Drilling holes for Side Skirts (sedan) (O_O)=b

[SCT]

Ok, just got my gts sideskirts. Is there a "safe" way to drill the holes on the rockers? Last thing I need is to drill holes in the metal rockers, attached the skirts, and have them fall off a year later from all the holes rusting out.

I don't know how these are installed, factory-wise... Probably have factory rust problems as well. damn the rust!

I'm still worried about the hole I drilled in the firewall for my clutch master cylinder.

[jmaz87]

well traditionally u would treat a hole u make... u can just primer over it or u can go the full nine yards with an epoxy sealer then paint.

as far as securing through a hole u can go to hardware store they have these screws that look like a fishing spear (it spread out like fingers) that way u stick it through the hole, it opens and then u can tighten down against material.

[Flashmn]

Glue them on with proper adhesive, theres no way to get paint on the "wrong"side of the panel.

[jmaz87]

i can't think of any adhesives that i would trust at 100mph+ without some kind of anchor embedded like with fiberglass where u glass a nut in then drill back out.

[stancati]

use the screws that i had explained, i ran 1/2" self tapping screws down the side of the car, i will provide pictures if you would like me to

this pic is similar, but the ones i used have a pointed screw type end, but a simple 1/2" bolt would do the trick (if using bolts i would recommend some medium strength thread lock, and/or some lock washers)

http://www.boltmotorcyclehardware.com/images/M6S.gif

First put the skirts up in place, using small pieces of doublesided tape, dont put alot or it will be hard to remove, also insert plastic push pins into the inner fender spots to hold in the exact position you would want them tightened too

then mark all the spots were holes will be drilled,

take the skirts off, and use a 1/4" drill or similar to use as a pilot hole (if u use bolts then u will need to measure and drill to the size of the inner diameter of the thread), u dont want the bolts loose or they will walk themselves out

once the pilot holes are drilled, clean them and paint them, once dry, slap on some grease or rust proof, and bingo, ur ready to go

then just put the skirts up using the self tapping screws, or something similar, dont go to small though, the skirts do have some weight to them and they need support, the less support you give them, the more chance of the fibreglass cracking

in the inner fenders use C clips (quick fasteners) in combination with some simple trim screws (u slide the c clips onto the inner fender tabs were the plastic inner fender is attached too (usually with plastic push pins) and put the trim screw in instead off the plastic push pin)

C clips pic
http://www.nnmetalstampings.com/Fast...s/image002.jpg

i hope that helps

[SCT]

I'll see what I can do. It's just the exposed metal on the other side of the rockers after drilling that I find would be future problematic. I'll find a way to get back there.

Thanks

[stancati]

i installed using the method i explained

its been 2 years and no rust or issues

just so u know

[Kiwi-Corolla]

I've installed front lips and side skirts on quite a few cars in the past and every time I just used self-tapping screws. Never had an issue with rust and they've definitely never fallen off.

You should be fine with screws just going in each end of the side skirts (into the wheel well area). If you want to be extra cautious, then put a large bead of epoxy resin right along the side of the sideskirts, although it'll be a pain if you ever have to remove them.

Also, if there are any gaps afterwards between the body and the skirts, just mix up some silicone and bead it along the gap. Then mix up some water with dishwasher detergent and run your finger along the bead to get everything smooth and flush.

I recently bought some fibreglass sideskirts for my 7th gen Corolla and I'll be doing exactly what I wrote above when I fit them.

Here's some photos of a Toyota Vitz RS front lip spoiler I fitted, this shows what I was meaning about the grey bead of silicone. You can use any colour you like, but I chose grey as it was identical to how the factory sideskirts were done. If your sideskirts are a perfect fit then you more than likely won't need a bead of silicone, but I did this as the front lip was a replica so there were a couple of tiny gaps (just me being picky) and because it matched the other factory lips on the car -

[gold94corolla]

wow, I've never seen anyone use gray silicone on there like that.... wouldn't that look kinda weird?

I simply drilled holes in the rear rocker for my side skirts.... I primered it after. As you can see, I already had it rusted out, so I didn't really care about rust. But, even so, the screws have never even come loose, much less fallen out! Take off the wheel to make it easy.


I also highly recommend double-sided tape if you can use and fit it.


Completed, ready for paint:

[SCT]

I usually see black silicone used, especially on cars that have carbon fiber pieces attached.

gold94corolla, noticed you lived in MD. There's a small spring meet coming up 3.20.2010, you should come. The link is in my sig. BTW, the part of the well you drilled for the rear, all that is fiberglass for me. Cheap shop fiberglass OVER the rusted area, and now it's coming through. In the process of buying a cutout from a donor car and going to weld it in place. And nice car, btw! Same as my older sis's car, except '96. I like the blue headliner and the lights on the door.

[Kiwi-Corolla]

Originally Posted by gold94corolla

wow, I've never seen anyone use gray silicone on there like that.... wouldn't that look kinda weird?

Nope, because that's exactly what Toyota did in the factory when they put the sideskirts on. You can't even tell that it's there as it looks normal . Just finishes off the job nicely.

[gold94corolla]

Originally Posted by SCT

I usually see black silicone used, especially on cars that have carbon fiber pieces attached.

gold94corolla, noticed you lived in MD. There's a small spring meet coming up 3.20.2010, you should come. The link is in my sig. BTW, the part of the well you drilled for the rear, all that is fiberglass for me. Cheap shop fiberglass OVER the rusted area, and now it's coming through. In the process of buying a cutout from a donor car and going to weld it in place. And nice car, btw! Same as my older sis's car, except '96. I like the blue headliner and the lights on the door.

cool, so you'd be drilling into fiber glass? Well, if you are going to replace it with nice metal, maybe do the drilling before you put it on the car, that way you can make sure to get the primer on the front and back

And thanks for the compliments!!!!

That meet is kinda far away, I've never ever gone to one before LOL. My car is the shambles at the moment with all this weather. Maybe some other time

[gold94corolla]

Originally Posted by Kiwi-Corolla

Nope, because that's exactly what Toyota did in the factory when they put the sideskirts on. You can't even tell that it's there as it looks normal . Just finishes off the job nicely.

Well that's cool, because I had never even heard of that before. My front lip sure didn't fit very well, well in fact it is gone now because it fell off

[Kiwi-Corolla]

Originally Posted by gold94corolla

Well that's cool, because I had never even heard of that before. My front lip sure didn't fit very well, well in fact it is gone now because it fell off

LOL! I made sure I resined the hell out of the front lip on the Vitz as it was imported all the way from Cyprus (impossible to find the original Toyota ones here), and the owner would have killed me if it had fallen off. It still had 2 screws either side and two in the middle, but I didn't want to take any chances. Makes it almost impossible for thieves to steal too . I even went as far as countersinking the screws and putting little gold caps over them, just as a finishing touch, lol.

[kwint]

So you're using coupe sideskirts? Any pics of how modded it to fit and on the car?