanks Arnie. JAM , thanks for the pics. The result is very good (no wave,bolts the same size as the rivet, and the protectors can be removed very easily (hope not too easily...) Regards, Pierre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberts Wallet Posted January 5, 2002 Author Share Posted January 5, 2002 Jam, any chance you could forward me a pic too. I like the sound of the black bolts. Cheers Gareth Who Dares Twins bum.gif bum.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EFA Posted January 5, 2002 Share Posted January 5, 2002 The holes are 3/16 inch or 3mm - much the same thing...... Fat Arn The NOW PROVEN R500 Eaterid=red> See the Lotus Seven Club 4 Counties Area Website hereid=green> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAM Posted January 7, 2002 Share Posted January 7, 2002 Gareth, I will e-mail the images to you shortly. JAM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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