Fitting wind deflector: drilling covers

M

Max

Member
Hi, New to the forums as I have just purchased a 2004 2.2 Z4. Also bought a centre deflector on ebay with fitting brackets. These turned out to be the boot fixings. However, it looks like you can take the flanges off of the fixings and use them as the centre fixings. BMW do not sell the centre fixings separately!!

Has any one fitted these brackets without taking the covers off? I assume that it is fairly simple. Looking at a Z4 today the edge of the fixing is 7mm from the split in the cover and 1cm up from the collar (measure taken from the rear of the fixing). As such it should be possible to mark the hole an drill through to access the screw threads. At £100 for the 4 it is getting silly

New 4mm 8 20mm bolts required. (I have another set of boot fixings)
 
I would agree that if you can get the hole positions right being careful you could drill through the covers. You would not be able to fit the two smaller panels though between each hoop.
 
My local garage managed to remove the roll hoop covers without snapping the fittings to fit the inserts, re-fit then & drill thru the original covers to fit the runners for the middle deflector so it is possible... :thumbsup:
 
Hi, thanks for your input, I have not got the panels that fit in the rollver hoops, having bought the deflector on ebay. So I will have a go at drilling the covers...............carefully. Ill take some pictures and put them on the forum. A job for the weekend.
 
OwenT said:
My local garage managed to remove the roll hoop covers without snapping the fittings to fit the inserts, re-fit then & drill thru the original covers to fit the runners for the middle deflector so it is possible... :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

It's possible as I have my originals, but it's impossible to remove them without breaking some of the tabs.
 
Hi, I did start on this Friday. I marked up and drilled a pilot hole in the drivers rollover hoop. I could not find any threaded area to screw the bolt. As such, I thought I was going to need the complete kit. £267 from Chandlers in Brighton, excluding boot kit. The guy in stores was helpful and showed me a blown up diagram of the rollover hoops. It appears that the hoop cover for the fixing has an equivalent of a nut attached to where the holes have been drilled. I thought there was "nut" or similar in the rollover inner covers. I declined to purchase as I already have the centre fixing.

All fitted, the answer...........I marked up where the fixing are to go, drilled two pilot holes and used self taping screws!!. Fixed as solid as a rock!!

Obviously this is only applicable if you only have the centre deflector, if you have those that go into the rollover hoops, then it is the full kit. However if you are like me and got the bits of ebay, then the self taping screw route works.


Measurement taken off a Z4 in a BMW garage. Front hoop. the back edge of the fixing is 7mm from the split. The back edge of the fixing is 1cm from the lower wrap around cover.
 
I can only think your measurements are slightly out as there is nothing on the new hoop covers for the screw to attach to, there is a middle plastic shrowd over the metal hoops that has the nut for the screw to attach to.

But you have done it, that is the main thing. :thumbsup:
 
100 for for? That's the cost of my Windblox windscreen! And I didn't have to much around with any of these mounting issues, either. But yeah, good luck with it. Have you checked with any custom shops?
 
hi, thanks for your reply. The self tapping op[tion appears to have worked very well.Fits nice and snug. Out of interest I''ll have a look at the Windblox option.

Thanks again
 
I bought the centre section wind deflector off ebay. Thought I wasn't going to be able to fit it - but then saw Max's post on drilling and using self tapping screws. Nice one Max!
Fitted mine yesterday with careful measurement and drilling was easy. And looks spot on.
The hole for the bottom screw was 43mm from the base of the roll bar and 8 mm back from the join of the silver and black parts. Its then easy to mark where the top hole needs to go.
I used half inch number 6 diameter self tapping screws. And a 2 mm drill for a pilot hole.
 
Has anyone tried fixing these brackets using a strong epoxy/glue? Seems a bit less risky than drilling holes and using self tapping screws!
 
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