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I am about to fit a set of ACI 01 side skirts in the hope it will eliminate or at the very least minimise paint damage to the rocker panels, door jambs and rear mag wheel spokes from debris thrown up by the front tyres. I already have the GM front splash guards fitted.
Can anyone provide feedback as to the effectiveness of the side skirts in reducing of eliminating damage from material thrown back by the front tyres?
Will I be able to remove the clear plastic panel protection material factory fitted on my Z51 which now looks very tatty from rock damage?
The C7 Z51 and even more so the Z06 have what are probably the stickiest OEM tires on the market. They do an undeniably excellent job of holding the car on the road. That said they're going to pick up everything they can an throw it back. It's a Corvette !!! Expect some road rash on the factory protection, I'm happy they used such a heavy thickness. A friend following me too close learned the hard way what the tires are capable of picking up and throwing back. It cost them a severely pitted (stared) windshield after the rock pitted the hood near the heat vent.
Originally Posted by Bryan Wharton
I am about to fit a set of ACI 01 side skirts in the hope it will eliminate or at the very least minimise paint damage to the rocker panels, door jambs and rear mag wheel spokes from debris thrown up by the front tyres. I already have the GM front splash guards fitted.
Can anyone provide feedback as to the effectiveness of the side skirts in reducing of eliminating damage from material thrown back by the front tyres?
Will I be able to remove the clear plastic panel protection material factory fitted on my Z51 which now looks very tatty from rock damage?
I installed rocker skirts the day I brought my C7 home. My experience from my prior Vettes (3 C4s, 2 C5s, 2 C6s) was that the rockers and rear quarters get pretty beat up with road debris. My 2011 GS, with the sticky, Super Car tires was the worst. So, when I saw the C7 Z06 at the NY Auto Show in March, and saw the side skirts, not only was I impressed with how they improved the look of the car, I believed the protection factor they offered from the road debris issue would also be beneficial. After 5K miles on my C7 with skits in place, I can testify while any aero benefit may be questionable, the road debris issue is vanstly improved. Absolutely no rocker damage on my C7. The GM Wheel Arch Guards (Mud Guards) also help with the rear quarter.
The C7 Z51 and even more so the Z06 have what are probably the stickiest OEM tires on the market. They do an undeniably excellent job of holding the car on the road. That said they're going to pick up everything they can an throw it back. It's a Corvette !!! Expect some road rash on the factory protection, I'm happy they used such a heavy thickness. A friend following me too close learned the hard way what the tires are capable of picking up and throwing back. It cost them a severely pitted (stared) windshield after the rock pitted the hood near the heat vent.
Yes I agree with what you say, the factory protective strip on one side of my Z51 is torn through from an item and looking really beat up from many others.
Do you know where I can purchase new OEM factory replacement protection pieces?
To answer the op's question, yes the side skirts are extremely helpful is this regard.
Thanks for your reply to my question. Can you advise where I might purchase a set of the OEM factory clear protective plastic panels to replace the badly worn ones on my Z51?
Thanks for your reply to my question. Can you advise where I might purchase a set of the OEM factory clear protective plastic panels to replace the badly worn ones on my Z51?
You'd be far better off going aftermarket. Xpel Ultimate seems to be the popular choice on this forum, but I have 3M Scotchguard Pro and am very happy with it. If you are only doing that area it will cost you next to nothing I'm sure. And it won't yellow like the OEM piece.
I installed rocker skirts the day I brought my C7 home. My experience from my prior Vettes (3 C4s, 2 C5s, 2 C6s) was that the rockers and rear quarters get pretty beat up with road debris. My 2011 GS, with the sticky, Super Car tires was the worst. So, when I saw the C7 Z06 at the NY Auto Show in March, and saw the side skirts, not only was I impressed with how they improved the look of the car, I believed the protection factor they offered from the road debris issue would also be beneficial. After 5K miles on my C7 with skits in place, I can testify while any aero benefit may be questionable, the road debris issue is vanstly improved. Absolutely no rocker damage on my C7. The GM Wheel Arch Guards (Mud Guards) also help with the rear quarter.
Save the Wave - - - Al
Thanks for your input there Al. I have this same basic question but want to remove my film and not replace it. I have Weapon X skirts and OEM splash guards. Can anyone else speak to getting or not getting damage after adding skirts and splash guards?
I installed rocker skirts the day I brought my C7 home. My experience from my prior Vettes (3 C4s, 2 C5s, 2 C6s) was that the rockers and rear quarters get pretty beat up with road debris. My 2011 GS, with the sticky, Super Car tires was the worst. So, when I saw the C7 Z06 at the NY Auto Show in March, and saw the side skirts, not only was I impressed with how they improved the look of the car, I believed the protection factor they offered from the road debris issue would also be beneficial. After 5K miles on my C7 with skits in place, I can testify while any aero benefit may be questionable, the road debris issue is vanstly improved. Absolutely no rocker damage on my C7. The GM Wheel Arch Guards (Mud Guards) also help with the rear quarter.
I installed rocker skirts the day I brought my C7 home. My experience from my prior Vettes (3 C4s, 2 C5s, 2 C6s) was that the rockers and rear quarters get pretty beat up with road debris. My 2011 GS, with the sticky, Super Car tires was the worst. So, when I saw the C7 Z06 at the NY Auto Show in March, and saw the side skirts, not only was I impressed with how they improved the look of the car, I believed the protection factor they offered from the road debris issue would also be beneficial. After 5K miles on my C7 with skits in place, I can testify while any aero benefit may be questionable, the road debris issue is vanstly improved. Absolutely no rocker damage on my C7. The GM Wheel Arch Guards (Mud Guards) also help with the rear quarter.
Save the Wave - - - Al
Al - I like the look of your side skirts painted the body color.
You'd be far better off going aftermarket. Xpel Ultimate seems to be the popular choice on this forum, but I have 3M Scotchguard Pro and am very happy with it. If you are only doing that area it will cost you next to nothing I'm sure. And it won't yellow like the OEM piece.
Thanks I'll look here in Australia and see who does what.
Thanks for your reply to my question. Can you advise where I might purchase a set of the OEM factory clear protective plastic panels to replace the badly worn ones on my Z51?
Go aftermarket like Woodson suggested. I have my whole lower part of the car covered from the ridge of the lower part of the door down done with XPel. There is a pattern for the whole lawyer part.
side skirts are extremely helpful in the road rash dept. I also covered my skirts in XPel.
To answer the op's question, yes the side skirts are extremely helpful is this regard.
I went with the Zero7 style from ACS as they are a bit wider in the front. I find them very successful in keeping the road crap off the side of my car.
Road Warrior Plus is another option for short to medium term applications to protect your paint. We just joined CorvetteForum as a new sponsoring vendor. Road Warrior Plus is a state of the art temporary roll on paint protection for any surfaces on your car that might be subjected to debris, dirt, tar, stones, etc. encountered whether you are on the interstate on a trip, or have headed to the track.
It rolls on like paint, dries quickly with a clear but slightly matte finish, protects with a rubbery film, and can be easily removed when you are ready to show off your perfect paint.
A quart container will cover the front of a car about 5 times and costs only $39.99.
As others said, skirts snd splash gurads do the job well, i did 3000 miles recently and not a mark. I use peelable plastidip clear for other areas still open, like behind rear wheels,etc. Peel off when i get there.
I am about to fit a set of ACI 01 side skirts in the hope it will eliminate or at the very least minimise paint damage to the rocker panels, door jambs and rear mag wheel spokes from debris thrown up by the front tyres. I already have the GM front splash guards fitted.
Can anyone provide feedback as to the effectiveness of the side skirts in reducing of eliminating damage from material thrown back by the front tyres?
Will I be able to remove the clear plastic panel protection material factory fitted on my Z51 which now looks very tatty from rock damage?
Have had my LG Motorsports side skirts for 9 months. No more marks on the rocker panels. Can remove the factory film.
To remove the factory ppf pieces that are right behind the doors, you'll need a squirt bottle ( johnson&johnson baby shampoo & water) & a heat gun. You should clean everything first, maybe even use a clay bar to get all the grime & road debris off the vehicle. Then warm up the PPF & the body panel as well using the heat gun. You goal is to get the area your working on around the same temp. as it would feel like on a summer day. Be gentle when heating everything, don't over heat or spike the surface temps on the vehicle.
Once it's warmed up then focus on a corner of the PPF & pick with your fingers until you get a corner peeled up. Then with one hand on the ppf & the other on the heat gun start heating up the PPF while you pull outward away from itself almost parallel with the body panel but slightly at an upward angle. Do not pull at 90° from the PPF or body panel. Your simply stretching the PPF & in doing so stretches the adhesive until it becomes no longer effective & separates from the body panel.
be careful of your heat, never leave the gun pointed at the same position on the car, take your time & when any portion of the PPF separates from the body panel spray your soap solution inbetween the PPF & the body panel so that it won't reapply itself back to the panel.
I had Lashway side skirts and the larger GM splash guards installed at the dealership before I took delivery. Car has 6,000 miles and the factory protection on the rear rocker has 100 of chips. Even has some on the paint around the protection. Michelin PSS + Minnesota roads = bad news for the paint. I am going to have a local shop replace the factory crap with Xpel (they make a custom set just for the rockers:
12-16-2014, 06:44 AM
Stone/road debris protection results?
