Ill-fitting side skirts - you may be better off!

[brucey]

I have always had a bit of a concern about the aerokit sideskirts and the fact that folks like them flush with the paint. What has always worried me is paint damage under the contact points, particularly at the front and rear conrners where the kit really cuts into the paint.

I have never really been impressed with the fitting kit, nor the fact that the skirts are pressed up agains the paintwork.

For this reason I decided to remove the ones form my recently purchased MY02 996 C2.

I removed them by jacking the back, removing the rear wheel, undoing all the torx headed self-tappers and then using a plastic card (body filler spreader) to cut the foam tape. The tape was not even bonded in places.

Here's what I found on the paint work (as I kind of expected!)

Now this did surprise me on a galvanised car, but I guess it's the result of water being held against the car where small pinholes have been made in the paint. I suspect little bits of gravel etc get down the edge and can dig in, allowing water to penetrate.

The fixings were also in a really bad state. Bear in mind this is a car which has only done 12k miles and has always been garaged.

Also, I don't like the fact that the fixings are just clipped to the sill bottom, digging into the underseal. Each was carefully removed but left a mark like this:

So - I guess one is better off with a well fitted sideskirt set that doesn't fit totally flush - a gap securely filled by foam tape is probably better. I reckon the fixings should also be better galvanised - if I were fitting them again I would spray and rust proof them I think.

I guess I am looking at a paint job on that sill and hopefully they'll did the rust out, which I'm hoping is only skin deep and bubbling due to the zinc oxidising, not the steel.

It's a shame - I sat in the garage looking at two cars - my 20 year old 930 Turbo and my 996 - the 996 is the one with the rust!!!

Any thoughts?

[jmj996]

I'm going to be attaching the OEM aerokit sideskirts within about a month or so, whenever I get the time. As a result of your post, I will take a look at sealing them flush and possibly using alternate/custom brackets underneath.

Does anyone have a recommendation for an adhesive that should perform well in this application as both an adhesive and a sealant?

[brucey]

I'm going to be attaching the OEM aerokit sideskirts within about a month or so, whenever I get the time. As a result of your post, I will take a look at sealing them flush and possibly using alternate/custom brackets underneath.

Does anyone have a recommendation for an adhesive that should perform well in this application as both an adhesive and a sealant?

I think Sikaflex would be the best.

I have used 221 in the past with good results.

A bead of this along the car would serve t bond and seal the job, as you mention.

Cheers

[brucey]

Well - quick update.

I removed the other side this evening, and some bright spark had indeed used polyurethane adhesive (Sikaflex type) for the rear part of the job - probably where the foam tape had failed.

What a NIGHTMARE to remove! Having spent the last 6 hours removing it I would NEVER recommend anyone bonds their sideskirts to the car unless you are 100% sure they will NEVER need to come off.

If the Sikaflex adhesive had been along the whole length I would never have got the skirt off. Jeez that stuff is strong!

Anyway - barely any damage to the paint on the other side which was good.

Cheers