Rear splash guard install (Sedan only)

[RockTheShazbot]

DISCLAIMER: I am not responsible for any damage cause to your vehicle. If you don't feel comfortable doing the DIY shown below, then take it to someone you trust to work on your vehicle.

Difficulty: Moderate-hard
Time: 1 hour

Wanted to save money so I installed these myself.

You will need a T20 screwdriver, jack, jack stand, 10mm drill (25/64 in the closest in the US, but I couldn't find one so I bought a 3/8 bit and it worked fine), powerful power drill, auto detailer, a microfiber cloth, something sharp, tire iron, and the guards themselves.

First, clean the work area. You don't want any salt or other contaminants trapped under the guards because that could cause rust later on.

I use Mother's, but any name brand auto detailer will do.

Flood the area first so you don't rub the contaminants onto the paint and cause scratches or swirl marks. Squeaky clean!

Loosen the lug nuts enough that you can unscrew them by hand BUT DON'T TAKE THEM OFF YET. Also, loosen them in a star pattern.

Jack up the car high enough to put the drill under the car completely vertical. MAKE SURE TO USE A JACK STAND. I had to bring the jack up as far as it could go and it wasn't high enough for the jack stand so I still put the jack stand under the car. I would rather have some damage to my car if the jack gives out rather than having 2700+ pounds of American metal and plastic landing on my head.

Remove wheel.

Line up the splash guard to where it is going to be installed and mark the two holes you will need to drill with your something sharp.

After you mark the holes, drill them.

Remove the two screws in the wheel well and the one under the car.

Pull back wheel well.

Put the silver metal clips included with the guards into the hole you drilled under the wheel well in the bumper.

Replace the top screw in the wheel well.

Place the guard against the car and install the bottom plastic rivet.

Replace the two screws in the wheel well.

Place wheel back in place and finger tighten all the lug nuts in a star pattern starting with the bottom to make things easier.

CAREFULLY LOWER YOUR VEHICLE. Once lowered, tighten all your lug nuts.

All done!

 

[AndrewGS]

Nice pics! It's basically the same exact thing for hatches.

 

[RockTheShazbot]

OK wasn't sure since they are different part numbers so assumed that the install went differently

 

[Fit4Sonic]

Geez, Shaz...

... you're seriously going after it, man!

You and a couple of other forum peeps are making this site pretty interesting... making the visits worthwhile.

Thanks for the DIY's and PICS... I appreciate the heck out of your time, effort, and info... seriously!

One question. Are you coating the exposed metal of the drilled holes with any kind of protection before installing the guards? Necessary, or not? Or are sections of the panels you're drilling through non-metallic? It looks like metal in your PICS.

Just curious.


Keep the mods and/or pics coming... this is great!

 

[RockTheShazbot]

For the rear splash guards it was all plastic

 

[Aldakoopa]

One question. Are you coating the exposed metal of the drilled holes with any kind of protection before installing the guards? Necessary, or not? Or are sections of the panels you're drilling through non-metallic? It looks like metal in your PICS.

Just curious.

I just installed a front and back set of these today. Bought them without the price markup through the body shop I work at and installed them this evening after work so I got them as cheap as possible. It got dark before I was done though and I was outside so I don't really have any pics.

On the front ones you have to drill through the fender, if you follow the instructions... but I just couldn't bring myself to do that.

So, instead, on the front ones I used a couple of strips of 3M 1/2 mounting tape to install them instead of drilling the holes and using the push-in clips provided. If anything the installation went smoother for the front because there were no holes that I had to drill since I avoided drilling the fender. I made sure to clean both areas to be adhered together with mineral spirits first so the tape would stick as good as it possibly can. I don't expect any problems from it, that 3M tape is good stuff.

I didn't want to drill the fender because it is right where the cowl panel drains, there was already dirt, leaves, and pine-straw cached up in there on the bottom of the fender, and even though they provide you with some kind of grease to put on the exposed metal or I could have used some sort of paint to put on it from the shop, I just didn't feel comfortable exposing bare metal in any way, shape, or form in that particular location.

Also, for the rear ones I found that it wasn't necessary at all to remove the rear wheels. Drilling the holes at an angle worked just as well. The plastic is so soft it hardly takes any effort at all and the angle didn't affect the screws lining up.

 

[CoHPhasor]

I truly don't understand this add-on.
splash guards are about as old as time itself.
You want to make more money and sell it as an add-on? Maybe you don't want to "interfere with the lines"?
I get that, but why not have holes in SPECIFIC PLACES built-in that you can secure to?
How about screws that hold down the fender liner, or just pre-made holes that are protected by the fender paint already?
That completely pisses me off and is EXACTLY why I wouldn't order mine with splash guards on it.

No, to order a set and put them on black, or have a shop paint them to match my IOM... that is the question.

 

[Aldakoopa]

I truly don't understand this add-on.
splash guards are about as old as time itself.
You want to make more money and sell it as an add-on? Maybe you don't want to "interfere with the lines"?
I get that, but why not have holes in SPECIFIC PLACES built-in that you can secure to?
How about screws that hold down the fender liner, or just pre-made holes that are protected by the fender paint already?
That completely pisses me off and is EXACTLY why I wouldn't order mine with splash guards on it.

No, to order a set and put them on black, or have a shop paint them to match my IOM... that is the question.

Yeah, I don't understand why the holes aren't already there... at LEAST in the fender.

I bought these because I'm tired of mud splashing all the way down both sides of my car from my driveway. I figured these can't do anything but help with that, hopefully.

 

[Red Sonic LT]

Is it just those splash guards or a different way of installing those. Because I didn't have to drill no holes to install mine. Just used the existing ones that are there, that bolt the plastic covering in the inner walls of the fenders.

 

[Aldakoopa]

Is it just those splash guards or a different way of installing those. Because I didn't have to drill no holes to install mine. Just used the existing ones that are there, that bolt the plastic covering in the inner walls of the fenders.

Are your flaps the same as what's shown in the pictures, and if so, your car already had holes in the bottom for them?

 

[chrismonson]

I'm going to get mine and color match them to the car!

 

[Bugaj]

My hatch has two holes but i still don't think they are enough to hold some gaurds.. i'd like to find a way to do it without drilling. With the amount of salt they dump on northern Wisconsin roads i would hate to see what could happen to my paint after 5-10 years

 

[rondoman]

Man I was about to order these, but the installation looks like a pain in the ass.

The dealer wants $100 a piece for the front and rear parts and install.

Do they make the car look any better? Do they do a good job of keeping dirt and pebbles and such off your car?

Deciding if this is something I would want to add to my car.

 

[Dmw1970]

I know this thread is kinda old, but I plan on putting these on my new Sonic this weekend. I too don't want to drill into metal, so how has the tape on the fronts held up over the past year?

 

[savegejon123]

supposedly the newer ones on ebay even from china require no drilling and just line of up the existing screws.

I ordered some so when they get here in the next 6 months ill check it out

 

[ClO2Jim]

Not just install your wheels and tighten the lug nuts - use a torque wrench to tightened them properly as recommended by the manufacturer and any reliable tire shop