Front clam protection kit

[uclacyc]

Glue it back with some rubber cement.

[2sporty]

Originally Posted by STANLEYYY

2Sporty: I purchased the same material you used on the Elise clam protection kits. Thanks for the info. I made a template for the Exige/Exige S front splitter in 3 sections...RH-passenger side, Center, and LH-driver side. They cover the bottom/under lip of the splitter and is flush with the splitter contour. I feel alot better with this added protection, but I still need to be ultra careful on those steep driveways.

Stanleyyy: That is awesome that you made one for the Exige, it looks very good!!

[2sporty]

Originally Posted by SweetDaddyD

If you want to increase your profit margin on these (as brought out the material is sacrificial anyway) with probably no decrease in protection you may want to look into a HDU product (high density urethane) or expanded PVC foam like Komatec.

Thank you very much for the suggestion. I will look into it. Yes, the profit margin and volume of these sold is not very high (I'm not expecting to make any large sums of money, although it would be great to make more to feed my elise modding addiction )

[2sporty]

Originally Posted by Chococar

After installing these, I whacked my clam hard enough to partially peel one of these off. It's hanging in the breeze now, but the clam wasn't damaged :-)

Chococar, good to hear that the kit worked out for you!! If gluing it back on does not work, let me know.

[knucklehead]

2sporty,
Please make a kit for the Exige. While I rarely scraped my Elise front end the Exige is a different story.

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by STANLEYYY

2Sporty: I purchased the same material you used on the Elise clam protection kits. Thanks for the info. I made a template for the Exige/Exige S front splitter in 3 sections...RH-passenger side, Center, and LH-driver side. They cover the bottom/under lip of the splitter and is flush with the splitter contour. I feel alot better with this added protection, but I still need to be ultra careful on those steep driveways.

Good job Stanley, that looks great.

2sporty, I think your clam protection pieces are a great idea, good job. I also find that they are much more important for the Elise. Us Exige guys already have clam protection, it is called a splitter. Although I do not like having to fork out $450 for a brand new carbon fiber piece without the plate mount from Sector 111; I do like the fact that I will buy this part anyway in the future, so for now, if I have few chips on my splitter, I am not too worried about it. Once it gets really bad, I will just call S-111 and order their model.

Good job though; I like what you have done.

Stephen

[dukenyc]

One of mine is flapping as well.

I saw someone suggested rubber cement.

Is this the best way to re-attach it, or is there a better adhesive out there?

Thank you.

[TheViper]

Try silicone adhesive, it even removes easily, without residue.

[polojcp]

Since I have a Phantom Black, I applied layers of 3M electrical tapes in exactly those area after my first scrap after getting out of the gas station during my very first fill up. The thick layers of electrical tapes helped me prevented a second scratch when I was trying to exit a shopping center last week. total cost? $0.50?

[Terminus]

Thread Revival...

Anyone have a link to the specific material being used for this? I see that it is a 3M abrasion resistant (tape?) that is fairly thick. I also see a website listed that may carry it, but they carry thousands of items, so not sure where to find that specific one.

Thanks!

[specialk]

Originally Posted by Terminus

Thread Revival...

Anyone have a link to the specific material being used for this? I see that it is a 3M abrasion resistant (tape?) that is fairly thick. I also see a website listed that may carry it, but they carry thousands of items, so not sure where to find that specific one.

Thanks!

i did a little searching based on some of the info in the first post and i think i found it. search for 8997k214 at McMaster-Carr

[TheViper]

Here is what I made out of virtually unbreakable polycarbonate, it has saved me a few times. I added a little silicone rubber bumper at the center to protect against kerbs/stops.

[Snowphun]

Bumping this back up, looks like the OP is out of material so we need another option. Has anyone identified the original material used for this? Seems it would be pretty easy to fab up a template to cut them.

TheViper, I like your solution as well, were did you source the polycarbonate? All of these solutions seem much better than the Lotus bumper guards or going naked.

Paul

[TheViper]

I got it directly from the manufacturer. I have a lot of the stuff, maybe I should make up a few sets to sell if there was a demand
Michael

Originally Posted by Snowphun

Bumping this back up, looks like the OP is out of material so we need another option. Has anyone identified the original material used for this? Seems it would be pretty easy to fab up a template to cut them.

TheViper, I like your solution as well, were did you source the polycarbonate? All of these solutions seem much better than the Lotus bumper guards or going naked.

Paul

[msink]

I like TheVipers much better. The OP solution is fine as long as the angle of what you are about to scrape is very shallow (meaning, very flat, where you would just scrap along the bottom) If Im pulling out of a gas station for example, and it dips, and then the road rises, thats going to cause me to hit more of the front of the clam, not just the bottom, and in that case, you need at least SOME of the protection extending BEYOND the body so that it hits first. The goal is just to get a warning, and have it attached so that it rips off clean, and doesnt leave holes or damage on the clam.

[Snowphun]

Originally Posted by TheViper

I got it directly from the manufacturer. I have a lot of the stuff, maybe I should make up a few sets to sell if there was a demand
Michael

Does it have an adhesive already applied? Polycarbonate can be many things, is yours similar to plexiglass? That's easy to work with and a good thickness, but I'm not aware of any with an adhesive pre-applied.

Thanks.

[TheViper]

Polycarbonate is a virtually unbreakable plastic material and not Plexiglas. I recommend silicone adhesive which means it can be removed without any residue.
Michael

Originally Posted by Snowphun

Does it have an adhesive already applied? Polycarbonate can be many things, is yours similar to plexiglass? That's easy to work with and a good thickness, but I'm not aware of any with an adhesive pre-applied.

Thanks.

[the1sen]

Originally Posted by TheViper

I got it directly from the manufacturer. I have a lot of the stuff, maybe I should make up a few sets to sell if there was a demand
Michael

Viper, I will buy one set now. Please PM your payment info to me.

[SaffElise05]

Originally Posted by the1sen

Viper, I will buy one set now. Please PM your payment info to me.

+1.. I am in for this. Please let me know. Thanks!

[chazzer]

I followed the advice of "The Viper" and others on this thread and made my own chin/curb guards. I purchased the material from Home Depot yesterday and cut and applied them in about 1 hour. Materials used =
1. 8 " x 10 " piece of Lexan Polycarbonate. $3.97
1. 11" x 14 " Piece of Lexan Polycarbonate $8.00
1. Plastkolite OPTIX plastic cutting knife. $3.97
1. Tube of DAP Dynaflex 230 Premium Indoor/outdoor sealant adhesive. ( small caulking gun size. ) Need the smaller size gun already to use this. $3.98

Hint: purchase the Plaskolite cutting knife to score the Lexan because the polycarbonate is 250 times stronger than glass and indestructible. You can't cut the Lexan without it. You have to score the Lexan and then snap it to break it.

I used a bench grinder to form the Lexan to fit the areas where you will need the guards.(both front round areas) I used the 14 inch wide piece cut to 12 inches wide for the very front guard. I think I cut the depth to be around 7 inches deep. You can use the whole piece and drill a hole in it for the screw that is there that holds the front clam on underneath the front area. It will hold it better that way.

I then used the caulking gun and the silicone sealant and applied it to the Polycarbonate guards and then just glued them up. If this sealant doesn't work well I'll try a different one . So far it has dried clear and holds fine. It states that it will remain flexible but waterproof and crack proof. Good luck - Be safe.