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Simple Fix for rusted out stock spoiler

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Old Jun 5, 2006 | 08:18 AM
  #1  
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Simple Fix for rusted out stock spoiler

I purchased a used spoiler on ebay awhile back and saw that the entire stud assembly to fasten the spoiler to the trunk was rusted out inside...a common problem for these spoilers. Well I decided that there must be an easy way to fix this problem, so here is what I did:

1) Purchase some self-leveling cement sealer for sidewalk cracks and stuff from any hardware store. (It's pretty cheap)
2) Cut the existing studs and mounting hardware out of the spoiler with a box cutter, being careful around the edges because it gets pretty thin.
3) You should now have about a 1/4 inch deep area of the spoiler hollowed out.
4) Set the spoiler up so that the bottom is facing up, and use wedges or whatever and a level to make sure that the bottom surface is completly flat.
5) Pour the concrete sealer into the hollowed out area, it's thick like syrup and will self-level. This is the most important part!!! Make sure that the spoiler stays flat, and use a knife or any flat surface to clean up any excess material.
6) The sealer is grey in color, and will darken and shrink as it dries...so you may have to repeat step 5 two more times untill is stays flat. The final product is a perfect level surface that you can use any 3M tape or whatever to fix the spoiler to your trunk surface!





Here are pics of the final product....I also have this spoiler for sale, since I recently purchased a custom spoiler from wings west. Check classified forums for details on that.

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=472078
Old Jun 5, 2006 | 08:49 AM
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Old Jun 5, 2006 | 03:15 PM
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gorilla glue does a great job of holding it in place. Working great on mine. Just be careful of over applying since it does like to expand.
Old Jun 5, 2006 | 05:55 PM
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gorilla glue is a polyurathane glue so it needs moisture to cure. ive never tried it on metal. did you wet the trunk first? how did you clamp the wing down?
Old Jun 5, 2006 | 05:55 PM
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the simplist fix would be to get a gxe trunk lid and slap that on
Old Jun 6, 2006 | 07:57 AM
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Alex_V
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Naw I really like the stock wing.

~Alex
Old Jun 6, 2006 | 09:23 AM
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Originally Posted by Alex_V
Naw I really like the stock wing.

~Alex
+1. I prefer the spoiler on, but some don't. Also, I believe the spring rate on the SE trunk is set up to have the weight of the spoiler on. Without it, the trunk flies up rather quickly. Whereas the GXE trunk is weighted for no spoiler.
Old Jun 6, 2006 | 05:39 PM
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i like my no spoiler
Old Jun 7, 2006 | 05:36 PM
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i like the spiolers but sometimes they are to shot to fix
Old Jun 8, 2006 | 08:57 PM
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bump.....for more opinions on this method to fix this common problem or new ideas!!
Old Jun 8, 2006 | 10:08 PM
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Can we see the pics please?
Old Jun 9, 2006 | 06:35 AM
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I fixed one of my spoilers by digging out the rusted anchors and squirting a glob of silicone adhesive in the hole, then screwing in four large plastic sheet rock anchors in the holes. After a day of curing I reattached it with screws through the trunk and into the spoiler. It's been back on for over a year now and still tight.
Old Jun 11, 2006 | 11:46 AM
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I would think glue would take care of it with some clamps...

But then again mine isnt screwed up...
Old Jun 17, 2006 | 07:58 PM
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Sorry, Haven't looked in a while but I clamped mine with a 2X4 running across the width of it and some of my long quick set clamps I use for wood working. The Gorilla glue is holding now for well over a year and my spoiler was completely rusted out. I just cleaned it all out of all of the rusted metal and went to town on it. Let it sit over night with the clamps on and pulled in the morning. It sits out in the Texas sun every day too.

Mike
Old Jun 17, 2006 | 09:54 PM
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Considering I'm in the process of stripping my car for a complete paint job that's not a bad idea. I changed my spoiler 7-8yrs ago and knowing the history of 3rd gen spoiler I thought I sealed it up prretty well. Surprisingly when I took off my spoiler today it had slight rust in the usual areas. It's rusted to the point where I probably would not re-use this spoiler in it's current condition because it might come loose in the next 1-2 years. This seems like a decent HomeDepot mod to try

Old Jun 19, 2006 | 07:33 PM
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Alex_V
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I hope you guys sanded the rust off and primed it real fast so the rust wouldnt continue, that was your problem Candiman Im guessing.

Some one tried to pull the spoiler off my max and now its creased. I hope when I bend it down it will smooth out, if not Ill just grab one at the local picknpull, theres always 4+ maximas.

~Alex
Old Jun 19, 2006 | 07:55 PM
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Originally Posted by Alex_V
I hope you guys sanded the rust off and primed it real fast so the rust wouldnt continue, that was your problem Candiman Im guessing.

well since most would only have access to rattle can primer it really wouldnt do any good. Most rattle can primer is lacquer primer and it is pourous and doesnt hold out water or prevent rust. The best thing to do is go ahead and paint it.
Old Jun 29, 2006 | 06:01 AM
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Hey all, sorry if this is OT. I'm a new Maxima owner ('93 SE, black) and I had a spoiler question. The spoiler looks like it's made of some sort of rubber composite material. It seems to have faded quicker than the black body paint and I was wondering if it was safe to use a tire black substance on the spoiler. Have any of you folks tried that?

Thanks!
Old Jun 29, 2006 | 07:24 AM
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Originally Posted by theophile
Hey all, sorry if this is OT. I'm a new Maxima owner ('93 SE, black) and I had a spoiler question. The spoiler looks like it's made of some sort of rubber composite material. It seems to have faded quicker than the black body paint and I was wondering if it was safe to use a tire black substance on the spoiler. Have any of you folks tried that?

Thanks!
why a tire black substance. Sorry this is one of my pet peeves...yeah under the PAINT its rubbery but it still has PAINT on it. Use the same care you would use for the rest of the car.

wax it, buff it whatever...but dont use tire shine on PAINT. If it were not painted and just regular rubber compound then yeah use a tire shine or whatever but again its PAINT...just like what is on the car.


Dont think I am jumping on the newbies here...just makes no sense to me why some think that just because something under paint isnt metal they shouldnt wax it or should use some other type of product.
Old Jun 29, 2006 | 07:41 AM
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Originally Posted by theophile
Hey all, sorry if this is OT. I'm a new Maxima owner ('93 SE, black) and I had a spoiler question. The spoiler looks like it's made of some sort of rubber composite material. It seems to have faded quicker than the black body paint and I was wondering if it was safe to use a tire black substance on the spoiler. Have any of you folks tried that?

Thanks!
I used Mr. clean magic eraser pad on mine,it brought alot of the original color back to it,then went over it with some wax...Do not over do it with the pad though,they are very abrasive...
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