nose cone and bonnet rubbing off paint

[CPGCharlie]

Hi All, 

I have recently had a full respray and almost immediately rubbing between the nose cone and bonnet has removed paint on the corners. 

Are there any good methods to prevent this? There is a good 5 mil play in the nose cone so I guess this will always happen unless the play is reduced. I have looked at shortening bonnet circa 5 mil. paint protection film down the seam between the two moving parts... but i imagine that will eventually wear through. 

Can the clips in the nose cone be upgraded? my 7 is 2005 I'm unsure what they have been replaced with on new 7's?

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Best,

Charlie 

[TomB]

I’d be interested in this, as I’ve got the same problem after I resprayed last year. I’ve tried thin strips of PPF and matching yellow insulation tape, but it’s not worked as it’s either rubbed through or just rippled it off. My bonnet rubs of the edge of the nose and scuttle where is bends through to the vertical at the sides of the bonnet.

[Benton]

Having encountered similar, the only semi-permanent solution I've got to work is to buy some rubberised foam strip off Amazon/ EBay etc., similar to the existing Caterham stuff but tougher, and "line" all around the engine bay. For the sides you can attach the tape to the bonnet bottom edges if you prefer, plus some tape around touch points of nose cone to front of body.
One disadvantage of this approach is that you spoil the "shut lines" (for want of a better phrase) of the various components however since the original problem is caused by the misalignment of the various parts with rubbing happening in certain concentrated areas in the first place ..... You also are left with a thin black "trim line" around the various components, unfortunately I found that if I tried using thinner or less tape it did not solve the problem. An advantage of using the tape is that by definition it'll tighten up all the appropriate fixing points.  The tape won't last forever but it's cheap and easy to replace and saves you having to keep going back and touching up the paintwork.

As a complete (caveat untried/tested by me) alternative approach how about trying some strategically placed blobs of flexible clear silicon sealant around the known troublesome points to provide a buffer?

[SLR No.77]

The root cause of the problem is that the whole car flexes causing the gap between the nose and scuttle to continually change whilst driving, not by much but it's enough to cause scuffing problems. I've had the foam move from its original position and paint protection film scuff up badly, and it can be a difficult problem to solve. 

IME it's better to have the bonnet a snug but not tight fit, and obviously shaped carefully around the scuttle and nose curves, adding a little foam under the bonnet edges (along the sides) can help. The one thing for sure is that you can't stop it moving.

Stu.

[timb2117]

Gotta say your fix sounds ideal Benton. I have found silicone not at all durable in numerous applications, and acetic cure somewhat toxic? - Sikaflex way better, just don't think you can get clear, its a polyurethane sealant/ glue used in motor trade and sets like pure rubber....

[Billy.Whizz]

Sticky back neoprene from amazon, comes in sheets or rolls 3-4 mm thick. 

[CPGCharlie]

Many thanks all. (yes Tom - I have exactly that issue)

We are juggling all sorts of ideas, I'm trying to avoid snipping the bonnet or fiberglassing the nose cone to move the ridge 5mil. Both seem fairly drastic to solve what is a very small cosmetic issue, but being at 98% perfect is really frustrating! 

I will definitely investigate the silicon/sealant option

[Benton]

No idea if this will work/be durable enough but might be worth a go at the price

https://www.screwfix.com/p/sika-sikaflex-ebt-all-weather-sealant-clear-300ml/7286d

[JonT]

One thought on the sealant - ISTR when fixing roof seals on my M100 Elan, after putting the blob of sealant down, put a double layer of clingfilm over it, then close the gap. The clingfilm stops it sticking (I might have used a bit of vaseline on the clingfilm side that touched the sealant to stop it sticking to the clingfilm), but you get the gap filled more precisely than trying to guess.

 

[TomB]

I’ve just had an idea - bear with me its a bit vague!

I recall seeing a plasticine/silicone rubber like product that you could make into an shape and then it set as a rubberised solid. But I can’t remember what it was called. If you could make a thin, curved piece of the silicone rubberised material using the shape of the scuttle to form it, then attach it with glue, you’d have a rubbing strip. 

Ive remembered - its Sugru https://sugru.com/what-is-sugru

[Toughie]

Tom, there is.  Sugru

https://sugru.com/what-is-sugru

I've used it.  It comes in small packets and you get a piece about the size of a lump of chewing gum, but it's damned expensive.  Though there are other, cheaper, makes available if you look up 'mouldable plastic'.

I use the rubber sticky strip.  But I have also wondered about the black sealer I've used to seal guttering.  The bits that are left on the outside of the nozzle harden into a  fairly strong lump.  Flexible, but doesn't break down.  I've also thought of applying it in the manner JonT suggests.

[TomB]

I found someone on eBay selling the small sachets of Sugru- probably not the cheapest way to buy it, but for £4 I’ve got a pack of yellow Sugru to have a play with. I think I’ll roll it out like pastry, then cut it into thin rectangular strips and attach them to the rubbing areas. With luck, I’ll have a thin piece of silicone rubber to act as a rubbing strip. 

[rayjackson1950]

Hi Tom

I'd be interested in seeing the result. Could you post a few piccy's when you do this. Ta!

[TomB]

Will, might experiment with some blu-tak first.  

[7Up]

I noticed the risk of this when I first got the car, so just cut some neoprene tape (ex Amazon as someone already pointed out), double it over so it isnt sticky and slide under the two areas of contact on my nose cone. As someone also pointed out, it does slightly alter the fitment lines and its a hassle to remember and do it every time.

Where the bonnet contacts the body down the sides of the engine bay, I have paint protection film on the body and insulating tape on the bonnet contact points. The combination works well and has no signs of wear. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Toughie]

I've found that using the sticky strip down the sides, the strip is eventually pushed out of place as the bonnet vibrates, so after a thousand miles or so, the strip is sticking out of the sides and the bonnet is rubbing on the sides again.

[Neanderthal]

Could rubber beading work? Loads of sizes available.