Fix for the rattling front under tray.
 

I have the Zspeed aluminum front under tray installed. I had clipped a few corners while doing track days and hit a road kill one time. This had popped the 3 plastic fasteners off from under the Z. You know the 3. On the part of the frame in front of the engine. While here is my fix for never again having those 3 pieces of plastic mess with me. :D This will work with the stock plastic under tray too.

Ordered from McMaster-Carr some rivet-nuts. A 25/64" drill bit, a 1/4 fender washer, 3 1/4x20 stainless bolts, 3 1/4" stainless flat washers.

First step. Drill the 3 holes with the 25/64" drill.

Second step. Put the fender washer in the vice. Put the bolt through the washer and thread on the rivet-nut. Now start to tighten down on the rivet-nut alittle bit. Just enough to start it to squeeze out. This is to make sure that the rivet-nut is biting down on the fender washer.

Third step. Install the rivet-nut and fender washer into one of the holes. You have to tap it in with a hammer. Now put a pair of vise-grips on the fender washer to hold it while you tighten down on the rivet-nut. When you think you have it tight enough. Remove the bolt and take a look. Now do the other two holes the same way. :D

If anybody is interested. I got some left over rivet-nuts. :D

As usual, excellent write-up Rusty! :tup:

thanks for the write up...funny thing i was dealing with that issue the other day....the 3 plastic clip completely ripped a giant hole in my undertray.

Great idea and shame on the auto industry for inventing these stupid clips and using them to hold half the car together. :shakes head:
Sorry, end of rant.

I got a bunch of rivet-nuts left. Bought like 25 of them. If anybody wants some. Let me know.

true true... im wondering if the clips were stronger, would it cause more impact damage to the panels since the clips would not give away? :confused:

sometimes it's better for these clips to break off. clips are easy to replace, body panels, etc, not so much.

GJ -rusty. :tup: i like looking at your workshop-DIY's. :tup:

saving to later

So for a long time, I've had a rattle / buzz at certain RPMs (2500-2700). Quite annoying. I was pretty sure it was coming from the hatch area.

Last week, I trashed my Stillen spoiler. Few days ago, got under the car to remove the remnants. It was thru-bolted so I had to remove the undertray. Took everything off, removed what was left of the spoiler and put it all back together. Now there's no buzz!

Though I didn't do this fix, I'm thinking that the buzz was coming from the undertray and just echoing so it sounded like it was coming from the rear. Maybe one of the clips wasn't in super tight or I just tweaked it in a way that stopped it from rattling. We'll see...

I'da bet anything that the noise was from the rear, but I guess it was just finding channels & echoing off the hatch.

or your car was warmer and that particular frequency did not resonate...



:icon17: