LexDiamonds

So after getting my black 2004 clk500 last year, I knew right away that eventually I would need to get the AMG/550 spoiler added on... The 550 guys are spoiled (no pun intended)- adding a spoiler really dresses up a stock 500.

After finally getting serious about finding a paint code matched one, my man MidnightAMG on this forum hooked me up with one in excellent condition.

I had done a lot of reading on spoiler installs, etc. and figured it would be pretty straightforward. I am a DIY guy by heart and like to save a buck so I had every intention of doing this job myself. Ordered up the correct VHB tape, adhesion promoter, the whole bit.

On a nice sunny day about 3 weeks ago, I spent about 2 hours stripping all the old tape off the spoiler. Worst job ever. Various combinations of alcohol, brillo pads, goo-gone and razor blades finally got me somewhere. Cleaned down to the bare plastic, prepped with isopropyl, adhesion promoter, fresh VHB went on.

I set the spoiler on the car pre-VHB and taped off a outline of where the spoiler would eventually sit. Had my peelstrips all setup and I was ready to get it done. Had a beer to steel myself and went at it.

EPIC FAIL!

As soon as exposed VHB hits an adhesion prepped surface, the stuff is like concrete. There is no "wiggling it into place". I had gotten the spoiler down in a geometrically even position, but after initial inspection I had a 1-2mm gap on the top of the trunk lid. It looked ok, but I knew I couldnt live with the gap so I made the decision to try again. OK, no problem, just pop it off and hope the tape stays on the spoiler side.. Man... I didnt think it was going to come off... It had only been 2-3 minutes and hadnt even been pressed into place, but it took every bit of strength to pop one end off. I swear I thought a rear wheel was going to lift off the ground as I tried to pry that thing off...

I tried 2 more times but kept getting placement and/or gaps a bit off. By this point, the VHB was starting to stick/stretch/overlap/be nasty so I had to abort the whole project for the day.

I was pissed. Wasted tape and prep supplies. I remember getting totally ****faced that night....

After looking at it with a clean pair of eyes the next day, my fail was that just setting the spoiler on the trunk and sketching out where it should go is not enough. It needs to be "pressed" into position to really properly conform to the curves of the trunk deck. I know this sounds obvious, but the AMG piece really is an excellent fit and just setting it on there looks like its the proper spot, but there is still just a tiny bit of play.

Bottom line-- SPOILER INSTALL IS A TWO PERSON JOB!

So I fretted about this for a week or two, completely dejected about my initial failure. Today I had a buddy come over and had him press the spoiler into place while I masked it off. I also did a better job of applying the tape to the spoiler this time so there was no overlap whatsoever and also that no tape was in the channel that would be occupied by the deck lid.

After test fitting about a dozen times, we peeled the tap from one side to the other and using the masking tape as a guideline, pressed it into place. Success! Perfect fit with no gap whatsoever. I am a borderline perfectionist on stuff like this, and I rate our job as a 98/100. Thanks Matt!!

Takeaways-

-Two person job definately...

-Masking off the outline is the only way to know your placement is exact.

-Work from one side to the other, peeling off the trunk side VHB in pieces by using pre-applied pull tabs on the VHB backing.

-With properly prepped surfaces, the VHB is serious business. Once it contacts, its on there. You really only get one chance short of ruining the tape and starting over. Even with the lip spoiler, I was skeptical of using tape.. that was silly.. stuff is worth every penny.



Thanks for reading my tale. Hopefully this will help someone out in the future. I can post a few pics if anyone is interested.

Louie D

Gald you got it on I just went through the same thing. It is a 2 person job for sure, took me 2 times also.

Please post some pics up.

Klinh

No taping off here. I used the trunk/third brake light as my guide for alignment. A 2nd person definitely will make the job easier but don't really need it.

midnight AMG

You're welcome btw!

Great write up.

I had my BS "professionally installed" - but they screwed it up

After only 1 year part of the back is exposed already

im a stickler too... the AMG OEM trunk lid looks AWESOME only if its super flush with no gaps

congrats! pics would be great

as a point of reference... I would prefer my OEM spoiler on flush > my partially on BS spoiler!

Mka77

I did it with three. Two hold the spoiler in place, the other pulling the tape. Perfect fit...first time.

Bi66s

I just did my spoiler and tail lights thursday spoiler was a 1 man job peeled off the tape started at the left and worked my way to the right had a lil extra left and just decided to cut it off spoiler was $40 painted on ebay might re-do at a later date i think it looks good