installing alpina lip flares

[jasonc]

Need help from you guys regarding installing Alpina Lip Flares. I've been thinking about buying a set and installing myslef...is this a DIY project or should I leave this to the professionals. Any advice is welcomed.

thanks in advance

[SteveJ]

When I did the box flares on my first 02, I did almost all of the work myself, however I DID have professional help for the job. It was a lot of work. You will need to know a bit about bodywork, and having that pro hand and eye would help.

[jasonc]

Steve thanks...any good books out there, or links that you know of that could let me know what I'm getting mysefl into?

[dapbmw]

i would recommend a pro. the front fenders are easy to cut, it is the back is harder as there is an inner and outer fender and must be re-joined by welding it, the flares can be glued or riveted your choice. if you were in toronto, my guy can put the lip flares for you for $500.00. btw i am the one who sells the wheel arch flares.

dave

[BillWilliams]

Some have mentioned to me that joining fiberglass flares to metal fenders will cause a problem in a few years. THose problems being seperation and cracking.

Anything to the caution or is there a certain way to mount those?

[Harv]

The improvements in glue have been huge over the last few years. The first shop was going to hold em on with rivets and epoxy. The shop that did the actual install bonded them on with the stuff BMW uses to secure composite roofs and floors. I don't remember off hand how much that stuff costs but I think it was over 200 a tube. My body guy said the flare will crack and break before the parts that are bonded ever think about coming off.

Remember the pics with all those clamps on my car?

John

[BillWilliams]

wondering about is Alpina lip flares that have to blend to the metal.

[Harv]

Once the flare is bonded to the metal, you still have to blend it in with filler (bondo) and grinding/sanding.

John

[BillWilliams]

of that bond. Some say it is inevitable to crack in two years. Two body guys have declined to put them on the car because they do not want to be responsible for the long term success of that bond.

[Harv]

I guess it depends on the experience of the body shop. The guy that put on my flares runs the custom/restoration part of a very large shop where they have many techs that regularly go to school to keep up with the latest body stuff. I guess they are the place to bring things like A8s and new cars with composites like Porsches ect. Tod (my body guy) said the stuff he used to bond the flares on is the same stuff BMW uses to glue in composite panels in their new cars. I'm also it depends on the preparation to the area where the flare is to mount. There is no reason, if done right they will crack and come off unless the metal underneath is weak and flexing. Even then..... When the glue dried on my flares there was enough heat to actually warp the steel in the rear 1/4 panel. However in a little flare like the lip flare you wouldn't have that problem.

As some eluded to, the front's are easy. The work is in the rear. Once you trim the rear fender, you have to join the inner fender to the outer fender.

John