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How to Remove the Front Side Fenders

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 - How to Remove the Front Side Fenders - 

 

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In order for you to remove the front side fenders to replace them with either new ones, ones that are different colours or in this case, replacing from the GT86 style to the BRZ style, to make your life easier, these are some handy tools that I used to help me remove the front side fenders, other similar tools can be used too, whatever is easier for yourself or have access to:

 

 - Multi-bit Screwdriver with a detachable head + a small female hex attachment (e.g. 5/32 CR-V head used to remove small hexagonal nuts or bolts)

   - Used to locate onto the plastic pins and allows to you push them out while pulling from the other side without slipping off them

 

 - Long flat head screwdriver

   - Used between the fender and the side fender panel/garnish to help pry it off

 

 - Maybe a shorter flat head screwdriver

   - Can be helpful for one of the pins that is more difficult to reach that the multi-screwdriver can't reach

 

 - IMPORTANT - Cloth

   - To prevent damaging/scratching both your car and yourself as there are some areas where you can cut yourself if you slip when pushing with the screwdriver

 

 - A flat piece of plastic that is relatively sturdy like an old card/bank card/credit card/store card etc that you no longer need

   - To help scrap off the left over sticky foam tape which is less likely to seriously damage your paint like a screwdriver could

 

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This is what the back of a side fender panel/garnish looks like:

 

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You have 3 plastic push pins along the top, 3 along the bottom and then a pad of double sided very stick foam tape.

 

To remove the panel:

 

-> To start, pop the bonnet up and have the door by the panel you are working on first wide open

 

-> You want to work from the front backwards tackling the sticky pad last

 

-> Place the cloth over the body panel and into the engine bay so you are covering the first plastic push pin which is the one in the top left hand corner

 

-> Use the multi-bit screwdriver to push the pin from inside the engine bay (with the cloth in-between the hex head and the push pin) while trying to either use your fingers or the cloth and a screwdriver to pry the panel from the other side, making sure that the hex hole is seated on the push pin so it doesn't slip when your pushing

 

-> Once that pops out, move on the the next push pin along the top and repeat like before

 

-> Next, use the long screwdriver or a shorter screwdriver (with a cloth in the way to prevent the screwdriver scraping anything) to carefully try and push the bottom left plastic push pin while prying the whole panel up from one end (this can be tricky as it is slightly tucked away but it still accessible)

 

-> Repeat with the last push pin along the top with either the multi-bit screwdriver or a flat head screwdriver, again placing the cloth in the way for protection while manually prying the panel off from the other side

 

-> Next I would place the cloth over the gap between the body panel and the fender panel/garnish and stick your long screwdriver into the cloth so you are pushing the cloth covered screwdriver in-between the panels

 

-> Push through while prying the panel off and if you like, twisting the screwdriver head to give you more leverage and you should pop the last bottom 2 push pins

 

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-> Repeat this carefully with the last bit as you try and peel off the panel that is now only being stuck on by the very sticky double sided foam tape.  It may help to minimise the amount of cloth covering the screwdriver but not too little that you end up scratching the body panel.

 

-> While you are trying to pry the last bit off, use your fingers to pry and pull on the other end of the panel (which requires the door to be open for you to access that end of the panel) and along the bottom edge of the panel too.  Just work you way around the end of the panel trying to pull it off in all directions while still having the long screwdriver and cloth coming in from the front and continue until it peels off

 

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-> Once the front side fender is off, peel off any foam pads that might still be on the body panel around the holes of the push pins (these are just cushion pads and are not sticky) and then start to remove any excess sticky foam tape that might remains with your flat piece of plastic like an old bank card

 

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Give the area a wipe down as it'll be quite dirty under there and then simply replace with either a recoloured or new panel.  Replacing with the same panel again will require you to clean the sticky foam on the plastic panel side and stick some fresh new double sided foam tape.  New panels will already have this on so just peel of the protective cover and position the panel onto the body panel using the holes at the front first and working your way back again.

 

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Ah nice one, thanks Keith! I was looking for a comprehensive guide on how to do this :) Where did you get the side fender from? Hoping my forum absence means I didn't miss a group buy :o

 

You missed it! lol

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:( I'm sorry dude....though I did mention this in the original comments on facebook from when Faith and Will were talking about side fenders etc and I was questioning your existence :lol: .  You can still get them if you need as Nathan from Japex has graced our club with his presence and that's where we got them from though for a lil bit more than what we paid, he can get you a set for roughly £110 delivered!

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No way, are you serious?! D:

 

There should be some sort of way to integrate this forum into Facebook so I don't miss stuff :/

 

There is a way, people can put a tick in a tickbox and it will also post to facebook lol

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:( I'm sorry dude....though I did mention this in the original comments on facebook from when Faith and Will were talking about side fenders etc and I was questioning your existence :lol: .  You can still get them if you need as Nathan from Japex has graced our club with his presence and that's where we got them from though for a lil bit more than what we paid, he can get you a set for roughly £110 delivered!

 

No worries man, it's completely my fault! I'm so rubbish at checking the forum, so I've only got myself to blame. Thanks though, will get in touch with Nathan and see what I can do  :lol:

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Well if you are keen, before you do, just post up a thread to see if there are any other interests, may get another lil group buy going if need be.....I know Rob has given his up for someone else....maybe after seeing mine this weekend he may change his mind and want one after all....every little helps but it's still a cracking price compared to what he's got them up on ebay at the moment.

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