Before we begin, I need to extend a special thanks to Yolanda for making today’s post happen. As you may recall she recently changed over from her Mazda 3 to a 2013 Focus ST, and has started on the updates to make it her own; not too long ago another piece arrived and I unfortunately couldn’t be there for the install of it, so she kindly captured some photos and sent them over for me to share with you all here. Her install notes were also appreciated not just for putting together this write-up, but also as I’m actually about to order the same piece and even though it’s a quick install, it’s always nice to hear thoughts from another owner!
The piece in particular, as noted in the title, is Mountune’s Lower Sport Spoiler – from this point on to be referred to as just the Spoiler for simplicity. This piece fits on the bottom of the ST’s front bumper, between the fangs, and while it’s largely a cosmetic upgrade it does offer some additional strength for that section of the bumper and in this case also served as a ‘fix’ following a little incident which occurred not too long after she picked up the car. A truck owner had not fully cleaned off his vehicle and a large chunk of ice fell off, smashing into Yolanda’s front bumper. Her dash cam unfortunately did not get the license plate so she was stuck with a bumper needing repairs which would not be a small expense.
The crack would be easy enough to fix but bodywork and paint would still be needed for it to look as good as new, so I suggested she look into the Mountune Spoiler as an alternative. It would not only negate the need to get the section of bumper resprayed, but it would also add some extra strength to what is admittedly a very weak area; plus, it would be an extra mod and another way to set her car apart! After looking into it she decided to place an order for one of course, and that brings us to today’s post.
Again, a special thanks goes to Yolanda for the photos and her notes from the install, which she and her husband Colin tackled.
This was their starting point; the lower portion of the bumper was not only cracked but two of the vertical supports had been broken off as well.
As Yolanda’s ST is actually dipped matte white, the first step was to remove the dip from the section of bumper that was to be fixed and covered.
You can just make out the subtle difference between the white dip and the factory white paint here; the shades are slightly different but the real change is of course the finish – matte (dip) vs gloss (paint).
The single surviving support was left in place to provide extra strength, but was painted black so that it’d blend in with the Mountune Spoiler and the ducting in behind.
The Mountune Spoiler installs with double-sided tape along the top and a pair of self-tapping screws (included) underneath. At this time the backing from the double sided tape had been partially removed, brought around to the top of the Spoiler, and taped in place. This little trick is one to remember as it makes removing the rest of the backing from strips of double-sided tape very easy once a piece is in place.
The final mock-up of the Spoiler, before committing to the install. Yolanda reported it was a very snug fit on the car and she recommended having two people for the install; one to hold it in place and one to fasten it down with the screws.
To quickly gain a touch more clearance under the bumper for the drill (because lowered car), the ST was rolled onto some wooden blocks – a quicker and easier method than jacking the car up and sliding jack stands underneath.
This small increase in clearance was all that was needed as they used a right-angle attachment for the drill – definitely a handy tool for a job such as this!
With the two screws in place underneath and the tape securing it along the top, the Spoiler was then officially installed!
Of course the next step was to roll the car out into the sun and take a step back for a better look! You may have noticed in both this and the previous photo that there was still a bit of white showing through, as the Spoiler was designed to fit around the lower grille which is absent on Yolanda’s car. After this photo those areas were painted black as well.
Another angle, which shows how the Spoiler extends the middle portion of the bumper further forward to line up with the fangs. It’s a subtle change over the factory lines but effective I think! Yolanda reported that the piece was also reasonably thick and sturdy, so this portion of the bumper will definitely be a lot stronger now!
And finally, one more shot from straight on. This piece is finished in satin black which contrasts with the main grille, but ties in nicely to the fog light grilles, and (if it were there) the lower grille. Looking at the photos I think the Spoiler has provided a nice, if subtle, change to the look of Yolanda’s car and not only has been of help following an unfortunate little incident, but as mentioned will provide extra strength to a piece of the bumper that is not the strongest to being with. It’s also a piece that I personally haven’t seen fitted to too many cars so it’s something unique and given the existing white and black colour scheme of the car, fits in very well.
So there it is, the Mountune Lower Sport Spoiler installed on Yolanda’s ST, AKA Miracle Whip! I hope that this post was helpful for anyone considering this piece, and at least interesting for those who aren’t. I’m looking forward to the chance to check it out in person as at the time of writing this, I still haven’t been able to – and I’ll also be able to share more on the Mountune Spoiler when I receive my own, so stay tuned for that!
-Bill