Airdam mounting removable?

CTD

CTD

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Hi everyone,

I am debating about installing a CSL airdam to my 3.0CS. However, I don't like drilling holes and such in the car to mount it. Has anyone ever tried mounting it with some brackets coming from the bottom or some other way and make it removable without damage to the car?
 
Impossible.

Some folks used Zeus (SIC?) fasteners, but even those, require drilling.

Panel adhesive will require grinding if you were to ever want it off.
 
As the airdam must withstand quite a high load from the air it has to push aside, it has to be rigidly mounted.
Your only options are, as I see it, screws, bolts, or glue.

The first two options leave holes when removing your airdam.
The glue option requires you to either destroy (saw/peel/chip/eat) the airdam from the painted steel valance, or try to saw the glue in half with a steel wire. This will leave the air dam mostly structurally intact, but on the car (the lower valance) you need to sand the remaining glue bits off and repaint; serious work.

Best way forward? Think about it hard, and choose.

I'd opt for a decent airdam with screws, or no airdam...
 
If you built an entire rigid structure behind the airdam and attached it to the frame that could be a start....Certainly not worth the effort and I do believe the edges (at the wheels) will be very difficult to secure but there is a thought.

Top of the airdam could be secured to the vent slots via extra brackets -- but again it would be like re-inventing the wheel and if you are dead-set on trying then worth noting the strong + weak points.

But because you already have a CSL dam which has been document to work with bolts I think it will be your own creativity to find a solution.

My .02 cents

- M
 
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adawil2002 said:
8 Philip’s head stainless pan heads with neoprene washers similar to the race CSLs is the way to do it.
Click to expand...
Mario put threaded SS rivets across my front valance to mount the spoiler. Better than screws, in my opinion.
0AA5E41C-A4D4-4607-9880-86C9EF2BFCBC.jpeg
 
I mounted my 635 style airdam so that someone could remove it in the future if they didn't like it. The only screws are on the front valance piece are that are hidden by the bumper and two screws on the inside of each fender lip. I used automotive grade double sided tape for rest of the areas. It's been on there for almost ten years and has endured a bunch of road trips including Portland to Monterey twice.

IMG_6632.jpg
 
adawil2002 said:
Those look like allen heads with neoprene washers. Threaded ‘rivets’, rivnuts or screws.
Click to expand...
I don’t know why Mario chose SS allen headed machine screws. All I know is I like the install, it’s very strong, easy on/off, and will never rust. A sheet metal screw would eventually work its way thru any paint/coating and become a place for rust to possibly start, unless you blobbed something waxoyl on the screw and sheet metal. AFAIK, VSR is always looking for better ways to do better work, which is a hallmark of a truly great shop.
 
Here's the reference for the screw holes, I use bonded neoprene & galvanized washers & stainless pan head 3/4 1/2 inch screws. Could also use flat Neoprene washers with a stainless washer. I did this to help the drilled holes to seal to the air dam.


Calder Front view.jpg


Highly recommend having Xpel Clear Film on the air dam, it will save thousands in repair & repaints.
 
Yes, I think that I’ll go the Xpel route. My car has the air dam mounted underneath the front bumper but I liked the idea of having some easier way to remove the dam. The one that was mounted on the car when I got it was a modified 635 dam but the car also came with a CSL style dam. Neither is on right now since I’m doing a bunch of engine bay work but I was going to repaint both, xpel and the figure out if there is a way to have either be the mounting option.
 
e9, the sides are held on with the Quick latch.

Zoom in on the front.

The front sits/overlaps on two rubber strips with 3M tape to keep the strips on the front valence panels.
The rubber strips raise the spoiler, ‘cause it was a bit too “droopy.”

So simple.

RP

Mounting: you drill a hole through the body panel and mount the stud that comes outward. You drill a hole in the spoiler for the quick release push button. It really is a simple design.
 
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