Fitting Wing Top Checkerplate!

[YOLO110]

Just dry fitting up my wing top checker plate... looks great!

I appreciate this post may be in the wrong section...

I have just added the foam 'gaskets' underneath the checker plate, and it now looks and stands the extra thickness of the 2-3mm gasket too high to the point I think it looks like a real 'add on' and has lost that more integrated look.

My question is do I need to have the gaskets under the checkerplate? I don't ever think I will remove them once bolted down so what is the point of the gasket? I appreciate the foam will compress a bit once bolted down, but there are only 5 or so attachment points to achieve this. Perhaps a thin bead of SikaFlex would do just as well to stop water ingress under...

Any experience and ideas much appreciated please!

Many thanks,

Pete :)

[Turtle130]

Hi Pete,
Had these on my old TDI 130 for several years, no gaskets and no issues. Sure it will mark the alloy underneath but I don't think you are going to want to remove them in any case with all the holes there!

[RVR110]

Checker plate has been sold for decades without gaskets. If you happen to remove the checker plate later for some reason then you will find a build up of dirt, but it doesn't cause any problems. I suppose you could put a bit of sealer around the edges if you didn't want the gaskets and wanted to keep the dirt out.

You're probably the only person who will notice the extra height with the gasket and you'll probably get used to it after a while if you install it. Anyway, as long as you don't throw it out you can always add or remove the gasket later if you change your mind.

[DiscoMick]

Not having a gasket could let water pool underneath, couldn't it? Aluminium can rust if the paint is removed. Also, could the chequerplate vibrate and cause rattles if there isn't a gasket?
Personally, I intend to use the gaskets when I fit mine.

[Loubrey]

Depends on brand, plate thickness etc...

Land Rover's own and the ones Juddy sells (Patriot?) comes with gaskets, but most other brands don't.

The gaskets won't keep the water out as there is not nearly enough holes to form a seal and the only reason I can see you needing to fit them would be to have the option of removing them, but then you've got the holes to deal with. Land Rover and Patriot uses rivunuts that needs a pretty big hole and I suppose you can put a button head bolt in the hole if you decide to remove them...

The other brands all use a bolt and nut system and Stig Fasteners sells a stainless bolt kit for fixing them.

Aluminium (wings and checker plate) do not rust. You will however get bi-metallic corrosion from the bolts and a good barrier compound (see marine applications) is a must.

Cheers,

Lou

[YOLO110]

Thanks for all the replies!

Well, I decided not to use the gaskets!

I put a small bead of silicon around the holes and used a marine compound for the dissimilar metal to metal contact of the bolts.

Having looked at the gaskets again, I think if they get wet, as they will, that would mean they would probably not dry out leaving the area under the checkerplate always wet.

The mammoth kit is very well made and fits perfectly! It was however a bit of a game to get under the passenger side wing top, but all worked out great!

Will post some pictures later!

Cheers, Pete :>)

[Rurover]

Pete,

As it happens, I have just fitted new chequer plate to my Defender Puma. I was going to put a thin layer of insertion rubber under the plate as I did in my previous Defender Td5. However there was too little clearance between the top of the wings and the lower edge of the bonnet.

In the End, I sprayed the underside of the chequer plate with 3 coats of Black Plastidip spray. It appears to have done just what I wanted, so hopefully no corrosion problems, and the end result looks great. Plus no clearance issues with the underside of the bonnet.

BTW, I attached the chequer plate with aluminium pop rivets. Easier than using rivnuts & no chance of galvanic corrosion.

Alan

[YOLO110]

Good stuff Alan!

The Mammouth product has 5 pre-drilled and countersunk holes that take a countersunk M6 bolt... so rivets are not possible. I would be good if someone produced ali bolts for a purpose such as this... i.e., just fastening with no load!

I am hoping that as the checker plate is powder coated ali, and the wing tops are painted ali, there will be no issues with corrosion etc etc... well at least not in my ownership anyway!

I am really pleased with the result too!

Cheers, Pete :>)