Well I left my shims red and got creative with some duct tape for the covers that seemed impossible to get off without ruination. I have a spare set of Carrara White covers from BumperPlugs but decided not to use them since they aren't exactly cheap and I want to experiment with wing angle this year.

I'll just keep the pristine set ready for when I need them. In the interim, it is easier, cheaper, and IMO, kind of cool, to just use duct tape. White tape blends in just about right for an invisible solution but I wanted to see what red would look like.

Just use your ruined set of covers as a template with a scapel or hobby knife and your all done in about 2 minutes.

cheers.

 

Thanks for the info/suggestions, Jim.

Seems like some extra covers are needed also -- I'll have them painted up by my body shop at the same time they paint the shims.

Others agree that the covers cannot be removed without damaging them. Is there a trick to removing them without damage?

Andy

 

Andy,

I bought a new set from bumperplugs before I removed them just so I could see how to get them out without toasting them. In the end, if there is a way to do it, it is beyond me...

 

just leave the plug out, the hole looks brute and functional.

 

Do they simply pop out?

What do you do, pry them out with a blade or screw driver?

One idea is to drill a small hole in the center of the plug and then epoxy a nut (say 10-24 0r 10-32) on the inside of the plug.

When you want to remove them, just screw in a long machine screw and either pull them out or maybe the screw will bottom out on whatever is under the plug and drive the plug out.

You can fill the hole with a nylon screw or something otherwise.

Just a thought.

 

The plugs are a rubberized plastic piece and have three beveled legs that should seemingly fold in to allow the plug to slide out. In fact, they grab the edge of the wing strut on their way out and eventually tear as they finally let go. I think some people have gotten them out intact but I'm not sure how.

The tape is easy, keeps the inside of the strut sealed off from the elements, and looks appropriate for the car. Cutting it to the shape of the plugs makes it street acceptable in my opinion.

Either way, if anybody gets the technique down to get them out, let everybody know how to do it!

Cheers.

 

I painters taped my wing around the plug (to protect the paint) and used a very small flat head screwdriver to slowly pry it up just lifting around the plug in a circle lifting a section at a time until it was almost all the way out. Then you can see the legs needed to manipulte to come out. No damage here!

 

ditto Dell's procedure up to the point of having the plug partially out all the way around...then wrap a short piece of insulated wire around the plug....give the wire a few twists and the plug will compress and come right out....

 

+1 on that technique.

I like Marv's idea too.

 

I've got the 4 degree shims and they seem to work very well at T-hill, LS, etc. I used spray paint to paint them flat black and it looks good. I also have the stock front lip and there's no handling issues.

 

This weekend I am going to run VIR with the 4 degree one day and the 8 degree the other day. I'll capture Traqmate data as well as "butt" data. I'll report back.

 

wish PCA would let us run one in B stock! I dont understand why not considering the 997TT, 996 GT2 997 GT3 and 997GT3RS run in the same class and a spoiler for my 996 GT3 would not do much

 

Well I just got back from VIR and I forgot to change out the shims. I will defintely do it the next time out. Besides, we ran the Grand course and I really couldn't get a good feel for straight line speed since one of our two straights was cut in half to allow for turn-in to the inner course.

But, I do have good data on my speed, etc, on the main striaght that is high speed sweeper so I can compare it to the next time I am out there. The one thing I noticed though is my Traqmate speed recorded and my speedo reported speed is significantly differnt. 7mph and speed between 140-150. I assume the TM is the accurate one and the car speedo is the one a bit off.

 

Dell, don't know what wheel, tire combo you are running now...that could easily bump off the speedo...

 

stock wheels with Nitto NT01 tires (245/40 and 315/30)