12 replies to this topic

[RONNIE]

Hi

I Put a zeemax body kit onto my mini about 2 months ago and now it has
started cracking around the back and fron of the car im just wondering
what the best solution if to sort these crack out
is it easier to fill them and sand them down or is there any better ways?

 DSC00098.JPG   301.27K   171 downloads

Cheers

[CMcB]

if it was only 2 months ago and the kit was new Id call Zeemax, shouldnt it be under warranty?

[screech]

Joints between body and fibreglass kit will crack very quickly if you only used filler.

Best way is to fibreglass the joints.

[roberts]

do you mean the body kit itself? or where it was bonded to the car body?

If its the bonding bit take it back to the garage that fitted it for you!!

[Jammy]

I agree with roberts, fibreglass doesn't just crack for no reason, unless you've reversed into something. If it is cracking at the joins then someone did a poor job of fitting it.

[Body stylist]

Hi

I Put a zeemax body kit onto my mini about 2 months ago and now it has
started cracking around the back and fron of the car im just wondering
what the best solution if to sort these crack out
is it easier to fill them and sand them down or is there any better ways?

 DSC00098.JPG   301.27K   171 downloads

Cheers

looking at the picture, its the join lines that have cracked, this is usually down to bad prep and/or the wrong adhesive used

however, the way the exhaust is wedged into the rear bumper really wont help your cause...

if it was all fitted at the one place take it back to them, if the exhaust was fitted after the kit, you may have comeback on the exhaust centre, and struggle with the bodyshop, however, if you do, show them the front arch to skirt join - thats nothing to do with the exhaust..

[Jammy]

Also, the back of your car looks quite sooty, which mean be a result of your engine running rich, especially if you haven't had it tuned since installing that exhaust.

[Chivers]

That is not a genuine Zeemax Kit.

[mini1.3]

That is not a genuine Zeemax Kit.

how do you no that not saying your right or wrong but just intersted in how you no the differece

[jack_marshall]

Blending kits in never works well to be honest.

Your better off making the kit fit nicely with small gaps and have it removable then run panel beading/rubber strips round the gaps.

[roberts]

mine worked fine!! 6 years later its still perfect! If you ignore the rust obviously!

1) you have to weld on metal shelves to extend the area that the kit attaches to.

2) make sure the kit doesn't 'wobble' around. If it does you have to simply fix it in more places/make some more fitting brackets.

Once its on solid and not moving you can quite easily use body filler (or flex bond stuff, with flex though the paint will flake after a few years) and jobs a gudden!

No offense, but if anyone has had problems with there's its just bad workmanship!!

[roofless]

the genuine zeemax kit is designed, and finished to perfection, so that it can be bolted together and finishes flush with the bodywork, the whole idea being that you DONT use filler on the jointing faces or blend it to the bodywork in any way whatsoever. The side skirts are bonded with sicoflex at the top and screw fixed at the bottom and everything else bolts into place - no gaps.

the copy kits are way thinner than the original and flex easily, certain areas of my kit are in excess of 10mm thick which is what gives it strength.

sorry to say, but if its a copy kit, and thin wall, it will flex and crack everywhere you have used filler.

Zeemax dont fit kits - they have bodyshops they recommend who all fit to a very exacting standard, thats one of the reasons its so expensive, and why i guess its tempting to get a cheap copy and fit yourself.

where you are at now, the only real fix is to dig out all the filler and use resin where you can, but I think this will eventually also crack, spider fracture and not look to good.

I learned the hard way and ended up binning a kit to start from scratch, or more to the point i let the recommended pro's do it.

The recommendation above of extra steel bracketry to support and brace is a good idea also - anything to eliminate flexing.

Edited by roofless, 25 December 2008 - 07:05 PM.

[jack_marshall]

Agreed, the more time that is spent making it flex free the longer it will last, but they will always split in the end.

Even mine split at the joins in places and I spent weeks bonding mine on.

Edit- Agreed with Roofless. Make it fit and just run sikoflex down the joins. Will look just as good as being blended in and should last alot better.

Edited by jack_marshall, 25 December 2008 - 07:08 PM.