Boot Spoiler fitting advice?
 

Hi Ya'll

Just buying a boot spoiler for the wagon. Can anyone offer any advice about fitting - is there a template available for drilling the holes? I know I have to upograde the gas struts too - but am more concerned about fitting the spoiler wrong. What would you recommend I paint over the drilled hole edges to prevent rust?

It was actully a £13.50 steal off ebay - right colour too!

Struts... depends on the overall mass of the spoiler and also the overhang... there are a wide variety of sizes out there. The cheapest struts I've found were about £18 a side from Braydon but I think they were the standard strut. FRF not a bad price either and they will have the range.

The spoiler on mine is plastic, about 3" diameter, and right beside the hinge pivot, so I don't imagine it adds any noticeable weight to the steel & glass hatch whatsoever. If you've bought a whale tail off a WRX it might be a different story :)

In my experience Vaseline usually works very well as a rust inhibitor. I spread it onto a rather large scuff in my paintwork on my old Mk3 Fiesta rust bucket, and the steel was still shiny a year later. I didn't ever wash the car but it was driving around in the rain for a year and on salted roads for the whole of winter. It's also a reasonably good lubricant for the screws so I'd advise that. I have literally zero knowledge of fitting the spoiler though and I'm sure others will have better suggestions. You could probably just use WD40

Thanks baldmosher. I guess I will fit it and take a view on the struts - it's not that I actually access the boot that much, but helps when you are putting your shopping in eh?

The spoiler is a stock Volvo spoiler, so not especially light, but not overly heavey either. Alignment should be relatively simply as the metal work beneath the boot lid trim will indicate where to drill (I hope). I am trying to find some form of clear rubberish sticky sheet that I can cut to the shape of the spoiler feet and stick to the boot lid to act as a gasket/washer against the paintwork - it will reduce the risk of rattling. I could probably get away with a good dob of silicone...

If I have to, I can make a paper template using the spoiler itself. Will draw up, mark where the holes have to be, tape the area to be drilled on the boot lid, give it a punch and then drill the holes - should be a simple enough job.

An it dont half make the back of the car look better. I did a few mods on a Vectra of mine a few years ago - will have to post some pics up - along with a previoulsy cherished 740 Turbo - now that was something special!!

Will probably paint the hole edges with Hammerite and add a smear of grease or vaseline for good measure.

Have a look here: http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=132103

I remember also posting some photos of where the holes for the boot spoiler, but can't find them anywhere

Hi Andy

I think it was me that mentioned the uprated struts, but didn't realise it was a V. I was talking about fitting a boot spoiler to an S40.
I wouldn't think there would be any need for uprating the struts, as the weight of the spoiler on the V is over the hinges.

With regard to the treatment of the holes, I would use zinc primer and overcoat with a couple of layers of touch-up paint.

An old tip I have for fitting the spoiler, is to dab some paint onto the ends of the fixing studs, once you have worked out the position of the spoiler and are ready to fit.
The paint will transfer onto the bodywork and give you the positions for drilling.

Make sure you re-check the measurements, especially if there are fixings around a corner, on the boot spoiler!

I did this on a mark 3 Escort, many years ago, with fantastic results.

Gary