So with a free and luckily a dry saturday I thought id put this black grill on thats been sitting in the house since winter and also some lamin-x that id bought to go with it. This is the before -
So, onto the bumper removal. I was expecting this to be a ball ache since I was doing this on my drive and wasnt bothering with removing the wheels or jacking it up. It was manageable, just took a long time.
This guide - Fourtitude.com - DIY: front bumper removal and blackout grille install was all I followed. Make sure you have the Torx key/screwdriver thats needed, think I used a 25, 27 and 30. I had the allen key type and this is what you need if youre not going to jack it up as a screwdriver wouldve been too long to use when lying flat underneath the car, I had my chest pressed right into the bumper underneath the car unscrewing the screws under there and that wouldnt have been possible without the llen key style.
After mybe an hour and half of messing around -
At this point, I was half praying it wouldnt rain and half praying I could get the bumper back on!!
While it wasnt an easy quick job taking it off, I would imagine if you did jack it up and take the wheels off it would be a doddle and youd have it done in less than half an hour.
While it was off I took the headlights out and got the old hairdryer out for the lamin-x. I had bought the 'light tint' 18x20 sheets from www.lamin-x.co.uk
Even with two of us, after thoroughly heating the sheet with the hairdryer first, it was difficult to get it on smooth. One held the light in place and smoothed it on with the smoothing applicator it comes with while the other had the hairdryer on it and gently pulling the film down. Im not impressed with it really, it was super difficult and with two people doing this it was very hard not to get small bubbles. I have heard some do dissapear after a day or so, I hope so because it doesnt look good upclose. From a distance you cant tell, but upclose it isnt impressive and you can clearly see its wrapped in something.
If youre going to try doing this then the only advice can be is be very very patient and definitely get a second person to help, if you can clamp the lights down somewhere that would also help and definitely buy the sized sheets rather than the pre cut versions as you have a little room for error with them. A little bit of dirt got onto the sticky side of my lamin-x and I just couldnt get it off as I didnt have any tweezers with me, touching it with hands just leaves marks on the sticky side that you can not get off! Luckily with it being a sheet, and not pre cut I was able to pull it back up and re adjust it.
So with that done it was onto the new grill, which isnt OEM, its an FK Grill (I think) bought off ebay sometime last winter for about £50.00. As everyone else says, just be careful, patient and a little forceful with the clips when taking the grill OFF and when you put the new one ON! Also, the clips on your silver rings are aluminium I think and NOT as strong as the plastic ones from your grill so be extra careful with those.
Once thats done, bumper back on, nuts and screws back into place and job done! Next up is black side repeaters which I have, just didnt have the time today - If anyone knows where I can find a how to thread or can tell me how to change those I would be greatful
Finished -
So, onto the bumper removal. I was expecting this to be a ball ache since I was doing this on my drive and wasnt bothering with removing the wheels or jacking it up. It was manageable, just took a long time.
This guide - Fourtitude.com - DIY: front bumper removal and blackout grille install was all I followed. Make sure you have the Torx key/screwdriver thats needed, think I used a 25, 27 and 30. I had the allen key type and this is what you need if youre not going to jack it up as a screwdriver wouldve been too long to use when lying flat underneath the car, I had my chest pressed right into the bumper underneath the car unscrewing the screws under there and that wouldnt have been possible without the llen key style.
After mybe an hour and half of messing around -
At this point, I was half praying it wouldnt rain and half praying I could get the bumper back on!!
While it wasnt an easy quick job taking it off, I would imagine if you did jack it up and take the wheels off it would be a doddle and youd have it done in less than half an hour.
While it was off I took the headlights out and got the old hairdryer out for the lamin-x. I had bought the 'light tint' 18x20 sheets from www.lamin-x.co.uk
Even with two of us, after thoroughly heating the sheet with the hairdryer first, it was difficult to get it on smooth. One held the light in place and smoothed it on with the smoothing applicator it comes with while the other had the hairdryer on it and gently pulling the film down. Im not impressed with it really, it was super difficult and with two people doing this it was very hard not to get small bubbles. I have heard some do dissapear after a day or so, I hope so because it doesnt look good upclose. From a distance you cant tell, but upclose it isnt impressive and you can clearly see its wrapped in something.
If youre going to try doing this then the only advice can be is be very very patient and definitely get a second person to help, if you can clamp the lights down somewhere that would also help and definitely buy the sized sheets rather than the pre cut versions as you have a little room for error with them. A little bit of dirt got onto the sticky side of my lamin-x and I just couldnt get it off as I didnt have any tweezers with me, touching it with hands just leaves marks on the sticky side that you can not get off! Luckily with it being a sheet, and not pre cut I was able to pull it back up and re adjust it.
So with that done it was onto the new grill, which isnt OEM, its an FK Grill (I think) bought off ebay sometime last winter for about £50.00. As everyone else says, just be careful, patient and a little forceful with the clips when taking the grill OFF and when you put the new one ON! Also, the clips on your silver rings are aluminium I think and NOT as strong as the plastic ones from your grill so be extra careful with those.
Once thats done, bumper back on, nuts and screws back into place and job done! Next up is black side repeaters which I have, just didnt have the time today - If anyone knows where I can find a how to thread or can tell me how to change those I would be greatful
Finished -
