Uncover Proven Ways to Hold Car Body Fittings in Place
Not unnaturally, car makers fit their trim and body fittings in such a way that often you can’t readily see how they're fitted from the outside. But since it is really only possible to glue, clip, screw or bolt fittings in place, a little creative thinking usually shows how it's done.
The following shows some of the usual ways of holding body fittings in place.
Inside the car, most radios are removed after first easing off the knobs, bezels and other controls, then undoing the nut behind each control.
Behind the dash there is almost always another mounting bracket. The aerial/antenna wire plugs into the set, but the feed and speaker wires will have to be disconnected either at source or at their first junction.
Where inertia reel seat belts are fitted, they are bolted to a sturdy mounting, often behind a trim pane! High-up brackets are usually covered in a dip-on cover. When unbolting, be certain to keep track of the sequence of all spacer washers otherwise any swiveling movement in the bracket will be lost.
Floor mountings are straightforward but this time, the wiring for the seat belt warning light also has to be uncoupled.
External fittings can be held on by a variety of means. The extensive grille components from this model of Chevrolet are held on with a mixture of hex-head and screwdriver head coarse-thread screws.
The following shows some of the usual ways of holding body fittings in place.
Inside the car, most radios are removed after first easing off the knobs, bezels and other controls, then undoing the nut behind each control.
Behind the dash there is almost always another mounting bracket. The aerial/antenna wire plugs into the set, but the feed and speaker wires will have to be disconnected either at source or at their first junction.
Where inertia reel seat belts are fitted, they are bolted to a sturdy mounting, often behind a trim pane! High-up brackets are usually covered in a dip-on cover. When unbolting, be certain to keep track of the sequence of all spacer washers otherwise any swiveling movement in the bracket will be lost.
Floor mountings are straightforward but this time, the wiring for the seat belt warning light also has to be uncoupled.
External fittings can be held on by a variety of means. The extensive grille components from this model of Chevrolet are held on with a mixture of hex-head and screwdriver head coarse-thread screws.
A Metro tailgate spoiler is held on with screws which screw into plastic anchor nuts which are pushed into pre-stamped holes.
Sometimes, threaded screws are built into parts which are then held into place with plastic nuts. They have built-in washers which cannot be separated from the nut.
This VW Golf/Rabbit wheel arch shield is held on in this way. The nuts are simply spannered off in the normal way.
Here self-tapping screws hold the rear of this wheel arch flare while the front is pop-riveted into place. To remove them, it is necessary to drill the head off (taking care not to allow the drill to bite into the plastic) and fit new pop-rivets when refitting.
Sometimes, threaded screws are built into parts which are then held into place with plastic nuts. They have built-in washers which cannot be separated from the nut.
This VW Golf/Rabbit wheel arch shield is held on in this way. The nuts are simply spannered off in the normal way.
Here self-tapping screws hold the rear of this wheel arch flare while the front is pop-riveted into place. To remove them, it is necessary to drill the head off (taking care not to allow the drill to bite into the plastic) and fit new pop-rivets when refitting.
Where self-tapping screws are used, Locut nuts are pressed into ready-cut holes, or, on some applications, special spring dips are fitted into which the screw is fed.
In this case, the Locut nuts enable a front spoiler to be fitted without the risk of the self-tapping screws cutting into the body and causing corrosion.
Almost all trim strips dip down onto special dips. Remove them by carefully prising up from beneath. The dips themselves usually fix in place with special pop-rivets, built into the clips. Buy them from the relevant main dealer.
Increasingly, badges are stuck on. Remove by pushing a thin-bladed scraper under and along the badge; don't try to prise the badge off.
The sticking medium is usually a double-sided tape. Obtain some from your local friendly body shop rather than having to buy a complete roll.
The old tape can then be scraped off the body...
...before the sticky residue is removed with a spirit wipe or white spirit.
Where major components are bolted together, such as where this Metro rear subframe fits against the body, or where some fuel tanks bolt tight against bodywork, be sure to use self-adhesive rubbing pads to prevent squeaks and groans from rubbing bodywork.
Using the correct clips for wiring, fuel and brake pipes are essential for both neatness and safety. These plastic clips push straight into predrilled holes...
In this case, the Locut nuts enable a front spoiler to be fitted without the risk of the self-tapping screws cutting into the body and causing corrosion.
Almost all trim strips dip down onto special dips. Remove them by carefully prising up from beneath. The dips themselves usually fix in place with special pop-rivets, built into the clips. Buy them from the relevant main dealer.
Increasingly, badges are stuck on. Remove by pushing a thin-bladed scraper under and along the badge; don't try to prise the badge off.
The sticking medium is usually a double-sided tape. Obtain some from your local friendly body shop rather than having to buy a complete roll.
The old tape can then be scraped off the body...
...before the sticky residue is removed with a spirit wipe or white spirit.
Where major components are bolted together, such as where this Metro rear subframe fits against the body, or where some fuel tanks bolt tight against bodywork, be sure to use self-adhesive rubbing pads to prevent squeaks and groans from rubbing bodywork.
Using the correct clips for wiring, fuel and brake pipes are essential for both neatness and safety. These plastic clips push straight into predrilled holes...
...while these dip tight over the edge of a panel.
Other clips are self-adhesive and these can be really useful when wiring in new components or where old dips are missing. Be sure to thoroughly degrease the mounting area with some kind of spirit wipe to ensure good adhesion.
While on the subject of wiring, always use and re-fit the correct grommets, especially to the bulkhead/firewall area. It is surprising how much in the way of fumes and noise they can keep out.
Other clips are self-adhesive and these can be really useful when wiring in new components or where old dips are missing. Be sure to thoroughly degrease the mounting area with some kind of spirit wipe to ensure good adhesion.
While on the subject of wiring, always use and re-fit the correct grommets, especially to the bulkhead/firewall area. It is surprising how much in the way of fumes and noise they can keep out.
This fuel filter dip is held on with a couple of pop-rivets, direct to the bodywork.