Why you should install Wings West lip wo stock lip

[neuronbob]

So for those of you who say you can keep the stock lip installed when you install a Wings West lip (and I’ve heard/read this in a few posts)...I’m so sorry, but you are wrong...at least for a ‘99, which IIRC comes with the “newer”, thicker front lip.

I had my front bumper repainted last week and the WW lip I’ve been hoarding for five years painted. I wanted the stock lip off and when I offered to do it in the body shop’s parking lot, they gently suggested I keep it on for “structure”. Well...I picked my car up two days ago and while the paint was on target, the lip was installed so that the rear of it had only a two inch clearance from the ground, and it looked off.

Yesterday, I got out the Goo-Gone, soaked the tape on the lip, peeled the sides of the WW lip off, took my stock lip off, and reinstalled the sides of the WW lip more correctly, including screwing each end into the bumper in the wheel well. Now clearance is around 4 1/2 inches on the sides.

Bottom line: If you install a WW lip, result is far better if you take the stock lip off.

First is before (looks frowny), second is after 2 hours of work including time to drive to Autozone for replacement 3M tape (photo angle a bit off in the second)

Now for PPF in a few weeks! Hopefully, the paint doesn’t get screwed up on my upcoming road trip to NC for East Meet.

As for why a Wings West lip when there are many fine CF options around? I live in Cleveland and would destroy a CF lip. I learned this lesson the hard way when I ruined a very expensive Kevlar front lip on my CTS-V wagon. The polyurethane WW lip is nigh on indestructible.

 

[RyanRA]

I assume the front bumper profile also improved.

 

[DRIFTER]

Maybe due to two different OEM front lip designs. I removed my OEM one anyway but the older ones are a lot thinner then the later gen front lips.

 

[neuronbob]

I assume the front bumper profile also improved.

It looks better to me, not that stock was bad at all, though. I additionally appreciate that with this lip, ground clearance is not significantly affected.

Maybe due to two different OEM front lip designs. I removed my OEM one anyway but the older ones are a lot thinner then the later gen front lips.

Yup. That was my point in making the post with pictures, to prevent others from making the same error. The "newer" lip is definitely not compatible.

Now thinking about adding a couple of "SlipLo" bumper guards, as I'm sure I'll still scrape episodically.

 

[DRIFTER]

Mine is pretty low I avoid speed bumps but I have no issues navigating NYS garbage roads ground clearance wise anyway. I installed and painted mine myself didn’t find it super difficult and fit well without any trimming. I used some good 3M double sided tape to make sure it’s ‘Touch points’ don't rub. As well as the supplied mounting hardware.

My Shine GT took a beating the WW gives you a lot more clearance then the under mount options.