sunpointair

They are suppose to deliver mine today. Thanks, Neal ! I am sure you're glad this GB is done !
Timing is really perfect ! Just got my car back from Jerry @ Eurocharged, New TB, Pulley, Tune and Headers ! This will finish it off nicely !!!!!!

BlackC230Coupe

Very happy to have it end! The rest should be shipping out in 2-3 days.

sunpointair

Well got mine and went to put it on and the epoxy on the bolt heads didn't hold. It popped right off when I went to align it up to my drilled holes ! I was trying to be careful and didn't even get to where I was going to put a nut on it. I've re-expoxied them...... I hope that does it, i can see that we need them to pull the sides in a little...Seems like there could of been a better way ?????

danlnyc

I know this is gonna be a slim-to-none chance, but if anybody (or whatever reason..) has to sell their diffuser I want to be the FIRST to know!! please!!

BlackC230Coupe

That is odd. However it is not the first time I have heard this happen. It has happened before. We actually do not use epoxy, we use resin/harder/chopped fiberglass. Rarely the mix is wrong and it is not strong and I have heard them fall off before. When the mix is right, it is literally hard as a rock and you can pick up the diffuser and bounce it up and down holding the bolt. We have actually had to take a hammer to some before to take it off. However, if the mix is wrong, the bad part is your other one and ALL other peoples will be weak too! We test the mix when we do it, and it was good on the batch when we checked it. So I pray it is ok. Sometimes it is not a concentrated drop that goes on? Hopefully that is your case and is not an epidemic. Or maybe it hit something hard without you realizing it? Maybe in shipping? In any case, if you would like, we can re attach it for you. We will pay for the return shipping both ways of course.

As far as the design. We use that same design on almost all our diffusers for the past 5 years. That design with the bolts we found to be excellent over the years, not only to eliminate any side gaps, but to prevent it from falling off if someone did not prep the surface right, or theft, or even from the heat over the exhaust to potentially weaken the tape. The bolts assure it to be on there forever. The sides are under tension with the bolts secured. So yes, without the bolts, the side will not lay flat.

If anyone else has this issue, please let me know.

Ken was so far the only person to have his installed that I know of. He said his installer took off the bumper to do it because the access to the bolts was to close to the frame. He told us to lower the bolt location to fix that, which we did. So hopefully that took care of it. Ken also said his installer screwed in multiple screws under the diffuser to the bumper. (picture below) as far as we know, this is NOT required and you do not need to do this unless you desire to.

zneB-sedecreM

Grrr, one of my bolts actually fell of without me even noticing lol
What is the best way to reattach it, gorilla glue perhaps?

BlackC230Coupe

Great! just what i was hoping would not happen. Can you email me a picture if possible? Is the entire area of resin broken off with it? or did it leave a circle and only the bolt broke off clean? if you can email me at neal@etkms.com if you do re attach it, try to put it in the exact same spot. If you want to try attaching it, you can try gorilla glue, i never tried it. But you can. If that does not work, and you do not want to attempt anything else, I will again repair that bolt and pay for shipping both ways.

To the people just getting them, try to easily wiggle the bolt, make sure it is strong. Please do NOT try to break it off! I just want to make sure it is somewhat secure before you go further to start the install. Seeing that 2 people have bolts off already makes me think it is either a coincidence or the epidemic i was not hoping for from a bad resin/harder mix.

I just thought if something that was once the problem with E55 customers.I am not blaming anyone, but possibly people are not aware the bolts are there when un wrapping the part and are trying to pull the foam wrap off the sides weakening or breaking off the side bolts. PLEASE BE CAREFUL WHEN OPENING THE SIDES TO ALL THE NEW PEOPLE. DO NOT PULL ANYTHING. CUT AWAY VERY CAREFULLY!

zneB-sedecreM

Yeah, nothing on the actual diffuser itself broke, just the bolt came off. Its just a white circle on the diffuser outlining where it was sitting. The other side bolt seems to be on securely. I just noticed it missing last night, I hope the bolt is where I think it fell lol

sunpointair

I was careful unwrapping mine when I got it and they were both attached. This happened when I was trying to position the diffuser in my newly drilled holes.
I thought you had stated earlier that this was some type of epoxy. I have mixed up a epoxy and clamped them on last night. Wonder if this even going to be strong enough ?
Neal, the screws come off with just a slick spot remaining. It didn't remove any material from the diffuser. I did grind the remaining material off the heads and sanded the area before I epoxied them. I also used a clamp to hold them. It should be hard enough today for me to see how it holds. I hope this works.

sunpointair

Neal, Well I just tried it again and my expoxy didn't hold ! The bad part is that it didn't pop off until I was just screwing the nut on. I had this epoxied really well and it was set up good and hard. I really don't think the Grollia Glue will hold any better than the epoxy ! The problem now is have all the backing off the tape and stuck partially to the bumper.
Well, I really didn't want to send this back so, guys if you have this problem and Really want it on there is a easy solution without returning it to Neal.
My broke off when trying to tighten them, i really wasn't turning that hard either.
Do this, for starters drop the rear mufflers by removing the rear brackets. It's just 2 bolts on each side. I don't know how anybody could get a socket on theses bolts period. I then just drilled 2 holes, just about like Ken did in the picture, but farther out to the edge where there is a existing hole (that was used for the cover you removed). the bolt head doesn't really show and now you can put a wrench on the the nut and tighten up. With just theses 2 bolts and nuts it seem to pull it up fine and I don't believe its going anywhere !
Just my 2 cents ! I think I gave Neal plenty of grief on all this and hope this helps resolve this. By the way........ IT LOOKS GREAT !!!!

BlackC230Coupe

Thanks for the info!! I wish Ken was here so he could respond. I never actually got to install one in person, or see the installed part, so this is why it may have some confusion here. We did what he told us to do, and assumed it should work. Regarding the bolts coming off, well that is no ones fault but a bad mix. (we call it epoxy just because its quicker then saying resin/harderner/fiberglass mix). Again, for anyone wanting us to re attach the bolts (they will be VERY secure when the mix is correct) please let me know. But as sunpointair pointed out, it may be a better alternative to just put a screw at the bottom, by the exhaust to hold it there and basically do the samething our bolt would have did. Can you post up pictures for us to see where you put your screw or bolt? I think you mentioned you used a bolt with a nut. A metal screw with a thick grabbing thread may work to if you do not want to use a nut.

Thanks
Neal

zneB-sedecreM

Well, I lost the bolt while it fell, I didn't even notice lol. Neal, can you please inform me what size the screw, bolt and washers are so I can go to the hardware store and grab the same size bolts?

BlackC230Coupe

You don't need to buy anything. I will overnight it to you for free if you want new. However, the method sunpointair pointed out may be a new better way, especially for access to the bolt, just incase your glue you use does not hold.

zneB-sedecreM

Hmmm, well I am not gonna be putting it on myself. Whatever's easier for my installer lol, I gave it to him and he's probably gonna want to follow the instructons. Will the bolts even be neccessary if sunpointair's method is followed?

zneB-sedecreM

Is it more than likely that the rear bumper has to come off for it to go on?

BlackC230Coupe

You know what, I will send you a new bolt, nut and washers today overnight anyway so you have them just incase. sunpointair's way sounds like you do not need the bolts at all. But you will have them should you decide to.

The bumper does not need to come off at all.

zneB-sedecreM

Nice! Thanks a lot Neal!

sunpointair

Hey guys, Sorry i didn't get back sooner ! You REALLY don't need Neal's bolt. My camera in my Blackberry isn't working right or I'd post a picture.
What i did looks like what Ken did, but, just ONE bolt and nut on each side. Neal is probably right, you could use a screw, but, I did use a small bolt with a locking nut. When you remove the black existing cover you will see the holes I am talking about that is already drilled in the bumper. Ken's mechanic made several new holes and looks like he used several bolts and nuts. I really think that is a overkill and just one on each side will be sufficient. The foam tape will take care of the rest. I would just use Neal's bolts and if they fail you can do what i did, even with the tape partially stuck on the bumper ! You can drill the hole or holes with the diffuser partially attached and drill theses hole or holes if necessary. I would DEFINITELY drop the mufflers like I said before. It gives you more room to get a wrench on the nut and to push it out of the way to drill.

BlackC230Coupe

Thank you very much for that info. Good suggestion. If your bolt falls off, you can either send it to us to re attach, or you can do it this way, and honestly, this way may be just as good if not better. Possibly easier too. Thank you.

BlackC230Coupe

Your bolt, washers and nut have been sent out via UPS overnight. You will have it tomorrow. You can use either installation method you prefer. I will PM you the tracking # now.

sunpointair

If anybody has any question please Pm me and I'll help with what I can ! Really you don't need the bolts from Neal ! Theres not a lot of sense in sending it back or waiting for the bolts. It really is a easy fix, just a trip to the hardware store if you don't have the bolts and nuts .........

Das Geld 2

Pics ppl

zneB-sedecreM

Installation first lol, should be done by this weekend

sunpointair

Did You get her Done ?

zneB-sedecreM

Should be by today hopefully, that's the last thing my installer is putting on. Can't wait to see how it comes