Fitting cycle wings

[Sam-Kit car dreams]

I have done a search but couldnt find a definitive answer !

Any advice about how to drill the holes for the mounting brackets in the right place would be very welcome !

Done all the other horrible holes correctly, just dont want to make a mess of doing the wings !  

[stu999]

QUOTE

Want me to build your car for you?? Let me know !

Want us to help? Ask us!    

Best way is not to drill any holes. Sikaflex, bigheads, fiberglass or a combination is the way forward IMHO...

[slippy]

Sikaflex is the stuff

[CedricTheBrave]

Lots of people fiber glass them on, some people use the 'BIG HEAD' fasteners that glue/glass on and then tie wrap them round the stay.

if you want to drill /bolt them on the best way I found was to mask the underside and the top of the wing, place it in the correct position IIRC trail edge 88-93mm above the underside of the car. then draw round the flat part of the stay underneath of the wing.

make sure they are straight before you draw as they can be a bit wonky form factory

then measure in a reasonable distance making sure you won't be drilling into the bent bit of the stay on the inside edge. and also equal both sides

a small pilot hole where you have marked out will enable you mark the stay from above and then drill to the correct clearance size

I hope that makes sense  

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

some people use the 'BIG HEAD' fasteners that glue/glass on and then tie wrap them round the stay.

I believe that's the type often used on Caterhams; there's another version though, they still have the bit you glass into the wing, but rather than a tie wrap base, they have a threaded bolt section. So they can be bolted onto the wing stays. (Same thing Westfield use for the Aeroscreen fixings)

[James]

If you are going to drill them be aware if you drill the brackets as a pattern and then use this to drill the wings DONT drill both holes in the center of the bracket. Because when it comes to fitting the wings you will find that the holes are not level.

Its best to draw around the braket as a marker then drill the wings (measure twice cut once) and then mark the brakets from the wings and drill, its the long way around but will garantee they look right afterwards.

Of course it does depend how much of a perfecionist you are?

[Sam-Kit car dreams]

Hi all,

Thanks for all the advice, looks as though the Sikaflex route is the most popular.

[KerryS]

I glued mine on with some stuff we use at work called Tigerseal and put a bolt through on the inside return edge of the arch through the stay just in case the glue decided it was  not good enough.

[tex]

Hi all,

Thanks for all the advice, looks as though the Sikaflex route is the most popular.

sikaflex 221 will work great - best way is to clean mating surfaces with a wire brush im the drill wash with degreaser if needed - it will NOT come off unless your too eager to go out in it    leave it at least 24 hours to dry properly.. done mine 3 times now and each time has been great... (no i didnt do it again cos they came loose - made newer stays!)

[AJ9939]

Yeah Sikaflex gets another vote from me. Used it with my carbon-look arches. Keeps the lines nice and clean with no bolts, and it's not gonna come off in a hurry  

[Buzz Billsberry]

Want me to build your car for you?? Let me know !

Want us to help? Ask us!    

Best way is not to drill any holes. Sikaflex, bigheads, fiberglass or a combination is the way forward IMHO...

Totally agree stu999

I have sikaflexed mine on but make sure you buy the adhesive and not the sealant You'll get it from Brown Bros. I got mine at trade but I think it goes for around £15 a tube

Fitting is easy You need to take the tops of the brackets where the wings are gonna be sited back to the metal this will give it a' key' then align the cycle wings into the position of where their gonna sit make up under the wing then roughen wing in marked area clean bothe the wing area & exposed metal area wing a good quality neutral cleaner or like i did brake cleaner

Apply  lost of Sikaflex adhesive on the exposed metal and then position the wing as desired  the clamp both bracket mount with a  “G” clamp or similar & Leave to dry over night.

This way is better than bolting provided you a ply the Sikaflex adhesive to a well cleaned area. It also looks less kitcarish and will not show stress fractures like bolts do after time.

I have had the car upto 150mph chasing Barry Ashcroft across Utah into California and neither of us have lost bonded cycle wings and that was 2 years ago so don't be worried about loosing them! They've been tested!

If you want any more info then drop me a line.

Buzz

[Terry Everall]

Ask Scott Beeland what he thinks about glued on cycle wings that come off at high speed