Attachment methods

[tjts1]

I used zipties. Dozens and dozens of zipties of zip ties to attach my coroplast bellypan in place.

[instarx]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

But how is the velcro attached?

I used velcro for my rear wheel skirts v.1.0 ( http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...metro-103.html ). They held fine, but the first time I went to detach them, the velcro stayed together and peeled off the car.

Version 2.0 uses brackets & screws.

Most people don't apply nearly enough pressure when applying anything that is adhesive-backed. Typically they just stick it on and give it a push. To adhere properly the items have to have to have a lot of force applied, preferably with a roller or rounded tool (back of a screwdriver for example). Properly appled velcro will be five to ten times stronger than if it is only given a half-hearted press with your finger.

[instarx]

Originally Posted by cfg83

instarx -

Wow, that's impressive. Can you describe the orientation of the attachment? I am assuming the velcro is horizontal, "ceiling mounted", aka being pulled down by gravity all the time.

CarloSW2

Thanks, I think it turned out pretty well for $4.69 worth of PVC rain-guttering. The rain gutter was cut lengthwise to give the dam an L-shape, the short part of the L becomes a horizontal lip that faces to the front of the car. The back of the gutter (the part that goes against the house) is the part you see on the car, so the bottom of the gutter turns into the horizontal mounting lip. I had to cut some slits in the lip to allow it to bend in a nice curve. The velcro is attached to the bottom of the lip and to the top of the body panel, so yes - the velcro is horizontal.

However, where the ends of the dam meet the front of the wheel well the vertical part of the dam (the part that you see) is bent 90 degrees inward so the velcro there is vertical, holding the dam to the wheel well material.

Next project: side skirts made of the same gutter material. I think screws or plastic rivets will be a better choice for those. Neither the dam nor the skirts will stay white - I'll paint them dark grey to match the car trim.

[Concrete]

Most people don't apply nearly enough pressure when applying anything that is adhesive-backed.

I agree - not to mention properly cleaning or scuffing the surface

and not all adhesives are the same
cheap velcro adhesive is going to melt in the heat and get nasty on you no matter what you do
but there is better stuff out there

3M has what they call VHB - it is an adhesive tape (not sure it is available to public or not)
some OEMs hold commercial truck trim pieces on with it
My experience is it will hold at +600 mph - very impressive stuff

...but if you want it to work 100% you have to clean/scuff/roll and then it needs at least a few hours at room temp to really get up to a full bond

same is true of most adhesive tapes

one last note if you are only using adhesives to hold something on (like velcro)
you have to be careful about solvents and contamination

it would be sad to loose your custom fender skirt because gas got on the adhesive and dissolved some of it

[Sayyad]

I'd like to suggest super strong magnets. Even the small chromed neodymium-based rare earth ones are each able to hold several kilograms. Perhaps they could be sunk into plastic with heat and then glued in place. To avoid paint scuffs when installing something that contacts the body like fender skirts a piece of tape could be applied sticky-side towards the magnet.

[ajax_6531]

Tape:
How about the aluminum tape used for 1) sealing HVAC systems and 2) battle damage to F/A-18 Jets. Stickier than a used p--- star. Also, if you can find a copy of the NAVAIR 01-1A-8 manual, it is the Navy's fastener manual. I won't post because of the nature of technical manuals, but if you find it...