'Glued' Spoiler experiences

[Sam86]

Hi,
I just glued my duckbill on, currently have it setting and wouldn't mind others who have done the same to share how their glue held up.

I had planned to just use 3m but saw some comments in misc forums suggesting glue as the better, more permanent alternative for duckbills.

I used Sikaflex Auto Plus 227, and prepped the trunk lid and the underside of the spoiler with rubbing alcohol then wiped it clean with a micro. Heated it up slightly then placed the spoiler on. Currently letting it cure using some spare strips of wrap to hold it down in place.

I'm a little concerned I didn't use a thick enough amount when applying it. In hindsight I don't know why I didn't want to put too much on other than I was worried about it leaking when I pressed the spoiler down, and I still wanted to be able to potentially remove it in the future (to put the stock wing back on if I decided to sell the car) (i'd guess I used maybe 3-4mm wide/high all around).

Are you meant to use a thick amount of it or is it strong enough that it'll do the job regardless? It feels sturdy after only curing for 1 hour but I don't know how it'll hold up from closing the boot and driving. The installation glue I got with the spoiler was a tiny 25ml, unbranded tube of something I was told is meant to be similar to sikaflex, pretty sure at the very least I used more than that.


(as a side note is it possible to retrieve one of the rubber gaskets that fell into my trunk when I was removing my stock wing? I was prepared to catch the bolts but did not think i'd have to worry about the gaskets)

[x808drifter]

I have NEVER seen someone "glue" a wing on.
It's always been grey automotive 3M tape of some sort.
That and bolts.

[Sam86]

Originally Posted by x808drifter

I have NEVER seen someone "glue" a wing on.
It's always been grey automotive 3M tape of some sort.
That and bolts.

Here's a video of someone gluing their duckbill on a BRZ posted below (skip to 6:00), I believe they used glass seal. Definitely didn't use as much as they did though.
- Like I said aswell, the spoiler I got came with liquid adhesive as the installation tool, no 3m or bolts. I double checked with the seller aswell as I thought there was a mistake but nope, that's what they intended.

Not so much on this forum but on other forums I saw a lot of people using some type of glue adhesive instead of 3m for duckbills.


I'm not surprised you wouldn't see many owners from here gluing though, seems like a lot of people have the stock trunk which didn't come with the stock wing so I can understand you'd rather use 3m to preserve it. For someone like me that had the stock wing, i've got 7 holes in my trunk lid and don't see myself running any wings that don't cover that so i'm not as concerned about using glue.

Anyway been a few hours since I glued it on. Haven't driven it yet but it survived a trunk close without falling off. It seems secure? If I wiggle it, I don't notice it moving at all but still weary

[DarkPira7e]

I would imagine the glue won't hold well; it needs a padding layer between to be sure vibrations are being managed. Glue is a bad idea

[RickyBobby]

Glue??? I put my FIVE:AD, now 3D carbon, spoiler on 5 years ago with just the 3M double sided tape. It's still rock solid with no gaps like the one in the video. The most important part is of course cleaning the trunk with isopropyl alcohol, and then applying 3M Adhesive Promoter to the areas where the tape will go.

[Tcoat]

Not a hope in hell I would use glue. The proper tape is designed for the purpose and has that little bit of give to make up the differences in surface shape. Glue will never do this no matter how much you use. Also as Dark said the glue will be stiff and not take well to vibration. There will be loads of fun had when extreme daily temperature swings start to happen and the two different materials expand and contract at totally different rates!

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Sam86

but still weary

LEARY the word is LEARY.
Or wary I suppose.

Unless of course it made you tired and then weary is correct.

Sorry the frequent misuse of "weary" is a pet peeve.

[NWFRS]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

LEARY the word is LEARY.
Or wary I suppose.

Unless of course it made you tired and then weary is correct.

Sorry the frequent misuse of "weary" is a pet peeve.

Dude, lighten up.

He’s just tired.

[Ohio Enthusiast]

Originally Posted by DarkPira7e

I would imagine the glue won't hold well; it needs a padding layer between to be sure vibrations are being managed. Glue is a bad idea

Depends on the glue. Plenty of glues cure flexible (silicone is a good example). But one would need to use the right glue for the job and apply it correctly (mostly with regard to amount of glue and thickness of the glue layer, but also surface preparation).
Double sided tape would be much more forgiving in that regard, but I doubt it can beat a well applied glue in terms of strength and longevity. It's just much easier to formulate a general-purpose double sided adhesive that works well in most cases than it is to do the same with straight up glue - much easier to just use 3M VHB then recommend some obscure glue that's available only in 55 gallon drums for industrial use.

[ls1ac]

Did you notice that they left the 3m tape around the edges then put the glue inside where the tape was.

EDIT There is a 3m emblem glue

[sharpsicle]

I think it says something when OEM manufacturers use adhesive tapes rather than glue on their own components. I'd do the same. Not to mention adhesive tape is reversible, glue typically is not without causing some damage.

[wheelhaus]

Some glues (commercially called adhesives) can be unbelievably strong, flexible, and incredibly resilient to temperature, chemical, and environmental conditions. They however typically require removal of the painted surface and proper prep of the surfaces as well as chemical compatibility to the substrates being bonded. They typically have tolerance enough to fill small-moderate gaps in the bond-line (space between the substrates) and when done correctly, leave no (or minimal) air entrapment. They are permanent af.

I wouldn't trust some random off the shelf "glue" to hold on a wing/lip etc., or, well, anything for that matter... It would need to be an industrial grade 2-part adhesive with properties designed for the application and just as important, the prep process to be performed to a T.

3M's acrylic-based VHB adhesive tapes (very high bond) are probably the best double sided tapes in the world, and still there's a few dozen variations depending on application. Again, surface prep is very important, but typically doesn't require any damage to the finish to do so.

A thin bead/fillet of sealant just inside the tape line, or in gaps, or just outside the tape line would be a good idea to prevent water ingress if the tape can't be applied consistently for some reason.

Source- I work with aviation and aerospace composites.

tl:dr-
For this application, I'd say just stick with high quality 3M tapes and very clean surfaces and make sure the pieces of tape are butted snugly together to keep it water tight.

[evomike]

Originally Posted by x808drifter

I have NEVER seen someone "glue" a wing on.
It's always been grey automotive 3M tape of some sort.
That and bolts.

most factory add on spoilers now are installed using adhesive and not 3M tape

[NoHaveMSG]

Originally Posted by wheelhaus

3M's acrylic-based VHB adhesive tapes (very high bond) are probably the best double sided tapes in the world, and still there's a few dozen variations depending on application. Again, surface prep is very important, but typically doesn't require any damage to the finish to do so.

This is what we use with adhesion promotor. Trying to pull a part off will pull the gelcoat off a fiberglass part. 3m VHB is no joke.