DIY: S203 style rubber underskirt

lokutus1 · 04-09-2006, 11:01 AM

ok, so i didn't feel like paying over $100 for a v-limited rubber underskirt for my s203 cf lip. so, i decided to make my own with $19 in stuff from auto zone and home depot. you'll basically need to buy black garage door botton seal from home depot (~$9) and 15ft of 3m double side stick tape for side moldings from auto zone (~$10). make sure you buy the really sticky stuff.

here's a pic of the garage door seal. make sure you use the "hard" version of the rubber seal shown on the left and NOT the one on the right. the "soft" version will not hold up very well if you scrape it. (thanks to fourseasonsandles for the pic):

1st, cut the rubber door seal at the folded seam. i tried applying the lip without cutting it, but that section kept lifting off the lip.

2nd, clean your lip and the rubber door seal with some rubbing alcohol to remove dirt and oils. this ensures the tape sticks tightly. then start applying the tape to your lip. you'll need to cut out sections of tape to follow the contours of the lip.

3rd, remove tape backing and start applying the rubber seal. begin from the middle and work your way out toward the end. cut out wedges in the corners so you can bend the rubber seal. make sure you press hard afterwards so the tape adheres tightly.

trim off excess rubber seal and tape if needed.

that's it! easy cheap mod. looks pretty good too. should help to protect your lip a little from scrapes and such. great thing is that it's cheap to replace if it gets badly damaged. (fyi: the white stuff is foam called "great stuff." you can find it at any home improvement store.)

here's how it looks like from the front after application of the rubber seal/skirt

here's how it looks on the car

kevin

***Nachos Libres*** · 04-09-2006, 11:16 AM

Looks very nice.

fourseasonsandles · 04-09-2006, 11:21 AM

Bout time someone came up with this! I waiting until I actually bought a lip to get working on it! Nice Job though!

***Nachos Libres*** · 04-09-2006, 11:25 AM

Added to sticky.

lokutus1 · 04-09-2006, 11:32 AM

thanks fellas! there's also several ways to orient the seal/skirt, so you can play around with it to find the one you like best.

jamolie · 04-09-2006, 12:46 PM

I was just at Lowes yesterday and couldn't find the rubber that you bought. I guess I'll have to head over to home depot to see if they have some of that stuff. Good job. It looks great!

LightWerkz · 04-09-2006, 02:35 PM

looks great kevin...good idea!

Stee · 04-09-2006, 02:46 PM

+1 for creativity!!!!

***BoostJunkie*** · 04-09-2006, 03:19 PM

Nice idea! I might have to do that to my JDM lip when it arrives to protect the bottom from scrapes.

lokutus1 · 04-09-2006, 04:50 PM

the 3m tape is good too because it can be removed without leaving a residue if you want to reverse the process.

kts262 · 04-09-2006, 04:54 PM

Looks great! I might have to do this to my V-Limited.

Islandboy630 · 04-09-2006, 04:58 PM

very nice!

SlvSTI05 · 04-09-2006, 06:05 PM

looks a hell of a lot better than the real rubber skirt. Nice job man

LightWerkz · 04-09-2006, 06:07 PM

I know Kevin, I have to say, thats very nice...

I dont think I feel like taking off the lip though

SlvSTI05 · 04-09-2006, 06:18 PM

i bet you can do it with it installed on the car...get dirty geaser ceaser

04-09-2006, 11:01 AM	#1
lokutus1 Spec C Club Car: 05 WRB WRX STi Fav Mod: FYI, I'm a dude Location: Burlington, MA Posts: 2,349 Join Date: Mar 2005 Trader Rating: (10)	DIY: S203 style rubber underskirt ok, so i didn't feel like paying over $100 for a v-limited rubber underskirt for my s203 cf lip. so, i decided to make my own with $19 in stuff from auto zone and home depot. you'll basically need to buy black garage door botton seal from home depot (~$9) and 15ft of 3m double side stick tape for side moldings from auto zone (~$10). make sure you buy the really sticky stuff. here's a pic of the garage door seal. make sure you use the "hard" version of the rubber seal shown on the left and NOT the one on the right. the "soft" version will not hold up very well if you scrape it. (thanks to fourseasonsandles for the pic): 1st, cut the rubber door seal at the folded seam. i tried applying the lip without cutting it, but that section kept lifting off the lip. 2nd, clean your lip and the rubber door seal with some rubbing alcohol to remove dirt and oils. this ensures the tape sticks tightly. then start applying the tape to your lip. you'll need to cut out sections of tape to follow the contours of the lip. 3rd, remove tape backing and start applying the rubber seal. begin from the middle and work your way out toward the end. cut out wedges in the corners so you can bend the rubber seal. make sure you press hard afterwards so the tape adheres tightly. trim off excess rubber seal and tape if needed. that's it! easy cheap mod. looks pretty good too. should help to protect your lip a little from scrapes and such. great thing is that it's cheap to replace if it gets badly damaged. (fyi: the white stuff is foam called "great stuff." you can find it at any home improvement store.) here's how it looks like from the front after application of the rubber seal/skirt here's how it looks on the car kevin This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad. Last edited by lokutus1 : 03-09-2008 at 06:07 PM.

04-09-2006, 06:18 PM	#15
SlvSTI05 Spec C Club Car: 2006 Steel Grey STi Fav Mod: Invidia TBE Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma Posts: 1,071 Join Date: Dec 2004 Trader Rating: (7)	i bet you can do it with it installed on the car...get dirty geaser ceaser This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad.

04-09-2006, 11:16 AM	#2
*Nachos Libres* Moderator Elite Car: 2005 Subaru WRX STi Fav Mod: Underglows Location: Tyler, Texas Posts: 8,555 Join Date: Jul 2005 Trader Rating: (0)	Looks very nice.

04-09-2006, 11:21 AM	#3
fourseasonsandles Silver Member Car: 06 CGM Wingless Fav Mod: The Newest One! Location: Ra cha cha NY Posts: 3,316 Join Date: Sep 2005 Trader Rating: (0)	Bout time someone came up with this! I waiting until I actually bought a lip to get working on it! Nice Job though!

04-09-2006, 11:25 AM	#4
*Nachos Libres* Moderator Elite Car: 2005 Subaru WRX STi Fav Mod: Underglows Location: Tyler, Texas Posts: 8,555 Join Date: Jul 2005 Trader Rating: (0)	Added to sticky.

04-09-2006, 11:32 AM	#5
lokutus1 Spec C Club Car: 05 WRB WRX STi Fav Mod: FYI, I'm a dude Location: Burlington, MA Posts: 2,349 Join Date: Mar 2005 Trader Rating: (10)	thanks fellas! there's also several ways to orient the seal/skirt, so you can play around with it to find the one you like best.

04-09-2006, 12:46 PM	#6
jamolie Senior STI Driver Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 318 Join Date: Apr 2004 Trader Rating: (0)	I was just at Lowes yesterday and couldn't find the rubber that you bought. I guess I'll have to head over to home depot to see if they have some of that stuff. Good job. It looks great!

04-09-2006, 02:35 PM	#7
LightWerkz STI Master Car: E46 M3 Fav Mod: ZCP Wheels Location: Clifton Posts: 7,495 Join Date: Aug 2005 Trader Rating: (77)	looks great kevin...good idea!

04-09-2006, 02:46 PM	#8
Stee Spec C Club Car: 2008 Fitrari Red Fav Mod: Getting 40mpg Location: North Jersey Posts: 1,537 Join Date: Jan 2004 Trader Rating: (8)	+1 for creativity!!!!

04-09-2006, 03:19 PM	#9
*BoostJunkie* Sold My Soul For Mods Car: '05 CGM STi Fav Mod: Track Time Location: Bethesda, MD Posts: 6,546 Join Date: Jun 2004 Trader Rating: (14)	Nice idea! I might have to do that to my JDM lip when it arrives to protect the bottom from scrapes.

04-09-2006, 04:50 PM	#10
lokutus1 Spec C Club Car: 05 WRB WRX STi Fav Mod: FYI, I'm a dude Location: Burlington, MA Posts: 2,349 Join Date: Mar 2005 Trader Rating: (10)	the 3m tape is good too because it can be removed without leaving a residue if you want to reverse the process.

04-09-2006, 04:54 PM	#11
kts262 HowTo Contributor Car: 2008 DGM (BBS+Navi) Fav Mod: stock FTL? Location: College Park, MD Posts: 2,117 Join Date: Jan 2005 Trader Rating: (9)	Looks great! I might have to do this to my V-Limited.

04-09-2006, 04:58 PM	#12
Islandboy630 Spec C Club Car: 08 MBC300 Sprt 4mtic Fav Mod: RIP - 06 OBP STI Location: Chicagoland Posts: 2,160 Join Date: Jan 2006 Trader Rating: (6)	very nice!

04-09-2006, 06:05 PM	#13
SlvSTI05 Spec C Club Car: 2006 Steel Grey STi Fav Mod: Invidia TBE Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma Posts: 1,071 Join Date: Dec 2004 Trader Rating: (7)	looks a hell of a lot better than the real rubber skirt. Nice job man

04-09-2006, 06:07 PM	#14
LightWerkz STI Master Car: E46 M3 Fav Mod: ZCP Wheels Location: Clifton Posts: 7,495 Join Date: Aug 2005 Trader Rating: (77)	I know Kevin, I have to say, thats very nice... I dont think I feel like taking off the lip though