500 What’s this
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500 What’s this
Is that under the front bumper?
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The strip runs underneath on all versions, Abarth Included. I think of it as a warning when maybe parking up to a kerb.
I'd leave it alone, its not doing any harm
I'd leave it alone, its not doing any harm
It's a rubber strip on the bottom of the bumper given how much is hanging of I'd probably just cut it off now but the choice is yours
Quite a few manufacturers have a semi rigid strip like this under the front bumper. I've given it some passing thought from time to time and I think it's an aerodynamic aid. It's helping to limit/modify/control airflow under the car which gives increased stability at higher speeds and possibly contributes to better fuel efficiency and lower emissions by reducing drag? - look at circuit racers and you'll see they have "splitters" like this which almost drag on the ground. This video explains it in quite simple language (sorry about the presenter): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXjiThF1LXU Look from around 8 minutes in to see about front splitter/air dams.
Unless you drive like a lunatic I doubt if you will notice any difference if you cut your damaged one off?
Unless you drive like a lunatic I doubt if you will notice any difference if you cut your damaged one off?
Well you can’t leave it like that unless your good at plastic wielding I’d just cut it off!
As Jock describes, it is an air dam, to help airflow and stability at speed.
It also has a second function. It is usually the lowest part of the car, and designed that if it contacts anything, it makes a lot of noise, when it causes the bumper to vibrate along with it, so frightening the driver into not continuing.
For example, when parking towardsa a kerb, this air dam will contact teh kerb and make noise, before any real damage is done, and hopefully the driver stops before the sump hits something solid. Looks like it might have met this sort of challenge recently, hence the damage.
If you remove it, you need to remember that you may have no warning before something important hits something, so watch where you're going.
It also has a second function. It is usually the lowest part of the car, and designed that if it contacts anything, it makes a lot of noise, when it causes the bumper to vibrate along with it, so frightening the driver into not continuing.
For example, when parking towardsa a kerb, this air dam will contact teh kerb and make noise, before any real damage is done, and hopefully the driver stops before the sump hits something solid. Looks like it might have met this sort of challenge recently, hence the damage.
If you remove it, you need to remember that you may have no warning before something important hits something, so watch where you're going.
These are actually stapled on with thick metal staples. If you have or can borrow a staple gun it’s worth just getting the car up in the air on axle stands or ramps and re stapling rather than ripping it off.
NOT JUST ON A JACK!
NOT JUST ON A JACK!
I think it's more of a rubber then plastic so I doubt you can plastic weld it
I was wondering of you could drill small holes and 'lace it ' back into position.. either electrical wire..or cable ties
You can always bond it at the same time
You can always bond it at the same time
If these are originally stapled, I'm thinking drilling a few holes through both parts and either fitting nuts, bolts & washers, or using rivets. Given the relative fragility of the plastic and rubber materials, I'd also use washers with the rivets.
The latter method should give a 'better than new' repair.
The latter method should give a 'better than new' repair.
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If it's like the one on my old car it will have split at the 90 degree bend between where it's attached to the bumper and where it turns to go down under the car rather then just comming in attached its hard to tell from.the photo
