Splitter and Diffuser - replacing the crunchy parts

[t32b]

I'm considering replacing the breakable bits of my FGT - the front splitter and rear diffuser(s) - if for no other reason than with a rubberized diffuser, I might be able to get the car in and out of my garage without a small amount of ramp assist to prevent it from bottoming/scraping.
Stillen has such parts on their site - and I'm looking for any feedback you might have:
Is the splitter an 'add on' part to the existing splitter (not as valuable) or a complete replacement (I would prefer)?
Do you have to drill the car to add it or does it use existing mounting points/holes?
Is it sufficiently flexible (like the lower lip of my Carrera S) that it can be scuffed here and there without damage?
And do the rear diffusers have similar quailities?
Thanks

 

[BlackICE]

Stillens rear diffuser can take a beating and mounts with rivets in the same holes as the stock rear diffuser. The front splitter rivets or bolts on the stock front spilitter with holes you must drill and would make clearances worst than stock.

I think stillen's website has installation information.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Would your GT still not be scraping no matter what you replaced the OEM stuff with?

May I suggest that the best remedy might be to simply redo the driveway's "pitch" where it meets the garage instead?

I don't know about your situation, but I grew VERY tired of having to put down a plywood ramp to get my GT in & out of the driveway. So, I regraded it. NOW, I just throw up the garage door, get in the car, hit the starter - and GO.

M-U-C-H-O 'gooder'.

 

[BlackICE]

Hey Pockets, he is in the PR of CA, regrading your driveway takes a permit that will require a soils and structural engineering report and site and grading survey and drain/runoff study. Maybe an environmental impact study too. God help you if you find an endangered species on your property! In 6 months or so they might let you regrade!

 

[Empty Pockets]

Hey Pockets, he is in the PR of CA, regrading your driveway takes a permit that will require a soils and structural engineering report and site and grading survey and drain/runoff study. Maybe an environmental impact study too. God help you if you find an endangered species on your property! In 6 months or so they might let you regrade!

TO AN EXISTING DRIVEWAY??? ...Then STEALTH (read that: nightime job) would be the watchword for the suggested mods. But, I'd do it with or WITHOUT the local nazi's blessing. Good gallopin' krymuny.

("Land of the FREE(?)" my hind foot. Dan'l Boone must be spinnin' in his grave like he was mounted on a lathe...:thumbsdow)

 

[BlackICE]

TO AN EXISTING DRIVEWAY??? ...Then STEALTH (read that: nightime job) would be the watchword for the suggested mods. But, I'd do it with or WITHOUT the local nazi's blessing. Good gallopin' krymuny.

("Land of the FREE(?)" my hind foot. Dan'l Boone must be spinnin' in his grave like he was mounted on a lathe...:thumbsdow)

Steath works as long as your neighbor doesn't turn you in!

Remember we only rent "our property" from the state, paying lease payments in the form of property taxes. We cannot make any changes to the state's property without asking for permission first!

 

[Empty Pockets]

Steath works as long as your neighbor doesn't turn you in!

Remember we only rent "our property" from the state, paying lease payments in the form of property taxes. We cannot make any changes to the state's property without asking for permission first!

'Sendin' a PM on this rather than hijacking this thread...

 

[kmillen]

The front splitter does require some drilling but the rear diffuser is designed to be a direct replacement. The urethane is much more durable than the factory diffuser. Instead of breaking on impact with the ground it will slide a little bit.

 

[t32b]

Splitter advice

...yea, and after I file with the county and the EPA, I'd likely be classified as a Superfund site.
But yes, I may go the driveway mod route. But that doesn't mitigate the risk of scuffing/breaking this part elsewhere in the big bad world. And if I scuffed the replacement, while preserving the original, I wouldn't care at all.
But it looks like the splitter is an add-on that would fail to address the issue. No doubt a good piece for performance reasons, but doesn't fill the bill.
I still might swap the rear diffusers. They seem like a relatively simple swap. Anyone have any experience with them?
And thanks BlackICE for your geo/eco-sensitive comments. (That's Bay Area speak folks, you'd all likely not understand)

 

[somelee]

..
I still might swap the rear diffusers. They seem like a relatively simple swap. Anyone have any experience with them?

taking the rear diffuser off isn't really a big deal.....just a ton of torx screws.....the tricky party is getting to them all....in my case since my car is slightly lowered I had to back up on 2X4"s so I could fit the jack under the car....needed to get the car off the ground a bit to reach the screws in the middle area of the diffuser.....not too big of a deal.......and I would suggest if your doing it alone to put something between the floor and the diffuser to hold it up when all the screws start coming out (you don't want one side to fall and crack the other) I just used a small cardboard box with a bunch of shop towels on top of it..........good luck!

 

[PL510*Jeff]

Would your GT still not be scraping no matter what you replaced the OEM stuff with?

May I suggest that the best remedy might be to simply redo the driveway's "pitch" where it meets the garage instead?

I don't know about your situation, but I grew VERY tired of having to put down a plywood ramp to get my GT in & out of the driveway. So, I regraded it. NOW, I just throw up the garage door, get in the car, hit the starter - and GO.

M-U-C-H-O 'gooder'.

GO he says? Not often or very far!

 

[t32b]

Taking off the diffusers

taking the rear diffuser off isn't really a big deal.....just a ton of torx screws.....the tricky party is getting to them all....in my case since my car is slightly lowered I had to back up on 2X4"s so I could fit the jack under the car....needed to get the car off the ground a bit to reach the screws in the middle area of the diffuser.....not too big of a deal.......and I would suggest if your doing it alone to put something between the floor and the diffuser to hold it up when all the screws start coming out (you don't want one side to fall and crack the other) I just used a small cardboard box with a bunch of shop towels on top of it..........good luck!

Thanks, but just checking... The Stillen site show the installation to require removal of the pan so that the rivets holding the diffusers can be drilled out and the new diffusers riveted in. Do you mean to say that yours were bolted in - precluding the need to remove the pan? Or you are referencing the procedure to remove the pan?

 

[MAD IN NC]

the pan.... theere are twenty seven screws (5 longer and on the back) that hold the whole diffuser on

 

[Empty Pockets]

the pan.... theere are twenty seven screws (5 longer and on the back) that hold the whole diffuser on

Who sez we don't build cars like the Germans!!!!!! :rofl

 

[somelee]

yeah....even after backing up on 2X4's because my car is lowered I hade to take off the side splitter to get the jack under there to jack it up to take off the diffuser....so I could take off the lower rear mesh grill....so I could take off my borla tips.....so I could get to 2 screws that hold the exhaust bezel on!
took forever to get to those two little suckers.......I hope they never come loose....I don't wanna go through that again!
I think I'm gonna make some real low rise ramps.....that'll make stuff much easier.

 

[S592R]

GO he says? Not often or very far!

Rolling around in the garage making engine noises with his mouth does not count!!!!! :lol:lol:lol

 

[S592R]

Going with the Stillen units here .... then I don't have to worry about curbs when I back into parking slots.

Would like to see one on a bumper delete car. Anyone got any pics of that????

 

[Empty Pockets]

Rolling around in the garage making engine noises with his mouth does not count!!!!! :lol:lol:lol

Who says? Just WHERE is that written in stone? :skep

Doing that added 0.3 imaginary miles to the car's total only yesterday... :tongue

 

[Empty Pockets]

GO he says? Not often or very far!

You an' Stevey plot thishere stuff over th' phone, don't yuz.

(So tell me Jeffey: what company DOES make th' proper size snow chains for a GT these days anyway? And how well did your set hold up last winter? :lol)

 

[PL510*Jeff]

S"no"w Chains

As per the Owners' Manual-

"Do Not Install Snow Chains on this vehicle. It WILL cause damaged to the vehicle. This vehicle was not designed to or intended to be driven in snow."

Those statements precluded me from installing chains. With 60% (?) of the weight over the driven wheels, I found that careful use of the right foot traction control pedal, allowed me to proceed safely and slowly in up to 6" of new snow. On stock tires.

Ice is a real bugger, especially when changing lanes on a plowed road. I had a couple of "Depends" moments in the Blue Mountains of Oregon and on 10 east of El Paso last year.

Also one needs to be aware that ice will film over the front of the GT. Road spray from other cars and trucks, especially where they use anti-icing agents, will build up on the front of the GT at lower air temperatures.

And you thought GT's only overheated while on the race track. My GT started to overheat after driving 300 miles in West Texas, with 30 degree, mixed rain and snow conditions. After stopping to try and "figure out" what the problem was, I found my GT coated with about 3/8" of ice, completely covering the front end. The '05 grill was totally encrusted and thus NO airflow to the radiators.

The handy awl on my Leatherman Tool and a can of spray de-icer got me back on the road. :thumbsup

All in all - a pretty amazing vehicle. Just like the old Post Office saying- neither rain, sleet or snow will stop the GT. Only the axle bolts do that.