Carbon FIBER carries a special situation, the rest of the options are just paint...



food for thought...on the splitter, fiber on the skirts does not really get smacked up.....

Before you buy a carbon fiber splitter realize that sooner or later, you will hit it on something. And you can't fix carbon fiber to look perfect again , as it's not a paint, but an actual weave. So what do they do? They bondo/glass it and paint it.... and now you have a painted splitter, usually in carbon flash paint to match your vents. So why not start with a carbon flash splitter and save the money for something else?

All my opin, but this line of thinking was presented to me by a vendor here who was being straight with me.....and made huge sense....

 

Because of the ramps in the underground garage in my condo building and at work, I'm pretty much given up a stage 2 splitter. I'm sticking with Stage 1 on the splitter and hoping that doesn't have to go. Frankly, I've never been a big fan of splitters.

I'm waiting to see "in person" the stage one spoiler before I consider a stage 2 replacement.

But I want the rockers for sure and I'm not sure if I should go with gel coat or painted CF. I was hoping someone could explain gel coat to me.

 

gel coat is nothing but fiberglass with a resin coating as the topper....like a boat. It has the color infused in it rather than paint which sits on top of the substrate. Once you scrape/damage gel coat, you will paint it....

 

Think it would work well as rocker material? Maybe a better question: If money was not an issue, would you prefer a rocker that was painted CF or painted black gel coat?

 

gel coat is not paint!....it is fiberglass...both would wear the same...skirts don't get messed up anyway....I would get the carbon flash so it matches the vents on the car...

 

by 'paint' I meant that the gel coat would also be painted carbon flash the same as the real carbon fiber.

And carbon flash will be the color no matter the material. Thanks for your help.

 

then the material does not matter....

 

I've got aftermarket rockers (Weapon X) on my car...PM me and I can give you details, specifics.....a lot of discussion with others on my part...so if I can help....

 

Re gel coat - yacht dealer here... please don't use gel coat, use paint designed for that application, even if over fiberglass. Gel coat is not fiberglass, but is a vinylester resin that uses a hardener to cure. Gel coat that is 'painted on' never hardens and shines like gel coat that is cured in a mold. It is sprayed on to enact repairs, but will oxidize and dull far faster than paint, or gel coat cured under several layers of glass. Touching up damaged gel coat is an art, my detail staff isn't yet on that level and thus I outsource all gel coat repairs. I would not use gel coat even if it did come out of a mold, not for a car! Good luck with your project, smart of you to ask the forum.

 

yes I too have been repairing boats for years....gel coat is not fiberglass per se but the whole process is used when fiberglass is being made out of a mold. so that's why I said it's fiberglass. I can't imagine a skirt made by a reputable vender here that is not gelcoat and painted, it will be the exact same surface. The only other alternative is carbon fiber, which is much harder to repair than gel coat. I have been repairing gel coat for years, but the easy way out is West Systems resin/epoxy for the damage and then paint.

so again to clarify

a fiberglass spoiler has gelcoat as a outside top layer as it is sprayed in the mold first after wax
a carbon fiber spoiler is one made of infused carbon fiber

both both can be painted but painting carbon fiber is a waste,

When hit they will both destruct, the CF spoiler may weigh less if done correctly.

the last boat I painted and repaired , my wellcraft 32CC:

 

Interesting. Come to mention, fiberglass repair on a boat is a pain in the butt.

 

Frankly, the cost of either rocker I'm considering is modest enough to be replaced if damaged beyond a superficial level. So repair is not a consideration. I was just wondering how they would stand up to use and would one out shine the other.

The black gel coat option would require I have it painted adding costs that likely offsets any savings. So now I'm favoring the carbon flash painted CF replicas. I really want to decide today and place an order

 

The black gel coat option would require I have it painted adding costs that likely offsets any savings. So now I'm favoring the carbon flash painted CF replicas. I really want to decide today and place an order

good choice

 

dwward - I'll respond to your PM after my 10:00am call ends.