Front Splitter Install or not?

[Wriggly]

Just took delivery on a new 17 Shadow Black GT350 last Tuesday. Due to the mechanics strike in our area and the dealer I bought the car from being non union, they are swamped in the shop. So, they couldn't do the splitter before I took delivery and setup an appointment for this week to get it done.

In the week since getting the car, I have run across two other GT350's and one had the center section missing and the other the drivers side wing was missing.
I'm not sure I want to put mine on after seeing these other cars. What's the consensus here, yay or nay? Thanks in adavance.

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[johnny1]

I didn't have it put on my 2016 but did on my 2017 I traded for. Here is the deal. Unless your a person well informed on the Shelby GT350 you won't even notice its not on there. But if not on there and you scrape the front under there you can break the metal tabs off that it goes on and then a splitter can't be installed. But if splitter on there then most scrapings (usually those lower left and right corners) the splitter will get the scrapes underneath on them and aren't visible from front of car (that is where mine has scraped, had to use a mirror to see it)

 

[montreal ponies]

I don't see why you wouldn't install it, looks incomplete without it. I would also suggest that you install it yourself so that way you're sure it's installed properly.
Dealers have screwed up quite a few splitter installations, search for GT350 splitter install on youtube, there's a Ford DIY installation tutorial.
So far i've scraped mine a few times, but damage is under the splitter, so no worries. Just gotta be
carefull and adapt your driving habits.

 

[GT_Dave]

I have abut 17,000 miles of driving in the Chicago area, with no real issues for the front splitter. It is a durable piece, unless you hit something straight on and solid, you should not have a problem. Go for it.
My biggest problem area seems to be my driveway, there is a angled transition that if I take it too hot, I scrape the splitter.

 

[MrCincinnati]

Just took delivery on a new 17 Shadow Black GT350 last Tuesday. Due to the mechanics strike in our area and the dealer I bought the car from being non union, they are swamped in the shop. So, they couldn't do the splitter before I took delivery and setup an appointment for this week to get it done.

In the week since getting the car, I have run across two other GT350's and one had the center section missing and the other the drivers side wing was missing.
I'm not sure I want to put mine on after seeing these other cars. What's the consensus here, yay or nay? Thanks in adavance.

I left mine off for awhile and wasn't going to put it on unless headed to track, until another member wisely chimed in about the danger of damaging the mounting points on the bumper from similar low impacts - which would then make it nearly impossible to ever get the spoiler on.

Since mounting my R spoiler I've lightly scraped it a few times, but nothing major - just drive the thing like a lowrider. If you've never done that before - don't enter areas with steep drop offs and for other areas only enter if you can go in at an angle and exit at an angle... and get used to backing in to parking spots (assuming you have reverse camera)

 

[Steve68]

The splitters on those other cars were probably installed incorrectly by the dealer to start with. If you have the time, inclination and skills to install it, do it yourself.

All the info to do so is here...

http://www.mustang6g.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43097

 

[Rocko]

I guess you have to decide on your areas roads, your driveway, places you frequent and their incline along with the curbs you pull up to a lot. If you find your driveway is a pain in the rear to get in and out of because of the splitter then do not put it on as this is an issue you will have everytime you use your car. You will cringe and at some point you will damage it by not slowly going up at an angle or coming down correctly.

 

[Tomster]

mess up the mounting point for the splitter and you are screwed. Think of the splitter as protection for the underside of your front end. A non R should have no issues with normal driving. You may scrape every now and then, but nothing to worry about. Besides, its a $250-$300 part..... a consumable

 

[Wriggly]

All good points. Thanks guys, I have an appointment for tomorrow to have the dealer put it on. There was already some damage to the mounting area on the drivers side that was noted after I got the car home. The dealer was notified and they are not disputing it. Probably occurred unloading the car, it only had 4 miles on it when I bought it.

 

[Rocko]

Ouch, sorry to see that

 

[iamevan]

Definitely expect to scrape it. I scraped mine on day one! :headbonk:

But it's okay, it's going to happen from time to time no matter how careful you are. The clearance from the road to the splitter is probably ~5".

 

[Wriggly]

Ouch, sorry to see that

It's looks way worse in the pictures than it actually is. Nothing is cracked or broken thankfully. I cleaned it up with a gunsmithing needle file and touched it up with some black touchup I had from my Challenger. The splitter should key into the corresponding slots without any trouble.

Speaking of my Challenger, it was a ScatPac and had that big old front spoiler and I scraped it once. It scratched the bottom pretty good, but structurally it remained perfectly sound.

I don't really mind how the GT350 looks without the splitter, but I'd have to modify the attachment point to get rid of the keyway slots and make it look finished. Rather than do that right off and eliminate being able to mount the splitter, I'll get it put on and live with it for awhile. I can always take it off later if I get a mind to and then cut all the attachment points off to get a finished look.

 

[Wriggly]

Dealer put it on for me today. Tried to show the service manager the damage and he wouldn't even bend down, and he commented that they didn't do it. There was yellow paint transferred to the leading edge and guess what color their racks are.

First guy that greeted me, I ask if they have a guy that knows how to put them on. He blurts out "we've never done one, we recommend to the customer to leave it off". Service manager comes up and asks for the key. I asked him the same question, he responded by saying no problem we have a guy that's done a few.

They didn't know that I have a friend inside. I went to him and he took me back out onto the floor and introduced me to the guy doing the install. He let me look under the car and check out all the goodies. The service manager didn't look too happy. After the install, my friend and I go back outside and sure enough, the dreaded center splitter gap. They put it back up and I explained to the guy doing it how to use a shop towel and rubber mallet to get it fully seated. He did, and it snapped into place.

My buddy gave me a GT350 coffee cup and a bottle of touch up, plus a card he wrote free oil change on for the first oil change. He'll make sure I get taken care of. He's a director and in charge of the back room.
Looks so much better with the splitter. Glad I listened to you guys.

 

[montreal ponies]

Glad it all worked out good for you Mike, i'm jealous of that coffee mug, wish i could get my dealer to give me one.

 

[Wriggly]

Late last night I went out to the garage I'm keeping the Shelby in to have a beer and stare at the car a little. I got down on the floor with a mirror and looked into the access holes the screws that are installed at an angle in and noticed two that go straight up were missing. All 4 of the angled screws were present though.
With this I thought if the installer missed two easy ones in an obvious spot, what else did he miss. So I opened up the wheel liners and did a complete audit of all the other fasteners.

I'm happy to say, everything else was as it should be. The white plastic half moon fasteners were all present and accounted for as well as all the rest.

As it turns out, I had two screws from when I took the Sto N Sho license plate holder off my ScatPac and they happened to be exactly the same as the missing two screws. I installed them and now I am totally content that I have a well installed splitter.

I guess with the ScatPac screws my car is a hybrid of sorts.

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