TTempted

From the pics you posted over the weekend, it looks like you put the spoiler on yourself. How difficult of a job was it? It looks like it just fit right over the old piece. What other kind of work did you have to do to it for fitment? What did you use to attach it?

The dealer suggests I take it to their body shop, but I'd much rather save a few bucks and take it to a buddy to paint for me and just put it on myself if it's relatively easy to pull off.


Thanks,
-Mark

JustJeff

It comes as a "kit", everything you need, glue, primer, sandpaper, very comprehensive instructions.
The 'glue' is some super-strong, super-black, thick tar gunk in a tube (German). Very hard to squeeze out of the tube, but it does stick.
I suspect any decent 3M urethane glue would work for this also.

There are spots on the inside of the fender wells where it actually screws into place, using the 2 existing screws there.

A test fit before painting is essential to see where you need to spread the glue.

Once it's painted, and you apply the glue to the edges, it takes 2 people to slip it into place, being careful not to smear the glue all over.

I may have a pic or 2 of the taping I did to hold it in place. Glue takes 24 hrs to cure. I used a 2" wide roll of the 3M 'blue' tape, and taped it in place everywhere. The hardest part to get to stick was the 2 upright sections that meet the downward part that separates the center oviod from the edges.
It's in plce now still over winter, so the glue is holding

Europa

But I'm having an adhesion problem, one year later. The uprights are separating from the bumper, because my tube of adhesive burst and I had to smear it in with my fingers. Not fun. I have tried to reattach it (using 3M's polyurethane windshield adhesive, exactly the same stuff as in the kit) but I can't quite get the contact patch correct. I need to go in and scuff up the bumper so it will stick, but the whole thing is a PITA.

Jeff's write-up was exactly right, esp. the part about needing a dry fit, needing two people to fit it, and with the uprights being the biggest challenges.

TTempted

or is the PITA just because it's not holding? I'm assuming you'd suggest putting the vertical goop on first?

I was able to get my friendly dealer to match the old dealer's 15% off for the part, so I think this is what I'll be doing.

JustJeff

Yea, i think it is. I too had to re-glue the uprights, but it's working fine now.

TTempted

Alright... order is going in tomorrow then

Europa

... the front end looks so much more aggressive, and I'd argue, the car just looks more complete. The piece itself is well constructed and overall, it's easy to install. But taking Jeff's and my suggestions should make the whole process a whole lot easier, and less of a PITA. I wouldn't necessarily suggest doing the uprights first, but to make sure to have proper clamping/bracing on them and to make sure the adhesive application is good.

Here's the upright separation:
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/43649/spoiler_detail_008.jpg">
It sticks out really far now because I've pulled on it to get the next round of glue in.

Here's how I braced it the second time, which I <i> should</i> have done the first time. Otherwise, the pressure is pretty good:

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/43649/spoiler_detail_009.jpg">


Part of the difficulty I had with the adhesion was with the viscosity of the glue: it's SO hard to work with. I would definitely suggest getting a tube of the 3M polyurethane windshield adhesive. It comes in a caulking-style tube, so you can throw it in a caulking gun and get a better bead in the groove in the spoiler. Here it is:

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/43649/spoiler_detail_010.jpg">