[DuvalBigCat]

I've owned the bigCat for 2 weeks and already have a bit of damage. :-(
Looking for recommendations on repair to the bottom/front of splitter due to steep driveway. I had some Race Ramps that worked well a couple of times, but on the last time I used them they buckled and hopefully you can see the result in the photo below.

I'm strategizing other options and I'll see if a gutter ramp like this helps(VEVOR Curb Ramp, 2 Pack Rubber Driveway Ramps, Heavy Duty 32000 lbs Weight Capacity Threshold Ramp, 2.6 inch High Curbside Bridge Ramps for Loading Dock Garage Sidewalk, Expandable Full Ramp Set | VEVOR US )

Thoughts on if a heat gun would be appropriate repair strategy?

 

[Xylander]

Don't use a heat gun, it'll shine up any bit that gets warm. I'll give you a pro tip on how to fix this... you won't believe me til you try it:
Go buy a can of new tennis balls and rub one (firmly and quickly) over the spot. It'll take all the burrs and blemishes out, so long as they aren't deep scratches.

If that doesn't work well enough, go buy a sanding disc... something like 150 grit... fairly coarse. Place the disc on the blemish and push the disc against the splitter and push it down and under the splitter. Once the excess material is all pushed to the bottom side of the splitter, sand it flat against the bottom side. The trick here is to not sand or rub it on the visible top or front. Push the material down and under and then sand that on the under side. Sure, it will make the underside of the splitter look wonky, but unless it's a high dollar show car where you're being judged on the underside of the car, the only people who will ever see that repair will be oil change techs.

 

[SRT Fan]

What works pretty well for me is running a large, flat, fine metal file along the edge of the splitter... the file cleans that plastic "road rash" right off.

The splitters are a bit of a "wear item"... I have scraped mine plenty of times. It is a good thing they are not terribly expensive!

 

[Slowpoke387]

And if all that doesnt work, theyre under $200 to replace anyway.

 

[Moorefamily2000]

I did 180grit on a sanding block. Working carefully not to roll up on the visible face. After I added some splitter guards that mount on the under side:

Challenger 15-23 Splitter Guards

The 15-23 Dodge Challenger Hellcat splitter guards come with 5 washers and 5 adapters for protecting the front splitter from rubbing the bottom off when going through dips or up hills. No drilling required and mounts where the push pins are with stainless steel bolts and lock nuts. You do use...

zl1addons.com

They show a little bit from the front but haven't had any visible damage since.

 

[Caddy59]

dealer damaged mine recently and replace mine

 

[Dennis H]

There are some good youtubes on this. I usually file gently, then treat with Ceratrim. Keep speed down, and try to angle your entry and exit. Otherwise just consider it a wear item. There are too many fasteners to remove and replace unless severely damaged. I‘ve considered running without it or switching to a GT chin.

 

[MbtexasStyle]

I just take a box cutter and cut the BS off. It seems every time the wife takes the car somewhere she scraps it on something.

 

[Moorefamily2000]

A classic, the wife did it 👍...same here and when did my wife smoke my cigars and finish off the Pendleton?,🤣

 

[Xylander]

And if all that doesnt work, theyre under $200 to replace anyway.

Yep, I busted 2. The first got snagged on a piece of exposed rebar in a parking bumper. When I backed up, I had no idea I was even overlapping (I parked, let a friend out and took off). It took the entire fascia off the car. The other one spiderweb fractured when I bottomed out the splitter on a dip in the course on a sanctioned street road course event in Fort Payne, AL (the Viper road). It was still intact, but the whole thing had more than 30 fractures. Both splitters were around $180 bucks to replace and the dealer was able to deliver them in a day or two. Super easy to get and replace.

 

[Nvrenuf]

And if all that doesnt work, theyre under $200 to replace anyway.

What he said. When I replaced mine I got it painted to match the car and had the splitter guard painted black. Then had them both pod’s.

 

[thetalonguyh]

After I added some splitter guards that mount on the under side:

Challenger 15-23 Splitter Guards

The 15-23 Dodge Challenger Hellcat splitter guards come with 5 washers and 5 adapters for protecting the front splitter from rubbing the bottom off when going through dips or up hills. No drilling required and mounts where the push pins are with stainless steel bolts and lock nuts. You do use...

zl1addons.com

They show a little bit from the front but haven't had any visible damage since.

I use these too and they are definitely taking the punishment. I scrape more, because these protrude down another 1/4-1/2 inch, but they take scrape themselves. No more damage to splitter when scraping.

 

[beep-beep-vroom]

...recommendations on repair to the bottom/front of splitter due to steep driveway....I'm strategizing other options.

Option #1...ignore it.

 

[Frankjr392]

I did 180grit on a sanding block. Working carefully not to roll up on the visible face. After I added some splitter guards that mount on the under side:

Challenger 15-23 Splitter Guards

The 15-23 Dodge Challenger Hellcat splitter guards come with 5 washers and 5 adapters for protecting the front splitter from rubbing the bottom off when going through dips or up hills. No drilling required and mounts where the push pins are with stainless steel bolts and lock nuts. You do use...

zl1addons.com

They show a little bit from the front but haven't had any visible damage since.

Those just drill in to the underside of the splitter?

 

[Rockster]

I wouldn't bother to try to "repair" the damage. In some areas that splitter is going to be a wear item.

In CA my 2018 Hellcat's splitter dragged on every driveway even though whenever possible I approached the drive at an angle.

My Hellcat was delivered with the splitter protectors on it. Not my request just lousy (and in my experience typical) Dodge dealer pre delivery.

The protectors took the abuse for a while. But I finally found a dealer who removed them. The protectors were worn through and the dragging was touching the splitter.

Had I remained in CA at some point I would have just replaced the splitter when it got bad enough.

Think the curb ramps at your driveway entrance might be of some help in your case. And if that is mainly where the splitter touches pavement could go a long to prolonging the splitter life. And at $169 cost less than a new splitter.

 

[Confuzed2]

I just take a box cutter and cut the BS off. It seems every time the wife takes the car somewhere she scraps it on something.

Yep! I took a razor blade to mine and just carefully trimmed off the curled up plastic and it looked like new again. Then I bought splitter guards mentioned above and have not needed to deal with it since.

 

[Yzfguy06]

Those just drill in to the underside of the splitter?

There are a series of pop rivets on the under side of the car that you remove to install it. Installed it on mine. Mine sits pretty flush except for the corners for some reason. It hangs just a little bit.

 

[Xylander]

What he said. When I replaced mine I got it painted to match the car and had the splitter guard painted black. Then had them both pod’s.
View attachment 597606 View attachment 597606

You'll have to be very careful with that painted splitter. If you accidentally drag it, it will cause the splitter to momentarily warp and it can easily ripple the paint from just scraping out of a driveway.

 

[Chancey]

I am still waiting for someone who still wears the yellow/pink banana guard to chime in, with the value of not removing them!

 

[Spoolin]

It's a pretty easy fix, as long as you didn't get too far into the face of it. I took a medium sized fine tooth flat file I had in the tool box and lightly filed it towards the underside of the car, pushing the material under as I filed lightly. Eventually the material will get thin enough that you can take your fingernail and slide down the edge and it will peel off. Or just keep lightly filing and it will eventually smooth out and fall off. I had this happen to me and it literally took me 2 minutes to do and you can't even tell it happened.