Mazda Rotary Club

General => General Technical => Topic started by: mrfitz on August 12, 2005, 08:58:16 PM

Title: Rear bumper melting
Post by: mrfitz on August 12, 2005, 08:58:16 PM
Just fitted my new Blitz exhaust - looks lovely - warmed the car up and it was smelling a little as it\'s new....  Then it was smelling very plasticy as it melted away part of my rear bumper.

Does anyone know where to get a decent looking shield for your rear bumper to keep the heat away??

Thanks,

Mark.
Title: Rear bumper melting
Post by: Alex on August 12, 2005, 09:27:44 PM
I had the same problem.  Got a stainless heatshield from the states.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7925545818

Needed a little bit of tweaking to get it to fit perfectly but it is spot-on now.

HTH

AL.
Title: Rear bumper melting
Post by: mrfitz on August 12, 2005, 09:50:49 PM
Thanks Alex, Just what I was after.  Did it take long to get here?  How easy were the rivets?

Thanks again,

Mark.
Title: Rear bumper melting
Post by: Alex on August 12, 2005, 10:15:07 PM
They were really good to deal with, not the usual problem with US sellers this time.  I also bought a rotor shaped key blank which I thought was quite nifty :cool

Took about a week to get here.  I had to take a small section off it to make it fit better around the lower bumper contours and just put another drill hole through it to improve the fixing.  Riveting was really easy and I also bonded it on with black automotive bonding agent.  This just joints it to the bumper a bit better.  I bought some cool stainless rivets as well. If you use aluminium stuff it will react with the steel over time and go scabby.

If you get one, give us a shout and I\'ll send you a bunch of stainless rivets as I bought a big pack of 100, so got the odd one or two left   :D

Cheers

AL.
Title: Rear bumper melting
Post by: mrfitz on August 12, 2005, 10:18:28 PM
Thanks Alex, I appreciate that.  Think I\'ll order one now.  I\'ll send you a PM about the rivets.

Cheers Alex,

Mark.
Title: Rear bumper melting
Post by: Alex on August 12, 2005, 10:22:06 PM
No worries.  Give us a shout when you need \'em.

AL.
Title: Rear bumper melting
Post by: Mart160plus on August 14, 2005, 11:56:30 PM
Cor, was gonna join in with you guys til I saw the price, get me the silver foil, I\'ll make me own !!!
Hope to see what your\'s look like soon Gents but for $80 plus postage methinks we can source/build one in the UK.

Cheers,

Mart.
Title: Rear bumper melting
Post by: mrfitz on August 15, 2005, 05:50:04 AM
I do agree with you there Mart, but it all comes down to being arsed to do it....  something I am not!
I\'ll go for the easy option!!

Mark.
Title: Rear bumper melting
Post by: clive on August 15, 2005, 08:06:06 AM
How about just dropping the back box down a little to give an "air gap", that will sort it.

If its actually touching all that will happen if put metal on is it will radiate the heat and melt a bigger area, surely ?
Title: Rear bumper melting
Post by: Alex on August 15, 2005, 09:57:38 AM
I agree the price isn\'t great, but if you think about all the messing about involved in buying some 304 stainless, machining and rolling it into shape and then tigging it up (all of which I can do as I\'ve done metal fabrication and welding courses) you start to get into either more money or a lot of time arsing about.

If I had all the equipment in my cellar I\'d love to do it but it would still take a good few hours to knock together.

Clive, you\'re right.  Giving it an air gap should sort it, but the lower valance of mine was already melted and looked scruffy.  It also started to come away from the main bumper and droop towards the exhaust.  The shield actually pulled everything back into place and even if it does have a bit of heat soak it won\'t radiate far enough out to be visible on the bumper.

I\'m pleased with the look, I\'ll get a piccy and post up to let you see the finish.

AL.
Title: Rear bumper melting
Post by: craigr on August 15, 2005, 04:09:45 PM
Carbon Fibre

Bought from the States, although they imported it from Japan. Rotary Extreme - but got it delivered to my office in Seattle, and personally carried it back to avoid shipping costs.

Just drilled it and riveted to the rear valance. Fits perfectly.

Cheers, Craig
Title: Rear bumper melting
Post by: Kieron on August 15, 2005, 04:14:41 PM
I melted my bumper the day I fitted my nur spec, I did the easy fix (what clive said) and its been fine ever since :)
Title: Rear bumper melting
Post by: Mart160plus on August 15, 2005, 09:28:04 PM
Mark, Alex, I hear you both, and you are right, I\'m full of good intentions, half of which I neither find the time or energy to complete. My 5" tailpipe managed to melt right through the black part of the rear valance at the Ring but it seems to be holding so far.
Craig, that looks wicked, my Rex is silver too, where did you get it from ??

Mart.
Title: Rear bumper melting
Post by: FD3Typer2 on August 15, 2005, 10:03:51 PM
Craigr,

How does the plate hold up against the heat? I have been loking at that plate from Rotary Extreme but was worried it was more for looks than protection. My bumper is getting real black around the exhaust area.
Title: Rear bumper melting
Post by: craigr on August 16, 2005, 09:23:00 AM
Hi all,

The carbon fibre guard works really well. It\'s \'true\' carbon fibre, rather than a lookey-likey, so is very heat resistant. Mart - I got it from Rotary Extreme (their banner ad is on this board).

The photo was when I had a 5-Zigen exhaust, but I now have a Blitz Nur Spec R and it works really well. No colouration, staining, melting or anything.
Title: Rear bumper melting
Post by: Mart160plus on August 16, 2005, 06:19:22 PM
Thanks Craig.

Looked on Rotary Extreme just after I posted yesterday and couldn\'t find it anywhere ! I\'m probably having a mental breakdown but if you could post a link or a part number I would be grateful.

Gracias Senor.

Mart.
Title: Rear bumper melting
Post by: mrfitz on August 16, 2005, 07:09:52 PM
Hi Mart,

It\'s on the Aerokit page, click on Rotaryextreme aero products and it is there at the bottom.

Mark.
Title: Rear bumper melting
Post by: Mart160plus on August 16, 2005, 09:34:24 PM
Found it, cheers !

Mart.
Title: Rear bumper melting
Post by: craigr on August 17, 2005, 09:14:07 AM
If any of you want one, and doesn\'t mind waiting a tad, I can get it processed through my US office, and one of the guys can carry it in in hand baggage. Will save on shipping costs, and possible customs charges.

PM me if interested.
Title: Rear bumper melting
Post by: FD3Typer2 on August 17, 2005, 06:48:41 PM
That\'s very kind of you. I\'m in!
Title: Rear bumper melting
Post by: craigr on August 18, 2005, 09:05:38 AM
OK, this is going to be fraught with challenge, but let\'s give it a go...

I suggest doing the following (for all those who are interested).

1) Order & pay for the carbon guard directly from Rotary Extreme, with delivery to the following address:

Nick Gyles
c/o WDSGlobal
401 Park Place Suite 500
Kirkland
WA 98033
USA

2) Let me know that you have done this via PM or to my mail at craig.rich@wdsglobal.com (so I know how many to expect...), and also give me your address.

3) Nick (my guy in the US) is travelling over to the UK in early September, so the orders will have to be delivered by August 29th at the latest in order for him to bring them over this time round. Please confirm with Rotary Extreme that this is achievable before placing your order (I cannot guarantee the next time someone is coming over to the UK after this).

4) Once I have them, I will post out to each of you for whatever the postage cost is (or you can collect if you are near Poole in Dorset). ETA 2nd week of Sept.

I hope that all makes sense.

Cheers for now, Craig