Fiberglass, Poly Urethane, Duraflex, or Hybridaero material body kits
01-05-2009, 11:49 PM
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Fiberglass, Poly Urethane, Duraflex, or Hybridaero material body kits
I'm going with the obvious here...fiberglass being the worst quality, but the cheapest.
After that, I need opinions/knowledge on which of the others is the best deal. Examples/descriptions of the next 3 can be found here:
Not really caring much about fitment at this point (already've had that discussion), just basically trying to compare the different materials now!
Let me know which of these three is the best quality for the best price...thnx
After that, I need opinions/knowledge on which of the others is the best deal. Examples/descriptions of the next 3 can be found here:
- Hybridaero: http://www.kgsengineering.com/hybrid...it-p-4513.html
- Duraflex: http://www.duraflexbodykits.com/0408...d-p-22495.html
- Urethane: http://www.customautotrim.com/bodyki...4-2008/110653/ (click on urethane link)
Not really caring much about fitment at this point (already've had that discussion), just basically trying to compare the different materials now!
Let me know which of these three is the best quality for the best price...thnx
Last edited by vndr09; 01-06-2009 at 01:04 AM.
01-06-2009, 12:54 AM
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what you should be concerned about is fitment. You dont wanna be the guy to spend over 1k to have the fitment right on a knock off kit.
As for the materials, fiberglass would be the easiest to fix and urethane would be the most difficult. Urethane would be the most durable though.
btw stay away from extreme dimensions.
As for the materials, fiberglass would be the easiest to fix and urethane would be the most difficult. Urethane would be the most durable though.
btw stay away from extreme dimensions.
01-06-2009, 02:46 AM
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KGS Hybrid is just regular fiberglass with a different name.
ThermoFlexFiber / Duraflex has flex resins and it comes with primer and prep which is easier to work with and paint.. fitment varies on part.
http://www.body-kit.com/thermoflexfiber.html
Polyurethane will be the most expensive material. Fitment is not guaranteed. Though traditionally it fits better.
also stay away from extreme d.
ThermoFlexFiber / Duraflex has flex resins and it comes with primer and prep which is easier to work with and paint.. fitment varies on part.
http://www.body-kit.com/thermoflexfiber.html
Polyurethane will be the most expensive material. Fitment is not guaranteed. Though traditionally it fits better.
also stay away from extreme d.
01-06-2009, 03:34 AM
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Polyurethane is your best bet it is the only true flexible material because it is a rubber compound. Fitment wise if the person who made the mold knows what they are doing than it will have the best fit because every kit that comes out of the mold will be exactly the same. There are certain things you must do when making a polyurethane mold to make sure it fits right but that is a different story. As far as duraflex is concerned it is a polyurethane wanna be. It is still a fiberglass bumper but with a flexible gel coat but if the main bumper is fiberglass it doesn't matter what you put on the outside it is still fiberglass and will still have the same characteristics of fiberglass.
If you have ever seen a fiberglass bumper that has been cracked you will know that the gel coat flakes right off like the chocolate off a candy bar. Another example is a tinted window that has been hit by a rock the window is still one piece because the tint is holding it together but the window itself is shattered. The only reason there is duraflex is because it is cheaper to make than polyurethane and gives a little more flex than fiberglass. I think from looking at your links that Hybridero is the same as duraflex but with a different name. If you are not trying to spend a lot on a kit I would suggest you get a polyurethane front and the sides and rear fiberglass because most damage will happen to the front of your car so that is where you should have the best material.
If you have ever seen a fiberglass bumper that has been cracked you will know that the gel coat flakes right off like the chocolate off a candy bar. Another example is a tinted window that has been hit by a rock the window is still one piece because the tint is holding it together but the window itself is shattered. The only reason there is duraflex is because it is cheaper to make than polyurethane and gives a little more flex than fiberglass. I think from looking at your links that Hybridero is the same as duraflex but with a different name. If you are not trying to spend a lot on a kit I would suggest you get a polyurethane front and the sides and rear fiberglass because most damage will happen to the front of your car so that is where you should have the best material.
01-06-2009, 05:51 AM
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Urethane parts are flexible and will absorb very small 'hits' without creating serious damage (cracks or holes). However, once urethane is cracked in any manner, it is usually sent to the scrap pile out back.
Although our shop has perfected methods of repairing urethane parts, at best, the repair is temporary and cannot be guaranteed.
Fiberglass parts are totally repairable. Most damaged parts, within reason, of course, can be repaired by any shop experienced with fiberglass. Proper repairs on fiberglass parts are durable and should be permanent.
Let's look at a repair cost scenario on a full bumper replacement kit.
Suppose there are a couple of good sized cracks in the front bumper. Normally, with a urethane kit, the bumper will need to be replaced.
Usually, the part cost is approximately $425.00 + $125.00 (average) in shipping. The labor to remove/replace and paint will be a constant cost in either replacing or repairing. There will probably be a time delay of up to 4 weeks until the replacement bumper arrives. The same cracks in a fiberglass bumper can probably be repaired immediately for a labor cost of $150.00. In most cases, unless the damage is very severe, this means a savings of $400.00 to repair a fiberglass front bumper rather than replacing a urethane bumper.
In summary, at our shop when building cars, we use fiberglass parts exclusively. Fiberglass gives us the ability to customize/modify at will and to perform extensive repairs at the shop on our own schedule without having to wait weeks for replacement parts.
http://www.wickedbodies.net/FAQ's.htm
Although our shop has perfected methods of repairing urethane parts, at best, the repair is temporary and cannot be guaranteed.
Fiberglass parts are totally repairable. Most damaged parts, within reason, of course, can be repaired by any shop experienced with fiberglass. Proper repairs on fiberglass parts are durable and should be permanent.
Let's look at a repair cost scenario on a full bumper replacement kit.
Suppose there are a couple of good sized cracks in the front bumper. Normally, with a urethane kit, the bumper will need to be replaced.
Usually, the part cost is approximately $425.00 + $125.00 (average) in shipping. The labor to remove/replace and paint will be a constant cost in either replacing or repairing. There will probably be a time delay of up to 4 weeks until the replacement bumper arrives. The same cracks in a fiberglass bumper can probably be repaired immediately for a labor cost of $150.00. In most cases, unless the damage is very severe, this means a savings of $400.00 to repair a fiberglass front bumper rather than replacing a urethane bumper.
In summary, at our shop when building cars, we use fiberglass parts exclusively. Fiberglass gives us the ability to customize/modify at will and to perform extensive repairs at the shop on our own schedule without having to wait weeks for replacement parts.
http://www.wickedbodies.net/FAQ's.htm
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