SRT-10 - Front Tire Flaps Replacement

[FrgMstr]

Problem: Knocked off one of the front tire air diffuses that sits in front of the front tire on a Gen IV car. Broke the other one in half. A run of twisties we were on had some quick vertical changes. Grailkeeper says do not ignore this.

These flaps help get airflow into the sills and help cool them. You should replace them. No problem making your own. Keep the size the same and use a material that will be okay in that heat......GK

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Headed down to Home Depot to see what material it might have in stock to replace these myself instead of ponying up to Mopar. Looking round I came across some Lexan polycarbonate material. I have worked with this stuff in the past. It is damn near indestructible when it comes to breaking or shattering, but it does scratch up easily. Nice sheet to make about 20 diffusers for $20! Woot. I got lucky and got one intact hanging by a few threads when I stopped so I had a pattern.

My cuts could have been better but I just hacked it out quickly with a jigsaw. Not like these will stay pristine for long anyway given these ride about 3" off the ground.

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Attached with new screws!

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Anyway, hope this saves you guys a few bucks down the line.

Fix should work fine for a Gen III car as well, but the size and placement is different.

 

[Sonoman]

Interesting... on my Gen III (2005) these plastic panels are behind the front tire. It would create turbulent airflow into the body channel where the primary cats reside, much like flipping the sun visors straight up on a convertible when the top is down. Seems odd that it would have the same effect in front of the tire (???). Anyone know why the designers moved these forward?

 

[snakem04]

Very cool. You have inspired me. How big do these sheets come. Maybe I can fabricate mud flaps to mount behind the wheels.

 

[Sonoman]

BTW, liked your clear flaps. One thing to watch for, I believe these are designed to snap off before damaging something more expensive (like your inner fender), so don't make 'em too brawny! Gen 3 flaps have plastic fasteners as well, likely to assist in protecting more expensive bodywork in an impact.

 

[Viper Specialty]

Very cool. You have inspired me. How big do these sheets come. Maybe I can fabricate mud flaps to mount behind the wheels.

Those already exist.

 

[snakem04]

Those already exist.

Indeed they do. But arnt they in the $300 range and up. It's not a have to have item, just something I can do to keep myself busy. Is there a cheap diy way to make nice stone gaurds/mud flaps? Ive seen others do it. Are there blue prints to build off of?

 

[Steve-Indy]

snakem04...there are more than one type...I've seen both Dan's (see this thread http://forums.viperclub.org/threads...Pre-Order-Information!?highlight=stone+guards and JonB's at PartsRack.

 

[FrgMstr]

BTW, liked your clear flaps. One thing to watch for, I believe these are designed to snap off before damaging something more expensive (like your inner fender), so don't make 'em too brawny! Gen 3 flaps have plastic fasteners as well, likely to assist in protecting more expensive bodywork in an impact.

Lexan in this gauge is very flexible. I would suggest it is more flexible than the OEM plastic it replaced.

I would not use it to make "mud flaps" though. Lexan is very prone to scratching. It would look trashy, very quickly in an easily visible area.

 

[Silver04]

Very cool! Did you watch MacGyver growing up, by chance?

 

[Viper Specialty]

Indeed they do. But arnt they in the $300 range and up. It's not a have to have item, just something I can do to keep myself busy. Is there a cheap diy way to make nice stone gaurds/mud flaps? Ive seen others do it. Are there blue prints to build off of?

No, there are other options.

 

[Steve-Indy]

One of our members put a set of Dan's guards on his 2008 Viper blue (light) coupe and was delighted with the results. They fit well, looked good (non-bling) and saved his sidesills. It's been a while, but it seems to me that a front set was about $100.00.

 

[Flexx91]

I would not use it to make "mud flaps" though. Lexan is very prone to scratching. It would look trashy, very quickly in an easily visible area.

I was going to say the same thing. They're going to look like old scratched and oxidized headlights before long. If you insist on making your own, simply purchase a small 1/8" thick sheet of ABS or PVC from McMaster-Carr.

 

[bluesrt]

shoot the backside with flatblack paint

 

[cubican]

Kyle, I have some abs plastic that you can use if you like, much better than the lexan you use.

 

[FrgMstr]

ABS is going to be way too brittle for my usage. Even the stock piece snapped in half running Three Sisters. Lexan is perfect because it will bend and not shatter or break and and go back to its original shape unless it is creased. What I would have really liked was some Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene sheet, but it is not easy to come by on a weekend morning.

 

[PacificSEASnake]

Should've gone with transparent aluminum.

 

[FrgMstr]

Should've gone with transparent aluminum.

Some ******* there before me bought it all for building fish tanks.

 

[FrgMstr]

Finally had these take some abuse. The polycarb held up very well. But it is about 5X louder than the OE parts when these scrape the ground.