Rear wheel skirt fixings

Dowsingthomas · 10-04-2005, 08:17 AM

I purchased my Honda insight in Feb 2004 from a garage who had used it as their demonstrator. so it had very little mileage and was in near perfect condition. As soon as I started to drive it I hit problems with the rear wheel skirts coming adrift and flying off, damaging a car coming in the other direction. On each occassion I could not find fault with how they were fixed apart from the cam screw fixing being less than secure in the retaining clips. The garage I purchased the car from came to the same conclusion and between us we designed and they had made four new Clevis pin fixings with R clips. I have had them on for 18 months and having done 24. 000 miles since fitting them, they have been perfect.

I was contacted by an owner in the USA who wanted a set like mine so I have made up 12 sets of the Aluminium Clevis pins and SS R clips with a set of fitting instructions. So now I have 11 sets of Clevis pins available for anybody who has like me had problems with the rear wheel skirt fixings.

Apart from the rear wheel skirts the car has been great. Beacause I use the car for business, my mileage reclaim pays for the total running cost, depreciation and finance, so year on year it has cost me nothing to own.

The Citrus Smoothie · 10-04-2005, 09:06 AM

Hi, welcome to the forum. I live in Carshalton and regular go to Hurst Green, just down the road from you to maintain my late parents house. I saw you once on the A25/A22 going up to the M25 and tried to catch you up but with no luck. (We have to drive fast to show people Hybrids aren't slow

). I had also tried to contact you for the UK Honda Insight Owners Day that was held in August.

I am interested in these pin fixings because my Insight is due for a service including new rear tyres. I suspect the garage might bodge the existing wheel skirt screws, so these pin fixings sound like just the job.

Please PM me with your details. If you have seen the Insight Owners Day photos, you will know that Red UK Insight Owners are a rare breed

The Citrus Smoothie · 10-08-2005, 05:32 PM

I met Dowsingthomas today and he kindly fitted a set of his clevis pins and r clips to my wheel skirts. Thank you!

Just as well, because unknown to me I had lost one of my wheel skirt cam screws recently.

The clevis pin and r clip is a great way of securing our rear wheel skirts. We all face a degree of uncertainty about whether the wheel skirt cam screws are secure and with the clevis pin, I now know that my wheel skirts are rock solid. They are also useful because it is easy to check (after a service for example) that the mechanic has put the skirts back on securely. They are maintenance free as they are made from aluminium and stainless steel; they are even tied to the wheel skirt so they can't be 'mislaid'!

I have suggested to Dowsingthomas that he uses my eBay account to sell the remaining packs of clevis pins and r clips, which I could link to the sell/buy forum.

P.S. If any UK Insight owner needs replacement cam screws and brackets I now have three spare...HTH

Dowsingthomas · 10-09-2005, 06:58 AM

Thank you Citrus Smoothie for your kind words. I know they will do the Biz for you.

I can confer that if anybody wants a set of the Clevis pin fixings they should do it through Citrus Smoothie's account to make payment from the USA easier

I look forward to meeting up with other UK Insight owners, and perhaps even a few from other countries.

Jef Gamblee · 11-20-2005, 11:58 PM

My skirt on the passerger's side is sagging. The screws are in place, however it appears the metal support for the skirt is fatigued. Has anyone a fix?
Jef

Rick · 11-21-2005, 12:28 AM

It may be that you just need to push the skirt in some when sliding it up as it catches the tabs properly, or you might need to play around with tweaking the tabs by bending them slightly. I once accidentally pushed one in and that really messed up how one went on. Finally took a good look, bent it out some and it was fine afterwards.

Dowsingthomas · 11-21-2005, 03:18 AM

I agree totally with what Rick says. I found that mechanics when they refix the skirts can easily flatten the tabs, so losing some of the essential fixing arrangement. I find it takes a bit of practice to get it right as you can not see the bottom tabs while you slide the skirt into position.

Next you need the cam scew fixings to pull the bottom of the skirt in without leaving any slack. My experience is that there is some slack in the cam screw fixing.

Jef Gamblee · 11-21-2005, 01:46 PM

Thanks, I'll take a look at the tabs.

Jef