Rear Wing Stone Guard Advice

[BlueBDA]

I am would like to repaint my rear wings. When I do this, I'd like to put on new stone guards, as the stainless ones I have are pretty pock-marked. I would ideally like to put on carbon fiber ones, but they seem to be out of stock everywhere I look (first-world problem, I know). Anyone have any sources which may have them in stock, or advice?

[Vovchandr]

http://www.kitcardirect.co.uk/caterham.html

 

?

[wemtd]

Put 3m clear bra film beneath & around them. My (albeit aluminum) ones are well sanded. Surrounding clearbra covered pair is unaffected 

[kayentaskier]

Let's see if Croc wants to comment on his experience, but Josh Robbins and I decided to skip the CF stone guards that came with my 420R and just applied the clear film. So far, so good.

[Croc]

@kayentaskier Thats exactly how I did it.  I had the carbon fiber wings and just did the 3M film over the top.  No stone guards.  Its lasted 10 years although could do with a reapplication of the 3M film looking at it today.  I think I still have the original Caterham carbon stone guards that came with the CSR in my garage - never installed them. 

[kayentaskier]

It's a little early in Iceland isn't it?

[Pokey]

I used film on the wings and CF guards.  Might just be the film I chose, but mine is showing black marking from rubber off of the track.  Not noticeable when the backing is the CF, but against the red gel coat of the wings the marks stand out.  These rubber "skid" marks rub right off with my fingernail everywhere but the film.

 

Likely not an issue unless you track, and it isn't like it is unsightly, but it might irritate some.

[Croc]

12 hours ago, kayentaskier said:

It's a little early in Iceland isn't it?

 

@kayentaskierNot at all - 5am - normal time for me to get stuff done.  I had a busy day at the beach planned.... 

[Croc]

3 hours ago, Pokey said:

I used film on the wings and CF guards.  Might just be the film I chose, but mine is showing black marking from rubber off of the track.  Not noticeable when the backing is the CF, but against the red gel coat of the wings the marks stand out.  These rubber "skid" marks rub right off with my fingernail everywhere but the film.

 

Likely not an issue unless you track, and it isn't like it is unsightly, but it might irritate some.

 

@PokeyI get those black marks but the solution is use WD40 and then give a soap and water wash afterwards so no WD40 remains.  

[BlueBDA]

I have fiberglass fenders (obviously - as I would like to repaint them). Anyone have experience using clear film directly on the fiberglass wings? I thought I had read something about getting spider cracks in the paint under the film from stone hits.

 

[Croc]

Fiberglass gives spider cracks from the stones hitting underneath or on top.  Not much you can do about it as it just happens.  Film or no film, spider cracks happen.  

 

What some people have done is coat the underneath of their fiberglass wings in truck bed liner.  Stops the stone hit transmitting through to the top surface, unless it is a really big stone.  

[Vovchandr]

I've put Neoprene in my rear wings and haven't gotten around to doing it on the front wings yet.

 

To me seemed like an easy/cheap/effective option. 

 

Granted I have carbon wings so spider cracks are less of a concern but the rock noise made me feel uneasy in general and this cuts down on that noise quite a bit

 

 

Edit: that doesn't help with outside. PPF is about the only thing that can help there. 

[KnifeySpoony]

I did bedliner inside my GRP rear wings, with PPF on the top. Car is too new to tell, but I'm hoping it holds up well. In just 200mi driven, I can see that the PPF is already taking some abuse so no doubt it's protecting against stone chips in the paint. 

[papak]

What is the thickness of the 3M film you are using? I never sprayed the inside of the fenders but haven’t noted any starring or cracks in 5,000 mi. Now my stone guard protecting the sump is a different matter!

[kayentaskier]

When Josh Robins built mt 420R SV, he used the kits from Premier Paint Guard in the UK.

https://premierpaintguard.com/

[Ferrino]

I'm interested in going without wing protectors on my fiberglass rear wings. What I don't understand is if I really need the custom-cut kits or if I can just get away with buying a large sheet and cutting my own. Is this the sort of material you can "wrap" around the edges or do you really need to have the cut pieces to perfectly match the painted areas of the bodywork. Not clear to me where the seams are on the cut items. Thanks!

[CarlB]

I have the Kit Car Direct stone guards and I do like them, but I have a suggestion and I also had a issue. One was a prefect match for the stainless steel one that came off. The other side of the car was a different shape and I had to trim the carbon one. It wasn't hard. I used a cut off wheel. Be sure to cover up so you do not get carbon fibers on or in you. The other thing I would do differently is have them clear coated. That should stop the things that look like water spots. I do not think they are clear coated.  

[Ferrino]

On 7/27/2021 at 7:23 AM, kayentaskier said:

When Josh Robins built mt 420R SV, he used the kits from Premier Paint Guard in the UK.

https://premierpaintguard.com/

Do you have any pics of the coverage of these rear wing kits, please? How is the durability with just PPF and no protectors, now you have some miles on it? Thank you!

[Jesse D]

I took off my metal screens and went with film- I replace it each year but the fiberglass underneath is fine.

 

[kayentaskier]

I have about 6K mikes on my car and the film is holding up well. Be aware that the premier pre-cut pieces do not fully wrap the wings, of course neither do the metal or carbon protectors.