GROT TRAP COVERS

[Guy Lowe]

A few years ago I helped Richard Lee (aka RIF) design a carbon cover for the grot traps between the foot well and the side skin. I think he used me because I was having my car re skinned and he only had an SV at the time.

 

Well to cut a long story short, when the design was finished and the cover put into production he gave me a pair which I fitted and sealed.

 

I have the engine out at the moment and decided to remove the covers, clean out the grot traps, re Waxoyl and refit the covers, but before I do I want to know the experiences of people who fitted these covers or made up something similar.

 

Thanks in advance.

Guy

 

Edited by - guy lowe on 3 Dec 2013 11:21:24

[elie boone]

I just used a piece of ali and fixed it with Sikaflex, send me a BM and i'll send a pic.

[Guy Lowe]

Judging from all the email I have received, either Richard never put these into production or I have not explained myself very well, probably the latter

 

So THESE are the covers in question, they are intended to be struck to the end of the footwell and butt up against the side skin, then sealant is used to seal off the 'grot trap', to stop water and debris entering, well that is/was the theory.

 

Anyone fitted them?

 

Guy

[paul richards]

Richard did produce these, but as the profile of the side skin varied from car to car he made them individually if you sent him a cardboard template. I have fitted aluminium ones to my car. I left a small hole on the top so that I could occasionally squirt waxoyl/ACF50 in. I covered the the hole with a piece of tape. I secured them with something like tiger seal and a couple of pop rivets. Hope this helps.

[pug7]

Would be interested with a set for my7, anyone able to create any of these covers? If not I'm looking to make something out of Ali over the winter.

[Ben Fung]

Yeah did the same out of al sheet by creating a template with some cardboard, then cut the al sheet to shape leaving a small overlap one the inboard side of the covers so I could rivnut them the foot well and screw the covers in place but still be removable.

 

Sprayed the trap with waxoyl, put the covers on, held in place via the rivnuts then sealed with silicone. Job done!

 

I ended up covering the footwells with heat shielding later so made a mod to it by cutting a hole in the covers that could be closed with some grommets but still allow access with a spray tube to top up the waxoyl. Hope that last bit makes sense.

[Stationary M25 Traveller]

Sheets of thin (0 5mm ?) ali available pretty cheap from B&Q. You can cut it with kitchen scissors

[BadBob]

Here's my attempt at a Grot-trap cover. I plan to have a look behind it over the winter, it will be interesting to see what's in there after 5 years and 20,000 miles.

[Stationary M25 Traveller]

I really must do this !!

[Ozzy]

I'm not convinced trying to seal these is the right thing to do, as however clever you think you've been in sealing them, water will always get in there!

 

All I do every year, usually at the end of the summer, is blow all the accumulated grit/crap out with a high pressure air line, using a flexible piece of 8mm air pipe stuck on the end of my air gun, and then apply another liberal dose of waxoyl. Repeat every year.

 

Oz.

[SLR No.77]

Have you ever removed the interior side panel?

 

The foot-boxes are riveted to the side vertical chassis tube but the outer skin is not, therefore there exists a gap between the outer skin and the chassis tube past which all the cr4p can get ... aided so if you shove an airline in.

This cr4p then accumulates within the chassis all the way back to below where your knee is when you're sat in the car ... stones, grit, salt etc, add a bit of moisture and it becomes obvious why so many cars get bubbling in the paint at the lower edge half way along the chassis side.

 

Don't believe me? ....

 

http://www.superse7ens.co.uk/images/SLR/Stripdown/IMG_0111.JPG

 

http://www.superse7ens.co.uk/images/SLR/Stripdown/img_0128sml.jpg

 

Stu.

 

Edited by - sforshaw on 30 Nov 2013 07:29:55

[Phil G]

Numpty question.....has anyone been able to Hoover the cr*p out with a thin nozzle attachment gizmo thingy?

[Jerry Auton]

Just about it try it.

[Stationary M25 Traveller]

A few years ago I used a bit of garden hose taped into the end of a hoover hose.

[Ozzy]

Yes, we've all seen similar pictures before, many times!

 

An airline does quite obviously blow a lot of the crap out, judging by all the sh*t that hits you in the face! Probably like backfilling a blocked drain. Sure, they'll be something left in there, but at least you can get access to Waxoyl it at will. Unlike if you block the whole lot off and leave it to quietly rot!

 

Each to their own.

 

 

[SLR No.77]

The photos are of the next "cavity" back from where you'll be able to blow/suck cr4p out, not the grot area to the side of the pedal-box/footwell, I'd be amazed if you could clean that area without removing the panel.

 

Stu.

[Jerry Auton]

Quoting Jerry: 

Just about it try it.

Didn't get much out, which either means there was not much in there or it didn't work, suspect the latter

 

Edited by - Jerry on 30 Nov 2013 18:49:15

[Guy Lowe]

Thank you for the replies and emails, it seems this is a bit like oil and tyre pressure threads, there are many varying opinions.

 

Many people have used a cover of one sort or another but few have ever removed them for inspection or cleaning. In my case it was 10 years ago I fitted my RIF covers, I treated the whole area with Waxoyl and then ACF-50, sealed all the edges with a high performance, heat proof, elastic recovery non shrinking sealant.

 

Four years ago I removed the covers, air lined them out, jet washed them, treated with Keronite and then Waxoyl, ACF-50 ect. There was not much in the way of solid matter in there but what was in there was very wet (before using the jet wash 😬) even though the car had been sitting in the garage for 4 weeks without an engine in it. Now four years later the engine is out again (don’t ask 😔) and the findings are exactly the same and again the car has not been used since the L2B which was a dry day.

 

So my theory and that of some others is that you will never totally eliminate water, salt and small debris from entering this area for various reasons, side skin and chassis flexing, ingress from between the bottom chassis rail and the bottom edge of the skin, the difficulty in sealing the lower end of the cover because this is where the diagonal chassis member joint with the lower rail is (standard S3 chassis) etc. etc. etc.

 

So if you cannot eliminate ingress completely, would in not be best (as ozzy said) to leave it open? This is the theory of some including me, if it is left open hot air would be passing through drying out the debris, if they are dry they are going to cause a lot less corrosion than wet derbies resting against the ali skin for weeks or months in the case of the sorning brigade, on end. Leaving them open would also facilitate easier regular cleaning out, re treating with whatever takes your fancy.

 

This is only my personal opinion based on my experience, my not so lateral thinking and the experiences of others who I have spoken to. Nothing more than that.

Guy

(Edited as I cannot spell Waxoyl) 😳

 

 

Edited by - Guy Lowe on 11 Dec 2013 11:20:40

[Guy Lowe]

 

 

 

Edited by - Guy Lowe on 10 Dec 2013 21:37:42