Body trim - rubber spline questions...
05-10-2006, 08:19 AM
#31
Rennlist Member
Deano, I would expect to spend around 4 hrs. Please do let us know how long it takes you. To perfom this swap, you will need the following tools:
8mm, 10mm sockets
Phillips head and a long head screwdriver
Cheesehead socket (I think its 6mm)
Box end ratcheting 10mm would also help if you have one.
This might be a good opportunity for you to swap the bumper grill if its cracked.
Jacking the car and removing the wheels makes the job easier. Once you have the wheels off, remove the front wheel fender liners. They held by a bunch of 10mm nuts, most of them are plastic nus, one is a fine thread that connects to the metal plate inside the fender. You will also need to remove a few screws (phillips) that hold the fender liner to the lower bumper cover. Same goes for teh back section of the fender liner. It will be all 10mm bolts.
Remove liner.
Remove three 8mm bolts that connect the bumper cover to the fender. Remove metal plate.
Remove 8mm nut holding the bottom tip of the bumper cover to the lower section.
Pull signal light connectors off.
Open the hood, you will see 4 phillip screws holding a metal plate across the center section of the bumper cover, remove the screws. Be careful not to lose any space washers that are underneath the screw holes.
At this point you should be able to pull the bumper cover off approx 2-3inches to remove the beading.
Install new beading, make sure you install the metal pin that came with the beading on the section that will bend around the wheel well.
Slide the beading back in.
Install metal plate and screw back the 8mm bolts. It might take you a few tries but remain patient.
For sides, undo the 10mm bolt holding the front rocker, this should losen it a bit to slide a fine long flat head between the rocker and body. Pry it off at the plastic gromet. This should free up the front piece. Be very careful when prying, don't scratch your paint.
For the rest of the rockers, you will need to remove 10mm bolts under the body and a nut that holds a metal clip by the rear fender well. Pry the rocker off by doing the same thing, sliding the thin screwdriver and poping against the grommets.
Installation is reverse of removal.
For rear bumper, you will need to remove two 8mm bolts from the rear of the fender, undo teh bumper cover by using the cheesehead socket. To get the bumper cover off, you will need to pop your hatch, remove the rear signal lights. Once you do that you will see a few 8mm bolts, remove them. same goes for a bunch of 8mm screws that are on the inside of the fender wells inside the car. This will be tight. You might have to remove the plastic cover on the drivers side for the sunroof motor. Once all the screws are off you should be able to slide the bumper off.
This should take you around 2 hrs to do, front should be around 1-1.5 hrs and sides can be done in approx 30-45 minutes each.
Good luck. Post if you run into a problem.
Raj
8mm, 10mm sockets
Phillips head and a long head screwdriver
Cheesehead socket (I think its 6mm)
Box end ratcheting 10mm would also help if you have one.
This might be a good opportunity for you to swap the bumper grill if its cracked.
Jacking the car and removing the wheels makes the job easier. Once you have the wheels off, remove the front wheel fender liners. They held by a bunch of 10mm nuts, most of them are plastic nus, one is a fine thread that connects to the metal plate inside the fender. You will also need to remove a few screws (phillips) that hold the fender liner to the lower bumper cover. Same goes for teh back section of the fender liner. It will be all 10mm bolts.
Remove liner.
Remove three 8mm bolts that connect the bumper cover to the fender. Remove metal plate.
Remove 8mm nut holding the bottom tip of the bumper cover to the lower section.
Pull signal light connectors off.
Open the hood, you will see 4 phillip screws holding a metal plate across the center section of the bumper cover, remove the screws. Be careful not to lose any space washers that are underneath the screw holes.
At this point you should be able to pull the bumper cover off approx 2-3inches to remove the beading.
Install new beading, make sure you install the metal pin that came with the beading on the section that will bend around the wheel well.
Slide the beading back in.
Install metal plate and screw back the 8mm bolts. It might take you a few tries but remain patient.
For sides, undo the 10mm bolt holding the front rocker, this should losen it a bit to slide a fine long flat head between the rocker and body. Pry it off at the plastic gromet. This should free up the front piece. Be very careful when prying, don't scratch your paint.
For the rest of the rockers, you will need to remove 10mm bolts under the body and a nut that holds a metal clip by the rear fender well. Pry the rocker off by doing the same thing, sliding the thin screwdriver and poping against the grommets.
Installation is reverse of removal.
For rear bumper, you will need to remove two 8mm bolts from the rear of the fender, undo teh bumper cover by using the cheesehead socket. To get the bumper cover off, you will need to pop your hatch, remove the rear signal lights. Once you do that you will see a few 8mm bolts, remove them. same goes for a bunch of 8mm screws that are on the inside of the fender wells inside the car. This will be tight. You might have to remove the plastic cover on the drivers side for the sunroof motor. Once all the screws are off you should be able to slide the bumper off.
This should take you around 2 hrs to do, front should be around 1-1.5 hrs and sides can be done in approx 30-45 minutes each.
Good luck. Post if you run into a problem.
Raj
Last edited by RajDatta; 05-10-2006 at 10:04 AM.
05-10-2006, 09:46 AM
#32
Whoa John, the comments were directed to flash's response, not to yours. I put the whole thread up, and he started being selective in pointing to several of his comments. It's illustrative how many other people opined in that thread, and others before and after-it's never been just me and Raj-Greiman quitting over him from a board that Raj and I don't visit illustrates that perfectly.
05-10-2006, 12:13 PM
#33
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and this is why it would take YOU 4 hours - definitely the slow way about it
you do NOT need to remove the inner fender liners at all - in fact that is a complete waste of time - access to the 3 8mm heads is easy if you remove the single 10mm head screw than goes through the fender liner forward into a clip - then you just peel the fender liner back to get your arm in there to get to the 3 screws - piece of cake
you will need to remove the front bumper cover completely if you plan to restaple the beading back on
the rear is held in the area above the lights by clamps - do not remove them, but only loosen them
do not use a screwdriver to pry the rocker panels - use something much wider - using a screwdriver applies too much pressure to too small of an area, and results in breaking the clips - common mistake - there is a door panel tool that makes this job easier, but really any wide implement will do the job
the toughest part of this job is getting to the screws under the car on the belly pans
the front should not take more than 20 minutes TOPS to remove - 15 for the rear - sides are about 10 minutes each - reinstall is about 1.5 times removal on the bumper covers, and the same as removeal on the sides - total time, if you are at all handy with a wrench, is a touch over 2 hours - it's faster if you've done it before, because you can do it by feel - IPA is all that you will need for cleanup and prep
i do recommend having a second person to help lift on and reinsert the bumper covers, just to avoid paint damage, though it can be done with one person - i also recommend having a towel or something on the ground on which to lay the parts, again for paint damage
you do NOT need to remove the inner fender liners at all - in fact that is a complete waste of time - access to the 3 8mm heads is easy if you remove the single 10mm head screw than goes through the fender liner forward into a clip - then you just peel the fender liner back to get your arm in there to get to the 3 screws - piece of cake
you will need to remove the front bumper cover completely if you plan to restaple the beading back on
the rear is held in the area above the lights by clamps - do not remove them, but only loosen them
do not use a screwdriver to pry the rocker panels - use something much wider - using a screwdriver applies too much pressure to too small of an area, and results in breaking the clips - common mistake - there is a door panel tool that makes this job easier, but really any wide implement will do the job
the toughest part of this job is getting to the screws under the car on the belly pans
the front should not take more than 20 minutes TOPS to remove - 15 for the rear - sides are about 10 minutes each - reinstall is about 1.5 times removal on the bumper covers, and the same as removeal on the sides - total time, if you are at all handy with a wrench, is a touch over 2 hours - it's faster if you've done it before, because you can do it by feel - IPA is all that you will need for cleanup and prep
i do recommend having a second person to help lift on and reinsert the bumper covers, just to avoid paint damage, though it can be done with one person - i also recommend having a towel or something on the ground on which to lay the parts, again for paint damage
Last edited by flash968; 05-10-2006 at 12:32 PM.
