Fastening wheel skirts

[Daox]

I've been thinking about how I would fasten wheel skirts on the car should I decide to make some. I've read a few DIYs and none I have seen seem like a great option. Ideally you'd want a tooless design that doesn't take long to remove. This obviously isn't the easiest thing for us DIYers. Here are a few things I was looking into. I'd like to hear from others.



Use locating pins on the top of the skirt. Then use a sort of stud on the chassis and a wing nut on the bottom to hold it on. Here is a rough idea.




Use multiple push-to-close latches. Possibly in conjunction with some locating pins on top. This would necessitate a rigid frame for the skirt.




I guess I'm curious how the OEM sideskirts are held to cars? Some sort of plastic snap would probably work great, but I haven't found any good ones readily avaliable.

[elhigh]

I've been thinking about how I would do this for my own ride, and the idea of several rare-earth magnets embedded in the edge of the skirt struck me. If you have sound steel around the edge of the wheelwell, you could maybe just get the skirt to stay put of its own accord, and yet be easily removable as necessary for maintenance and tire changes.

[AndrewJ]

I've seen someone on GS use Dzus (quarter turn) fasteners like these:



I intended to use them on my car, but I couldn't get them locally, and I didn't want to order them online without seeing them first.

While the tool-less thing sounds like a great idea when you're in the planning stages, it's not that big of a deal when they're on the car. I just bought an extra hex key of the correct size, threw it in the glove box and forgot about it.
Plus, with some kind of tool required, it's that much harder for someone to mess with it.

[bennelson]

I like the idea of the magnets because it would look really clean AND be tool-less.

Since it isn't obvious what's holding the wheel skirts on, nobody is real likely to mess with them.

You may just need to take them off before going through a carwash!

[Frank Lee]

I've had skirts on my car, and were I to do it again they would either have to be hinged or come off very easily, so that gymnastics aren't required at filling stations to check/add air to the rear tires.

[tasdrouille]

Originally Posted by Daox

I've been thinking about how I would fasten wheel skirts on the car should I decide to make some. I've read a few DIYs and none I have seen seem like a great option. Ideally you'd want a tooless design that doesn't take long to remove. This obviously isn't the easiest thing for us DIYers. Here are a few things I was looking into. I'd like to hear from others.



Use locating pins on the top of the skirt. Then use a sort of stud on the chassis and a wing nut on the bottom to hold it on. Here is a rough idea.




Use multiple push-to-close latches. Possibly in conjunction with some locating pins on top. This would necessitate a rigid frame for the skirt.




I guess I'm curious how the OEM sideskirts are held to cars? Some sort of plastic snap would probably work great, but I haven't found any good ones readily avaliable.

I would just put pins sticking out where your wing nuts are and make U groves in the studs so the skirt will slide up in position. Now all I would need is a way to lock it at the top. I would probably use somekind of hook lock like the ones used on rooftop boxes.

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

I've had skirts on my car, and were I to do it again they would either have to be hinged or come off very easily, so that gymnastics aren't required at filling stations to check/add air to the rear tires.

I just roll the car back a little bit until the valve is at the bottom of the tire. No gymnastics required!

I've gone from duct tape, to velcro to duct tape.

Here's what I'm going to do when the weather warms up again:



My goal is to attach things without need for drilling the sheet metal anywhere (rust concerns - even with undercoating).

The bracket squeezes the lip on the wheel arch and is held in place by the nut, bolt & washer (drilled only through the bracket).

The fastener can be a screw, but I'm considering the plastic automotive fasteners with the center button that releases its grip when pushed in - no tools required.

[trebuchet03]

Metro's method is really a good idea in that there's no permanent damage... In fact, I was ready to implement a similar method of attaching skirts... But I discovered my car doesn't have that flange :/

[Daox]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

The fastener can be a screw, but I'm considering the plastic automotive fasteners with the center button that releases its grip when pushed in - no tools required.

These came to mind as I was thinking of this too. However, I don't know where you could buy them? Also, how would you fasten the top of the skirt with these?

[trebuchet03]

Originally Posted by Daox

These came to mind as I was thinking of this too. However, I don't know where you could buy them? Also, how would you fasten the top of the skirt with these?

Local auto parts supply should have replacements They might be called trim fasteners. Otherwise, I imagine every stealership will have them on hand...