Freshjive360

So I recently picked up a Type-S spoiler which I need to get paint matched to my anthracite metallic and thought, why not get the silver trim on the front grill as well as above the license painted while at the body shop (I’ve always wanted paint matched trim anyway and getting it done simultaneously will be cheaper).

Specifically, I’m questioning the horizontal bar which holds the “A” emblem and the V shaped lower molding. Is it possible to remove these pieces without removing the front bumper??

Here are both of the scans for this removal:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...repl20-129.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...plpg20-130.jpg
Yes, I know the first line states “remove front bumper,” but I have been told this step can be avoided.

I’ve taken a look into my grill and I'm not seeing how I can remove these trim pieces w/o taking the bumper off. When I remove the front shrouding under my hood and look down into the back of the grill I can access the two screws behind the "A" but the other four screws appear to be in front of the "front grill cover" (marked as letter A on the "Front Grille Replacement" section of the manual 20-129) which is blocking them. There appears to be raised square sections w/ little circles etched on the front grill cover where I believe the screws are behind. (I hope everyone is still with me lol). Can anyone enlighten me?


Also, I don't see how I can remove the "front grille lower molding" on 20-130 with my bumper on because I supposedly need to use a screw driver to pry the tabs out along the entire piece.

I'd really like to avoid taking off my bumper b/c I'm getting these pieces painted meaning my bumper will be on and off a few times between taking the stuff to the shop and eventually installing them (not to mention I’ve taken the bumper off/on before to install JnC headlights and I don’t want to loosen anything up from the constant removal).


Also how does everyone feel with my decision to get the three trim pieces on the front painted? I’m asking b/c I see many people that just paint match the V shaped lower molding and the trim along the hood, and instead paint the horizontal piece black (along with the “front grill cover” [black plastic piece behind for those not listening ]). I don’t plan on touching the black areas of the grill, and would like to leave them as is. It will match the lower grill slots this way.

And if anyone is curious, I was quoted at $70 to get the Type-S spoiler painted, and $120 to get the spoiler along with the four trim pieces painted (horizontal “A” bar, V shaped lower molding, trim along front of hood, trim above license plate). Good prices?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks guys (and girls).

mrlobaloba

iTrader: (2)

see my post from this thread here Post #12
https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-2004-2008-93/driving-without-grille-744726/

Freshjive360

Thanks for the post...Okay, so in other words it would help if I bent the two metal tabs holding the top of the bumper in place and remove the two other plastic pins beside the tabs to loosen the top of the bumper... If so, no big deal. But if I remember correctly I couldn't find the two screws to the right and left of the "A" emblem. Refereing to the below picture (item 1), where the two right and two left screws are located (items 10), there were little raised 'boxes' on item 1, covering where I believe the screws are. Unless I'm not looking or feeling in the right place, it seems to me that part of these boxes will need to be cut away in order to access the screws. Any more help?




Also, you just pulled out the lower trim piece (item 4) with no problem? When I tried starting at an end it felt like it was going to snap to me.

t3hanarchist

Can I do a vinyl overlay easily without removing the grille?
Also I heard of some DIY video about taking grille off without bumper off??

Freshjive360

Don't quote me on this one, but I'm pretty sure no and no

Freshjive360

So can anyone else help me on this one?

TimTim

iTrader: (4)

Taking off the front bumper takes literally 3-5 minutes. I don't think their is an easy way to access those screws to remove the grill while the bumper is in tact. Instead of risking something getting broken by tugging on clipped stuff, just make it easy on yourself and take the bumper off?

powerflow

Yeah the bumper comes off so easy. Make it less of a struggle and give yourself some room.

Work smarter not harder.

t3hanarchist

is the front bumper can be taken off same way if i have a aspec lip? also anything do i have to do with the foglights?

these things are all not in the DIY video

Freshjive360

TimTim and powerflow:

I hear you guys, and yes, taking the bumper off seems like a no brainer. However, my reasoning behind avoiding this step is, the more you take things apart, loosening and retightening, the higher risk you have at it not fitting snug back together the same way potentially resulting in unwanted vibrations, etc. I know there isn't much too the bumper (I've taken it off before) but I'll have to take it off to get the trim off, put it on for the interim time period while the pieces are in the shop, take it off again, then finially re-install. Sort of a pain with the winter coming up and as we all know plastic does become brittle in cold weather.

Anyway if it can't easily be done with the bumper on, than I might not have a choice but to take it off. But if anyone could share their secrets or help me with my above posts (specifically #3) I'd be really appreciative!!

Thanks all on your comments so far.

ZhenyaF

iTrader: (6)

I was faced with the same dilemma when removing my grill to get it overlayed. The way to take off the grill without taking of the bumper opens up to higher chance of damaging things. The screws behind the horizontal bar are very hard to get to and if you try to pull the V-shaped trim from the front, you risk scratching it and it getting bent out of shape.

I ended up removing the bumper, taking off the grill, putting the bumper back on. Drove without the grill pieces for a few days and removed bumper again, installed the grill and the car is as good as from the factory...keep in mind I was a total NEWB when it comes to removing the bumper, I'm slightly more experienced now.

Freshjive360

Your posting on the wrong thread bud. A quick seach yields a few threads where you can follow up with your questions:

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...t+bumper+aspec
or
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...t+bumper+aspec
or
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...t+bumper+aspec

I'm sure there is plenty of other good info on this topic in the 3G garage as well. But next time spare yourself and SEARCH

Freshjive360

Thanks for your advice ZhenyaF. It's looking like I'm going to have to take this route I guess. Even though there is a way to get the center piece and V trim off, like you and others said it's at the expense of scrathcing/bending/breaking those pieces.

Hmm...now I just have to find the time to get it all done!

mrlobaloba:

I'm still curious to hear your responce to my follow-up post (#3)...

And sorry to talk in circles, but ZhenyaF, do you know of the little raised "boxes" I refer to on the black grill section? How can I even get to these four screws bc I can't find them! lol

Jesstzn

In #3 if your refering to the cross bar that has the "A" attaced to it I remove mine all the time without removing the bumper ( 6 screwes #10 ) . I have a miniature ratchet that holds the hex screwdriver bits and I can access the screws after I remove the plastic cover over the rad. Some I get from the top .. some the bottom. Once I have them out the first time I switced them out to Robertson head screws which make it a lot easier. The screws are hard to feel because they are recessed a bit in the cross bar.

I also have smaller hands & forearms which make it easier . I remove the "A" a lot cuz I swap from chrome to painted.

As for items # 4 & 11 .. dunno .. never removed them.

Freshjive360

Great stuff Jesstzn! Yes, the cross bar is one of the pieces I'm trying to remove. So maybe it's not so bad afterall eh? Ok, I'll try squeezing my hand down in there again tonight to see if I can find these screws. I looked before after work in my garage where the light isn't so great, so maybe that's why I haven't found the four screws (#10). So what you're saying is some screws you accesssed from under the hood and reaching down, and others you laid on your back under the car and reached up?

Jesstzn

Yeep ... also if you have one of those mirrors with an extention handle .. use it and a flashlight to see in general where the screw(s) are then its easier ... first time was a bit of a struggle and a tight squeeze.

ZhenyaF

iTrader: (6)

I dont recall seeing any boxes, but then again I removed the screws from the back , so didnt pay any particular attention. Sorry

Freshjive360

Ok thanks for the heads up...I'll check it out and let you know how it goes.

No problem man, thanks anyway.

powerflow

I've had my bumper on/off more than a dozen times. No problems with fit or vibrations what so ever. Removing bumpers to gain access and make thing easier and less likely to break clips/ect is the way to go. Generally its much better to remove/or partially remove something that's in the way, than to struggle trying to work around it.

The A-Spec lip comes off with the bumper together as one, peice of cake.

CJ0920

Definately take the bumper off. When I did my grills, I ended taking my bumper off a few times, to redo them. The thing I ended up doing was to put in only the necessary bolts/clips/screws just to hold the bumper in its spots. Its held in pretty well with the clips anyways. I ended up with a handfull of plastic clips. Took me about a 2 minutes to take it back off again when I was ready, I spent more time turning the weel to gain access to the fender well than taking the bumper off.

t3hanarchist

im trying to get the grill trim off the hood, i got all the 4 nuts below the 4 rubber plugs out, but i cant find the center clip

help?

powerflow

The part does have a center clip. Generally this clip always breaks. But it is not needed anyway, the four studs/nuts fasten the part securely. Gently pry it off without damaging the paint. You gradually pull the part, and the clip should snap apart, not effecting anything.

I believe the center clip is only there for manufacturing purposes, when they assemble the car in the factory.

t3hanarchist

anyone else have any advice for how to take this off? im afraid when i pull the part that i might crack the grille trim in half.

there should be some way you can get teh clip out. the manual says you can get it out of the hole, but i havnt even found it yet

t3hanarchist

i just figured out how to do it

if you go from the little part that locks the grill, go to the edge of teh grille trim on the hood in the middle, a little to the right the drainage hole there you stick a screwdriver in there the clip is there its not hard to feel out with your finger

Freshjive360

So I finally had a chance to get outside today and take a better look at my grill, rather than the past week where I was looking in a poorly lit garage after coming home from work. After getting on my back and looking up at the grill from under the car, I easily loosened the four screws which allow for the horizontal bar containing the "A" emblem to be removed. I then found the little tabs along the V shaped trim and again, easily popped that out. Then I worked on the other pieces (strip that runs along hood and strip above rear license plate) but these weren't really the topic of discussion.

Took me tops 10 minutes for the horizontal bar and V trim. And I didn't remove the bumper. So for those of you who insist on taking off your bumper, you might want to consider doing it the fast and easy way...by not removing it! I honestly can say you're wasting your time. I didn't struggle to work around anything, I didn't have to bend or force anything, and when it was all said and done, nothing broke!

So in conclusion, for anyone who is just seeing this thread, if you want to remove these trim pieces, it can easily be done without removing the bumper. My .

I do thank everyone for their comments and suggestions, especially Jesstzn who told me the easiest way to access everything is from underneath the car

t3hanarchist

thanks for the insight, and quick question:
are the clips holding the center crossbar and the V trim same as the one clip in the center of the hood trim?

Freshjive360

There actually aren't really "clips" for the strip that runs along the hood. As I'm sure you know, there are four 8mm nuts behind circular rubber plugs on the underside of the hood which need to be taken off. Once removed, start at one side of the trim and lightly lift, and "peel" it off working your way towards the center. Then do the same from the other side. You should now have the left and right side of the trim removed (four screws are sticking out of the trim), with the center sort of stuck. At the center of this trim is a little notch which slides over a small "nipple" on the hood, so by forcing the trim either left or right (I forget which direction the notch is), you should be able to slide it right off of the nipple.

Let me know if this helped.

t3hanarchist

Actually I successfully got the hood trim off I need to get the v and crossbar

are those held by "clips"? And after I take the v off can I just clip it back into place w/o anything else?

Freshjive360

For the V trim: yes, the entire piece is held by clips. see this scan: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...plpg20-130.jpg
To get the piece off, get underneath your car in day light and reach up to where the trim is. with a flat head screw driver, push the tabs in and push out at the locations shown in the illustration. get out from under the car and guide the trim out the rest of the way. and yes, after you take the v off you can clip it back into place

For the crossbar, no there are not clips. see this scan: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...repl20-129.jpg
To get this piece off, again, go underneath your car and reach up to the grill. feel for the screw locations (6 total) and remove. try and use a small socket and ratchet bc it might be easier than using a phillips screw driver. Then go the front of your car and pull the piece off. that easy.

let me know how it goes...

t3hanarchist

thanks, ill do it when its not 16 degrees out!

t3hanarchist

just looked from underneath, there is this black cover thing that seems to be blocking the v trim??

t3hanarchist

ok i think i just found some clips, i found the top one from underneath, i have a question, its like a vertical piece of metal, how do you unclip it? i tried pushing it, but tdoesnt seem to do much? ima create a DIY for this after i figure it out

t3hanarchist

never mind see the clips with a mirror

but still cant figure how to unclip em... i tried pushing, but they wont come out, especially the top ones on the very sides of the v taht are like embodied in the grill cover

Freshjive360

hey man i only can hold your hand so far and then the rest is up to you, lol. once you find those tabs, put a little muscle into it, just don't force it too hard. look at the diagram again to see how the tab latches on. it's self explanitory. you're gonna have to essentially squeeze the tab until it looses contact with the grill by pusing the tab to the side with a flat head and then push outwards. keep in mind you are working in the cold and it is plastic. i did it in 35 degree weather no problem. i've been on business travel all week otherwise i would have posted some pics and maybe a DIY by now, but i'll prob get around to it when i'm home. i just don't know how many people would care about this DIY since so many swear by removing their bumper :shakehead...