reinforcing fiberglass lip

[bejota180sx]

I while ago i got a forcewerkz garage defend knockoff lip, fitment is pretty good and it's "flexible" but it's because the material is really thin, and from what i can see brittle. I think even a small bump will shatter this thing. I know fiberglass will always shatter given enough force but... is there any way i can make the lip handle a bit more hits, or even if it does break at least not have it shatter into dozen of pieces.

I've read online about covering it with more resin, other say some aluminum sheets inside held on by resin, expanding foam seems to be a common thing for bumpers, and read about someone using rhino liner or rubberized undercoat to have it at least stay together after breaking.

A friend has a carbon fiber shop, we spoke about giving it a layer/wrap of carbon to make it a bit more strong but it would still shatter. Does anybody have any ideas or experience?

[Def]

Just toss a few more layers of fiberglass behind it. You should be able to buy it in a tape strip that will make it a simple process without a ton of cloth cutting.

If you're really smashing it, it'll go, but making it stronger makes it more likely to survive and just bend your bumper back on minor hits. The reason why thin fiberglass will crack when mounted to a bumper is that it's the "weak link" and will bend a ton then crack before your bumper gives much.

[bejota180sx]

yeah that's kinda like what i want, if it break during a hard hit im ok with that, but i wouldn't like it to break while going over a bump or lightly bumping into something and have it shatter with no repair possible.

I guess they made them thin so they would be "flexible" while mounting, but for driving around its paper thin i swear i could break it with my hands with no problem at all. So just more fiberglass and no other support like a aluminum or anything?


Thanks for the help!

[G-E]

What about glassing in some thin walled aluminum tubing? Just some kind of rib at the most likely to be impacted area, or some other kind of ribbing...

[bejota180sx]

i'm not sure i understand you... ribbing it i get, but with tubing? have any images of what you mean, i can't picture how to use tubing as a rib.

The main reason is not to have it be unbreakable on track days, if it breaks it breaks same as my splitter. It's more of having it not shatter, when i use the car sometimes on the street without the splitter, and instead crack so i can repair it "easily".

[G-E]

Exactly what it sounds like, put some aluminum tube on the back, then fiberglass over it until it's part of the structure

If that's too thick for what you need, cut up some antennas, glass a few of those into it, the springy steel will resist kinking even on pretty hard impacts

[bejota180sx]

understood. That sounds strong enough but i'll have to check the weight is worth it and thickness of a aluminum tube is possible on this lip. But this sparked a few ideas i could try out also.

Thanks!

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You should lay down 2 layers of carbon fiber over the lip. 1 layer of carbon fiber has the same rigidity as 4 layers of fiberglass. It will cost a little more than all the other options mentioned in the thread, but it will look good and be stronger.