CHEAP Brake deflectors

[Leslie Graham]

Hi All, Thought I'd post this up as I TOTALLY DESPISE 'Brand Name Rip Offs'
I used a 'Tow Bar Bumper Protector' as seen on eBay for a princly sum of £3.95 inc postage. (LINK BELOW)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TOWING-TR...171002?hash=item5afeb28cfa:g:XCEAAOSwBLlU42YW

Simply cut straight down the centre line and you're done. Already has the angles you need and a cut out which neatly fits around subframe support
Just attach with 'Jack Screws' which are the little self tapping screws with a drill starter. I used these already and have had absolutely no brake issues at all on track hammering it with standard pads.
Hope this helps and saves you some hard earned cash.
#REALLYHATEBRANDNAMETHIEVES

 

[dann2707]

Can you show me a pic of it fitted please?

Thanks

 

[Matt W]

I'm going to hazard a guess, and say that people would prefer to pay more for a correct part, than a cut up tow bar protector.

 

[Leslie Graham]

I'll get a pic up later this evening, no problem.
As regards paying more for correct part, they're virtually identical. Some people just like brand names and bigger bills I guess.
I'll always take an engineering perspective over a brand name perspective.
If it's useful to just one person, job done. Each to their own.
My own car...

 

[Leslie Graham]

I've had the correct part (Brand Name) discussion before as regards exhaust. Priced up the usual suspects for a system costing hundreds
(If memory serves me correctly I think it had a 2" square brand tag on it somewhere it would never be seen)
Anyway, had my own 2.5" custom built locally for £100. See before & after below...

 

[Leslie Graham]

I'm going to hazard a guess, and say that people would prefer to pay more for a correct part, than a cut up tow bar protector.

Hi Matt W, just noticed your post from last year...
'Going to put a sticker on my car so it looks like I have a diffuser.. Nov 19, 2014'
Enough said.

 

[alistairolsen]

Interested in pictures of this installed

 

[Leslie Graham]

NON Brand Name 1mm polycarbonate windows, self cut and fitted with 'Jack Screws'... Cost £40 all in
Purchased from local plastics supplier - look for perspex merchants etc...
This is now a savings thread...

 

[Leslie Graham]

Interested in pictures of this installed

I'll get them up tonight for you bud... No worries

 

[banther]

Hi Matt W, just noticed your post from last year...
'Going to put a sticker on my car so it looks like I have a diffuser.. Nov 19, 2014'
Enough said.

Course you did.

TBH when it concerns things like going very fast in a car around a tarmac loop I'd rather rest assured that I'm not going to die due to my own lack of engineering skills.

If you've got the skills fair play well done but I'd rather pay than have some barry mod keeping me on the road.

You ever though about modding a bucket into an air intake?

 

[Leslie Graham]

Haven't tried that yet, or Barrys mods either. Must do.
When it comes to safety concerns things are done the right way, if there's a solution to something that can be manufactured in a more cost effective way then I'm all for it.
Oil cooler for example, you can buy a complete plug and play branded kit for approx £150 or you can source the same parts out of a hydraulic supplier for £60 and fit it yourself. This in turn leaves more money for other things like tyres etc. Would this not make more sense?
PS. Let me know how you go with your bucket...

 

[Matt W]

Makes more sense, and it's all fine and good for people like yourself with engineering know-how.

Also there was a fellow member that applied a sticker to his car to replicate a diffuser and I was taking the mick.

 

[Leslie Graham]

Makes more sense, and it's all fine and good for people like yourself with engineering know-how.

Also there was a fellow member that applied a sticker to his car to replicate a diffuser and I was taking the mick.

No worries bud. Always looking for a non expensive solution. The markup companies put on cheap tat for the car enthusiast is unbelievable, considering the manufacturing costs. A lot of things can be easily done for a lot less, seat frames, oil coolers, windows etc. Must do a thread on savings over Brand name items, I'd seriously be into thousands. My cage was fabricated and welded by my brother and cost under £70 for materials from local steel supplier. He's done loads and had them scrutineered for racing in the past, compared with the price of a branded/fitted unit it saves a fortune. Some folk can do a lot by themselves, some will take a little expertise but there's massive savings to be had.
Take BHP, people pay fortunes for minor gains, whereas weight saving massively increases your power to weight ratio ie BHP per ton

 

[Leslie Graham]

Makes more sense, and it's all fine and good for people like yourself with engineering know-how.

Also there was a fellow member that applied a sticker to his car to replicate a diffuser and I was taking the mick.

As regards engineering know how, this is the reason for post. So others can do likewise and save cash, simple procedure really. I'll get a few pics up when I get home. Cheers

 

[Leslie Graham]

Below show pictures of the 2 halves together, and fitted to car. Cost £3.95
Also is a Brand name version at a cost of £190.80. These come with ducting pipe and inlets (you have them on your car already if you remove fog lens), I'm sure the ducting certainly costs the extra £186!!!
You decide...

 

[dann2707]

Looks good however do you have to have a cold air feed from somewhere for this to work? Or is there enough flow standard without removing fogs etc etc

 

[Sesqui89]

Thanks for posting this. I was considering the full ducts and ducting kit that's on eBay for ~£70 but instead I opted to buy some plastic bass ports and some ducting separately for the princely sum of £20 that will do the same job. These will go with it perfectly!

 

[Leslie Graham]

Looks good however do you have to have a cold air feed from somewhere for this to work? Or is there enough flow standard without removing fogs etc etc

Use your foglight pods with some cheap builders merchants ducting. Easy

 

[dann2707]

I like my fogs though lol

 

[Leslie Graham]

It's one or the other bud, unless you cut holes in bumper buddy

 

[-Jamie-]

I like my fogs though lol

Are you a chav?

 

[dann2707]

Are you a chav?

Depends what's on offer at wetherspoons

 

[dann2707]

In fact I don't actually understand why that would make me a chav? I think they look fantastic and very bare when missing.

 

[Gus]

@Leslie Graham - like the deflector idea :up:
Now.. what did you make the mud flaps out of?

 

[Leslie Graham]

@Leslie Graham - like the deflector idea :up:
Now.. what did you make the mud flaps out of?

Cheapie eBay numbers I'm afraid. Do the job though. Silly things like that keep my young lad interested and learning the tools.

 

[Leslie Graham]

In fact I don't actually understand why that would make me a chav? I think they look fantastic and very bare when missing.

I like them too but mines not a road car, doesn't even have any lights on the front. Gutted the headlights and left covers. Passenger cover is honeycomb drilled and air intake sits behind it. Could've bought expensive brandname ones but you know me by now...

 

[ilovewilly]

Fair play. I admire when people think outside the box and give things a go.

I personally reckon you could have bought an offcut of steel and made larger versions and bent them yourself in a vice or something for similar or even less cost. From the pics the surface area appears slightly too small.

I agree it's always satisfying to find a solution, and very similar, even sometimes the same items with branding added for a fraction of the cost. I did the same with my oil cooler set up. I bought components separately and saved a fair bit. The hydraulic hose specialists I tried were actually overkill/dear so managed to get some made through eBay for just £30 a pair.


What some people appear to forget is when you compete - function over form.

 

[Leslie Graham]

Fair play. I admire when people think outside the box and give things a go.

I personally reckon you could have bought an offcut of steel and made larger versions and bent them yourself in a vice or something for similar or even less cost. From the pics the surface area appears slightly too small.

I agree it's always satisfying to find a solution, and very similar, even sometimes the same items with branding added for a fraction of the cost. I did the same with my oil cooler set up. I bought components separately and saved a fair bit. The hydraulic hose specialists I tried were actually overkill/dear so managed to get some made through eBay for just £30 a pair.


What some people appear to forget is when you compete - function over form.

Couldn't aggree more bud. I did the oil cooler at an absolute steal using local hydraulic dealer i know well. Was in the forklift industry which gives you a real good handle on mechanical, electric, electronic, hydraulic solutions etc. Makes you think outside box i guess.
So much is easily made, weight reduction has to be right up there though and there's loads to come off. Must get car weighed...
Appreciate your feedback bud.

 

[barnesautos]

I'll make you all laugh , picked up a bit of scrap metal out of the bin and got cutting . Turned out all right I recon.
What do you lot recon lol.

 

[Martin.]

This is my setup. Old pic though.

Does the job nicely. I have no fogs or arch liners so plenty of air gets under here when driving along.

 

[barnesautos]

I've taken a cold air feed from my fogs .