Front tire deflector came off rivet. How to fix?

nurseryboy · 07-25-2011, 02:32 PM

On the front-left of the car, that little rubber deflector in front of the tire came off the rivet. The two screws are fine, and the hole the rivet went through isn't torn or anything, but the rubber is just free from the rivet. I tried with a screwdriver a little to try to stretch it over the rivet, but didn't have any luck. I stopped at the dealership, and they said they'd have to remove the rivet and the rubber piece, and install a whole new one. That seems like a lot of unnecessary work, but I figured you guys would know better than them! Is there a way to get it back on?

daisuke149 · 07-25-2011, 03:09 PM

The lil flaps in front of the tires dont come riveted. only bolted.

The front chip spoiler on the bumper that is riveted.

kenchan · 07-25-2011, 03:28 PM

^^ wat daisuke said. the small deflectors are held with 3 screws only. no rivets.

nurseryboy · 07-25-2011, 04:01 PM

That's odd. Mine has two bolts, and one rivet. Of course the camera focused on the bolts, but you should be able to tell what's going on.

That's supposed to be a bolt as well? Good news is I was able to get it back on. It took a little work and a small screwdriver, but I was able to stretch it back over.

TypeOne · 07-25-2011, 04:14 PM

I've seen these attached both ways. On my 2009, they were bolted on, but a buddy of mines were riveted on. His was a 2010 model. My sport spoiler was hardcore riveted on, but his had different, weaker rivets. Maybe it's a dealership thing?

It's weird, but I would get a new rivet and buy a cheap rivet gun from Home Depot. Probably $15 total to fix that.

kenchan · 07-25-2011, 04:22 PM

huh, interesting. if that was my car, i would take a 1/4" drill bit and just break that rivet off, replace with new bolt, washer, and nut. fixed!

or remove the 2 screws off, hook the rivet back onto the piece and re-screw the 2 bolts back up.

nurseryboy · 07-25-2011, 04:40 PM

Good ideas, thanks guys. I was able to get it stretched back over the rivet with a little work, but if it comes off again, I'm just going to get rid of the rivet and bolt. That'll be much easier

kenchan · 07-25-2011, 05:16 PM

np!! GL with that.

07-25-2011, 02:32 PM	#1 (permalink)
nurseryboy Base Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: OBX NC Posts: 123 Drives: 09 BMW 135i Rep Power: 15	Front tire deflector came off rivet. How to fix? On the front-left of the car, that little rubber deflector in front of the tire came off the rivet. The two screws are fine, and the hole the rivet went through isn't torn or anything, but the rubber is just free from the rivet. I tried with a screwdriver a little to try to stretch it over the rivet, but didn't have any luck. I stopped at the dealership, and they said they'd have to remove the rivet and the rubber piece, and install a whole new one. That seems like a lot of unnecessary work, but I figured you guys would know better than them! Is there a way to get it back on?

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07-25-2011, 03:09 PM	#2 (permalink)
daisuke149 My *** is famous! Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Alpharetta, GA Posts: 4,849 Drives: 2013 Boss 302 PW Rep Power: 31	The lil flaps in front of the tires dont come riveted. only bolted. The front chip spoiler on the bumper that is riveted.

07-25-2011, 03:28 PM	#3 (permalink)
kenchan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: N/A Posts: 76,801 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 141521	^^ wat daisuke said. the small deflectors are held with 3 screws only. no rivets.

07-25-2011, 04:01 PM	#4 (permalink)
nurseryboy Base Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: OBX NC Posts: 123 Drives: 09 BMW 135i Rep Power: 15	That's odd. Mine has two bolts, and one rivet. Of course the camera focused on the bolts, but you should be able to tell what's going on. That's supposed to be a bolt as well? Good news is I was able to get it back on. It took a little work and a small screwdriver, but I was able to stretch it back over.

07-25-2011, 04:14 PM	#5 (permalink)
TypeOne A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Baton Rouge, LA Posts: 2,682 Drives: BSM 370 Rep Power: 1851	I've seen these attached both ways. On my 2009, they were bolted on, but a buddy of mines were riveted on. His was a 2010 model. My sport spoiler was hardcore riveted on, but his had different, weaker rivets. Maybe it's a dealership thing? It's weird, but I would get a new rivet and buy a cheap rivet gun from Home Depot. Probably $15 total to fix that.

07-25-2011, 04:22 PM	#6 (permalink)
kenchan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: N/A Posts: 76,801 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 141521	huh, interesting. if that was my car, i would take a 1/4" drill bit and just break that rivet off, replace with new bolt, washer, and nut. fixed! or remove the 2 screws off, hook the rivet back onto the piece and re-screw the 2 bolts back up.

07-25-2011, 04:40 PM	#7 (permalink)
nurseryboy Base Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: OBX NC Posts: 123 Drives: 09 BMW 135i Rep Power: 15	Good ideas, thanks guys. I was able to get it stretched back over the rivet with a little work, but if it comes off again, I'm just going to get rid of the rivet and bolt. That'll be much easier

07-25-2011, 05:16 PM	#8 (permalink)
kenchan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: N/A Posts: 76,801 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 141521	np!! GL with that.