Advice needed wingtop protectors

[BlueWagon]

Hi all

Could someone who has installed wing top protectors to a 110 defender help me?
I have a pair of 3mm black aluminium plate wingtop protectors from Paddocks UK that I need to install. Each has 5 holes for short countersunk bolts with nylock nuts and washers. I can only easily access the hole on the passenger side nearest the windscreen. The hole near the aerial has finger access blocked by engine parts but maybe if I take off the Safari snorkel I could get access there? I can't get my fingers anywhere near the holes at the front of the guards.
My wife was horrified to find out that I intend drilling holes in the duco of the one month old Puma... so she'll freak if sees me dismantling half the front of the car to try and get access to the holes.

I'm not really sure whether I can get access by taking out the lights or snorkel or wheelguards??

Could somebody who has installed these wing top guards tell me what are the minimum bits to dismantle and the simplest way of doing it.

Also is it worth putting a 0.5mm or very thin layer of rubber/foam under the guards to stop any vibration??

By the way I was very impressed when feeling around to notice that Puma has sound deadening/insulation foam in the engine bay on top of the wheel guards...didn't have that on the old diesel.

Cheers
Mark

[dmdigital]

The genuine ones come with foam underlay, you could also put some sikaflex under them, though I think the foam would be better. The other thing is make sure your bonnet will close on the 3mm plate. The genuine doesn't extend back as far as the aerial as the bonnet is wider at the front and the firewall ends to the older model's. My bonnet's tolerances were to tight to take the old style (longer) checker plate.

There's two ways you can tackle this. Firstly you could use rivnuts, this is what Land Rover supplies in the genuine kit and it makes the install much easier. As for the other way I think you'll have to be ingenous with a long handled spanner and the nut stuck in it.

When I put the ones on my Tdi I was able to reach up to the aerial point through blanking plate on the wing top but I remember it was a stretch. The front ones can be done by removing the headlights, again this gets messy to reach inside though. Putting it on the Puma with the Rivnuts was a lot easier.

If it was me, I'd go the Rivnuts like the genuine ones.

[Mulgo]

The genuine ones come with foam underlay, you could also put some sikaflex under them, though I think the foam would be better. The other thing is make sure your bonnet will close on the 3mm plate. The genuine doesn't extend back as far as the aerial as the bonnet is wider at the front and the firewall ends to the older model's. My bonnet's tolerances were to tight to take the old style (longer) checker plate.

There's two ways you can tackle this. Firstly you could use rivnuts, this is what Land Rover supplies in the genuine kit and it makes the install much easier. As for the other way I think you'll have to be ingenous with a long handled spanner and the nut stuck in it.

When I put the ones on my Tdi I was able to reach up to the aerial point through blanking plate on the wing top but I remember it was a stretch. The front ones can be done by removing the headlights, again this gets messy to reach inside though. Putting it on the Puma with the Rivnuts was a lot easier.

If it was me, I'd go the Rivnuts like the genuine ones.

Agree, rivnuts is the way to go.

dm_td5 - the attachment looks good, although very detailed, they do not tell you where and when to put in the rivnuts (only making the 9.5mm holes)....

would probably have been more useful to replace the 'pls wash the wingtop' #8 with the instructions to put in the rivnuts!

[BlueWagon]

The genuine ones come with foam underlay, you could also put some sikaflex under them, though I think the foam would be better. The other thing is make sure your bonnet will close on the 3mm plate. The genuine doesn't extend back as far as the aerial as the bonnet is wider at the front and the firewall ends to the older model's. My bonnet's tolerances were to tight to take the old style (longer) checker plate.

There's two ways you can tackle this. Firstly you could use rivnuts, this is what Land Rover supplies in the genuine kit and it makes the install much easier. As for the other way I think you'll have to be ingenous with a long handled spanner and the nut stuck in it.

When I put the ones on my Tdi I was able to reach up to the aerial point through blanking plate on the wing top but I remember it was a stretch. The front ones can be done by removing the headlights, again this gets messy to reach inside though. Putting it on the Puma with the Rivnuts was a lot easier.

If it was me, I'd go the Rivnuts like the genuine ones.

Thanks dm_td5

The bonnet closes OK...You can actually slide them under the edge lip of the bonnet while it is shut.
I would have got the original ones except the LR dealer was very vague about LR accessories...the wing tops were on the website and in the booklet but not on the dealer's accessory price list?? The local aftermarket ones were only 2mm and expensive so I got them from Paddocks UK after I heard a recommendation for them on this forum somewhere.

I forgot about the blanking plate on the wing top for access but my five holes look to be in exactly the same place as those on your diagram so it will be the front ones that are hard to get to.

I've never heard of Rivnuts so I'll have to go down to the hardware store to see what they are and how they work.

Cheers
Mark

[dmdigital]

Mark there is a good tutorial on how to use Rivnuts on the forum by blknighg.aus which has what you need to know.

[foz.in.oz]

My interpretation of the instructions is that in pic #10 the rivnuts are put in the holes so that the flange is on top of the wing guard with the body going through the guard and the wingtop before inserting the screw to compress the rivnut. Does this make sense?

[Mulgo]

My interpretation of the instructions is that in pic #10 the rivnuts are put in the holes so that the flange is on top of the wing guard with the body going through the guard and the wingtop before inserting the screw to compress the rivnut. Does this make sense?

No. The rivnut is basically acting as the nut. Therefore only put the rivnut into the wing top, then the chequer plate wing guard on top of it and then the bolts to attach the chequer plate to the wing top.

Other wise, if your wing guards haven't got holes already, take a few simple aluminium rivets to fit it.

[Allan]

i would think the rivnuts would make the guard tops to high and touch the bonnet. I got 3mm tops from paddocks in UK and they come very close to contact with the bonnet.

Allan

[Mulgo]

i would think the rivnuts would make the guard tops to high and touch the bonnet. I got 3mm tops from paddocks in UK and they come very close to contact with the bonnet.

Allan

Hello Allan,

From memory you also have some sort of mat to put under the guard, which would probably about the same hight than the actual rivnut.

There are however rivnuts with a countersunk head style which - once inserted finish flush with the actual surface. They would certainly be strong enough for what you are using them.

[foz.in.oz]

No. The rivnut is basically acting as the nut. Therefore only put the rivnut into the wing top, then the chequer plate wing guard on top of it and then the bolts to attach the chequer plate to the wing top.

Other wise, if your wing guards haven't got holes already, take a few simple aluminium rivets to fit it.

So there is a step missing from the instructions all together then