Bracing for fascia and splitter...

[Racer_726]

I opened up a new topic here (no response before, and wanted to add more), it was originally started here (warranty thread):

Originally posted by Racer_726

What does everybody else do to avoid this?

I make a strong stiff composite fascia and (will make) a splitter that you could stand on when installed. All weighs less than stock Cobra R. Also, reinforce the upper mounting tabs. What are some other solutions?

I've seen a grid of rivets on the front part of the splitter before, I guess there was some sort of reinforcement there.

Urethane is durable, but it's so darn flexible... just the wrong material for these parts to be made of.

Just wondering,

Dave

Here's something I've done to reinforce the upper mounting tabs...



Bonded an 0.020 formed sheet of aluminum to the upper portion...

.
Then to the lower portion... looks kind of like this, a sandwich made of aluminum, JB Weld, plastic, JB Weld, aluminum.... hard to see, I know, but this plastic stuff breaks easily, mine broke once already. The fix couldn't hurt.

Anyway, just adding my two cents worth.

Cheers,
Dave

[Cobra-R]

Dave,
Many of us have been playing at the track this weekend, once things get settled we can discuss this more.
Some guys are still playing with the fixes, and other (me included) have given up on a fix.

Brian

[ac427cobra]

Here are some of the things that I did to support that floppy POS Ford gave us with our R's!

Here is the "foaming" I did to shore up the facia

Center photo:

[ac427cobra]

What good is stiffening up the splitter if the facia is all floppy?

I also foamed both sides with Great Stuff minimal expanding foam.

Here is a shot of the right side foam job:

[ac427cobra]

Here is the support system I made for the bottom of the splitter. I also put an eyebrow piece on the front botton edge about 4" wide.

Unfortunately, I added 16 pounds to the front of the car but it has tested ok at a buck forty three at Road America. With my new exhaust system, I hope to test the splitter at a buck fifty five in September!!

[Racer_726]

Great, that's exactly what I was looking for.

I was wondering though, the Ford styrofoam bumperblock isn't attached to the bumper that well, in fact mine fell off when I removed the fascia (the nipples to attach them to the sheetmetal broke off). I just glued it on with spray adhesive.

The Greatstuff looks like ot stiffens it up quite a bit even so it's not flopping around... maybe even good to foam whe whole entire bumperblock top front and bottom to the fascia, I like that idea, since it doesn't add a lot of weight, and increases the stiffness of that whole area of the fascia.

That's a lot of weight on the splitter... looks like it's thoroughly braced though. The rear bracket attaches to the car I assume.

Is that an A/C condenser on a Cobra R? Or is that an oil cooler (in the first picture).

[ac427cobra]

Originally posted by Racer_726
Great, that's exactly what I was looking for.

I was wondering though, the Ford styrofoam bumperblock isn't attached to the bumper that well, in fact mine fell off when I removed the fascia (the nipples to attach them to the sheetmetal broke off). I just glued it on with spray adhesive.

The Greatstuff looks like ot stiffens it up quite a bit even so it's not flopping around... maybe even good to foam whe whole entire bumperblock top front and bottom to the fascia, I like that idea, since it doesn't add a lot of weight, and increases the stiffness of that whole area of the fascia.

That's a lot of weight on the splitter... looks like it's thoroughly braced though. The rear bracket attaches to the car I assume.

Is that an A/C condenser on a Cobra R? Or is that an oil cooler (in the first picture).

You're correct, it does add some weight but I moved my battery to the trunk so I'm still ahead on the weight game!!

The foam REALLY stiffened up the front facia. I also took out those bogus factory plastic fasteners top and bottom and put a speed nut and a screw in the two top positions and a pair of self threading screws in the bottom that hold the front facia. The foam did wonders. My facia is real tight. Rock solid to be exact.

The black bracket you see on the splitter is the stock bracket that attaches to the car.

The heat exchanger you see is the engine oil cooler.

Let me know if you have any more questions or need more photos!

[Racer_726]

Thanks for taking all the time to provide some assistance.... that's exactly what I was looking for... I guess there's a lot of air trying to flop that splitter around.

I never realized that there was a bracket at the aft side of the splitter mounting it to the body. I'll have to crawl around and see where it mounts to.

Dave