How to make a body kit on a car

Under the car body kit is understood a set of additional external parts that can improve the aerodynamic characteristics and exterior of the vehicle. In most cases, external tuning is the installation of such elements as spoilers, diffusers, covers on the sills and wings, possible replacement of the grille or bumper, installation of air ducts and much more. In addition to purely practical tasks, body kit carries a semantic load, distinguishing the car from the general flow by individualizing the appearance, and reflecting the aspirations of the owner of the car. Many manufacturers offer ready-made body kits for factory cars. You can order original products in the tuning studio, many of which have long been engaged in the manufacture of unique sets for specific brands.

Why do you need a body kit and what is included in it?

Aerodynamic body kit is designed primarily to improve the running and handling of the car at high speeds (over 120 km/h). During driving, the air currents around the vehicle (front, rear, underbody and sides) have a significant effect on the axle balance. Air swirls and rarefaction zones impair vehicle handling by reducing the grip of the wheels on the road, redistributing the balance between the front and rear of the vehicle. That’s why body kit parts are needed.

Bumper spoiler (skirt) — increases the downforce of the car by redirecting airflow. An additional advantage is the possibility of cooling the brake pads and radiator (with the help of a system of channels through which the air moves in the desired direction). In some cases, the rear bumper spoiler can protect the trunk and rear window from splashes and dirt flying out from under the wheels and underbody. It is made both separately and one-piece with the bumper.
Splitter — aerodynamic overlay on the lower part of the bumper, which contributes to the creation of a rarefaction zone under the bottom of the car. The vented air can also serve for additional cooling of brakes or engine.
Diffuser — utilizes the kinetic energy of air currents under the bottom of the car to create a vacuum and increase downforce of the car. The part is usually located at the rear of the car. Significantly reduces ground clearance.
Bumper — a bar in the front and rear of the car, the main purpose of which is to soften the impact of a collision. In modern cars, it also performs a decorative role, so it is tuned most often. Massive, relief bumpers are very popular, often including a grille, spoiler and part of the front fenders.
Side skirts — parts of the lower part of the body. They serve to protect the inner part of the sill from mechanical damage, the impact of road reagents, the ingress of small stones and debris. In large-sized cars, they facilitate entry or exit from the cabin (which is especially important for children, short or elderly people).
Wide body extensions — wheel arch covers made of rubberized materials or composite plastics. They allow to increase the area of protection from splashes, dirt and stones flying from under the wheels.
Power body kit — a set of parts with improved strength characteristics, designed for installation on SUVs and specialized cars. It includes reinforced bumpers, side skirts, kangurin, expedition rack, winch, etc. They will not only increase the level of safety, but also help to pull the car out of a pit, mud or snow drift.

So, body kit performs protective, aerodynamic and decorative functions. In some cases, it allows you to better control the car in unfavorable weather conditions, for example, in rain, ice, fog, snowstorm. It should be remembered that spoilers and diffusers reduce ground clearance. In the conditions of Russian roads, even in the city, this can cause difficulties when driving.

Where to buy body kits for your car

Gone are the days when tuning parts were in short supply and local «kulibin» made their own body kit in the garage. Now the Internet is full of sites with screaming headlines and promises to make the «best» tuning at low prices. Unfortunately, the high demand has led to the emergence of many small firms and one-day companies, which can not always guarantee the proper quality of the body kit and work on its installation. As a result, the car owner risks ruining the car, spend time and nerves, as well as an impressive amount of money to correct mistakes.

To avoid such a thing, it is better to turn to trusted companies that are official dealers or direct representatives of manufacturers. If you are not satisfied with the ready-made factory kit, you can pay attention to the tuning studio, where you can buy designer body kits for the car of a particular brand. This includes, for example, the company RENEGADE, which offers a full range of services for car tuning. Thanks to its own production, as well as an extensive network of branches and workshops, the company in the shortest possible time solves the issues of manufacturing, delivery, installation of body kit, including its painting. The firm specializes in premium class cars and carefully monitors the quality of products and services provided.

Ordering in an online store carries some danger, as there is always a risk that the purchased body kit parts may not fit the dimensions and will require adjustment. The advantage of RENEGADE tuning is in the most exact correspondence to the factory mountings and dimensions. Bumpers, spoilers and other elements are made millimeter to millimeter. If necessary, you can always consult with a specialist by phone, e-mail, social networks or popular messengers.

Where you can have a body kit installed

Many auto repair shops provide car enhancement services. It is not a problem to change the bumper or put a diffuser. There are also self-taught masters, who, with the presence of tools and a garage, are able to produce tuning. However, many car owners prefer to go to a tuning studio. First, there can offer a complete set of body kit, made of high quality materials, in a single style, for a particular model. Secondly, a team of professionals guarantees flawless and timely execution of the order. Thirdly, the tuning studio has an individual approach to each client. Flexible payment system with the possibility of installments or credit only adds pluses. Especially with long-term partnership and repeated requests.

For example, the company RENEGADE offers to order and install a complete body kit or its individual components. In parallel, you can change the disks to forged or cast, the range is quite wide. Basically, the products are designed for such brands as BMW, Mercedes, Jeep, Toyota, Lexus, Audi, Infiniti, Land Rover, Maserati. In addition to the above body kit parts (spoilers, bumpers, splitters, diffusers) the company offers tuning hoods, grilles and interior mats. Needless to say, the appearance of the car after tuning will acquire a bright individuality, which will not leave anyone indifferent.

How and what body kits are made of

If earlier in the products prevailed metal, now the primacy is held by various polymers. This is explained by the change in technology, which allowed to create lightweight and durable plastics and mold them into products of varying complexity. Most often the following materials are used for the production of body kits:

- Polyurethane. Products made of this polymer have high wear resistance, well resist mechanical damage, and due to elasticity — can withstand serious loads on stretching and breaking. Heat resistance provides the ability to operate parts in all weather conditions, the material easily tolerates temperature fluctuations, does not deform, does not crack and does not burn out. Neutrality to most alkalis and acids, as well as to organic solvents and mineral oils, makes this plastic ideal for the manufacture of body kits. However, the production itself is quite expensive and the finished product has a significant weight. These factors have led to polyurethane being gradually displaced by other raw materials.
- ABS-plastic. The abbreviation hides the three main active substances of this copolymer — acrylonitrile, butadiene and styrene. The resulting thermoplastic resin has excellent properties — strong, rigid, with a smooth but tenacious surface, on which paint lays down well, durable. Advantages also include low electrical conductivity, heat resistance, and relatively easy production. The disadvantages include high toxicity (when heated it emits poisonous acrylonitrile, when interacting with ethanol — styrene), as well as a fairly high cost of production.
- Carbon. Composite plastic made of structured carbon fiber and epoxy resins, which is not inferior, if not superior to metal in strength, and thus possessing low weight. Due to the interlacing of fibers, the material acquires a characteristic relief — herringbone, burlap, etc. The peculiarity of carbon in the aesthetics of the surface, it can even not be painted. It is most often used for the body kit of racing cars, where the lightness of carbon fiber parts plays a decisive role. Complex production and high cost of finished products have led to the fact that this material is used quite rarely.

Fiberglass (firberglass reinforced plastic -FRP). The material is a thermoplastic polymer with fiberglass filler. Although this material is inferior to other plastics used for body kit parts in strength, it is relatively inexpensive, well amenable to machining and painting, which makes it quite popular. Especially since the properties of fiberglass are highly dependent on additives, so buying tuning from trusted manufacturers, you can be sure that the plastic in them will be of good quality, because such companies are very dear to their reputation.

About how to make body kits on the car, you can talk for a long time, because each material has its own specifics. The basic principle is to give shape to the material with the help of templates (matrices) and create mounting holes. After that, the semi-finished product is cleaned, primed and painted. Tuning studio RENEGADE prefers to work with high-quality fiberglass. But if you wish, you can order products made of carbon fiber. Most often it is used to make hoods. Installation is carried out on factory fasteners, and various sealants are used for better adhesion of parts.