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EVO X Body Kits & Ground Effects Packages |
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Jan 23, 2008 at 09:38 PM |
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We will be doccumenting all of the production aftermarket body kits available for US market as they become available. Below we will cover the types of materials used for aerodynamics and a brief description of what is involved in installation. Please check back often as we will be updating as products are released for sale. Body Kit Installation Information All body kits should be test fit on the vehicle prior to any painting or paint preparation. When dry fitting the parts your installer will be able to gauge the fitment and whether or not any additional labor will be required. Once fitment has been confirmed as paint ready the parts can be pulled off the vehicle to be prepped for color and clear coat. Once the items have been painted they can be installed on the vehicle for final installation. On complete bumper replacement kits we suggest that the installer fabricate some additional support brackets to better support the bottom of the bumpers as they are lower than a stock bumper and not all of the original bumpers hardware will be compatible. Keep in mind when purchasing a body kit that the parts are not OEM from the vehicle manufacturer and may require slight modifications to achieve an OEM quality installation. When selecting a body shop to do your installation and paint work make sure to shop around and find which shops in your area are doing the local area custom car work. Collision repair shops are often the last place to contract to do this type of work as they are accustomed to OEM parts and use strict labor time guidelines allocated per job.
Fiberglass Body Kits Fiberglass body kits typically take the most amount of labor to fit to the vehicle as well as painting and finishing. Fiberglass parts usually require some amount of trimming and filling as well as block sanding the entire surface to make sure that it is perfectly flat as a wavy finish will reflect in the painted finish. The more time spent on the preparation the better the paint job will be.
Premium Fiberglass Body Kits Premium Fiberglass body kits such as Flex Fiber, AIT Racing, Duraflex, and VFiber offer additional properties that bring the quality up from a standard fiberglass kit yet retain the low price and value associated with fiberglass manufacturing. These brands introduce properties not found in standard fiberglass manufacturing such as high flexibility and impact resistance. Traditional fiberglass is prone to cracking when twisted as well as shattering upon impact. Installation procedure will be comparable to fiberglass and will still require some amount of body work and fitting.
Urethane Body Kits Urethane body kits are highly flexible and extremely durable for daily driven vehicles. The downfall to urethane products is the expensive price typically 60% more than a fiberglass based product, as well as the small selection, and the heavy weight of the parts. Installation of urethane parts is typically a straight bolt on procedure but may require that additional brackets are added to eliminate sag.
ABS Body Kits ABS body kits are usually reserved for add on lip kits and spoilers. These parts are comparable with urethane in cost but are not nearly as heavy and have properties comparable to plastic household items. Installation typically just requires that the parts are lightly sanded and then can be primered and painted and then installed on the vehicle.
| Front Bumpers / Rear Bumpers Installation Guide: | Before you start, please make sure you have the proper safety equipment to avoid potential harm to you and your vehicle. Body kit installation can relatively be an easy process; anyone with a little mechanical knowledge should be able to install parts in a few hours. Tools are also very standard, and if you have taken your factory bumper before, replacing it with an aftermarket piece should be no trouble at all. - Inspect bumper for all bolts, screws and clips holding the bumper to the rest of the vehicle. (Make sure to have the proper tool for disassembly)
- Proceed to remove all fasteners and the actual bumper or bumper cover.
- As you start to test fit the new bumper, please make sure to inspect the section where the part will be place to make sure nothing interferes with the installation (i.e. hanging wires or hoses and splash shields, etc.)
- Carefully proceed to install the new bumper, making sure that there is no interference from other components on the vehicle.
- Some installation will require removal or repositioning of factory components, like impact absorbers, reinforcement bars, horns or fog lights. If any component is interfering with the installation, remove these components and proceed with test fitting the bumper (Make sure to reinstall all vital components back in its place or new location. Some products are meant for show and off-road purposes only. Removal of any factory safety components are at your own risk. )
- Most aftermarket bumpers are mounted the same way as the factory bumpers, so drilling the right hole in the proper location is key to having a good installation.
- With the bumper mocked up in place, make sure it lines up properly with rest of the panels and lights of the vehicle. (Some areas of the bumper are purposely made with extra material to lower the risk of damage during transit. Some bumpers might need to be shaved or filed down in some areas to insure a good fitment.)
- When you are satisfied with the fitment, mark the holes needed for the installation and cut or drill accordingly. (Be very precise in marking holes, as this will determine the accuracy of the fitment to the other panels of the vehicle)
- After holes have been drilled, your part is now ready to be prepped for paint. Because of the characteristics of FRP composites, you would need to block (sand and fill, etc.) the whole bumper to ensure smooth and even application of paint.
- After the paint has dried, you are ready to install the bumper on to the vehicle. After part installation onto vehicle, you may wet sand the clear coat then buff to achieve the shine.
- Check all other components that need to be attached to the new bumper. If other existing factory parts are vital and will not attach to the new bumper, you will have to fabricate brackets or mounts to secure those parts.
- Check if everything is secure and all parts installed. And you are done!
Note: We recommend professional installation for all parts. | | Side Skirts Installation Guide: | Before you start, please make sure you have the proper safety equipment to avoid potential harm to you and your vehicle. Body kit installation can relatively be an easy process; any one with a little mechanical knowledge should be able to install parts in a few hours. Some side skirt installation might require the wheels off, so be prepared with a lift or jack stands. Another aspect of installation to point out is the factory rocker panel or rocker moldings. Some installs will require removal or these panels and some will require the panels to be installed. This is very important since some vehicles might not come with these panels and will require it to be purchased from the dealer. So consult with your distributor for the requirements needed for installation. - Mock up the side skirt to see if it's going to install properly. If the factory rocker panel is interfering with the installation, you are going to have to remove it. If the side skirt looks like a little short at the edges (where it wraps around the wheel well), you might be able to shave a little bit off the corner of the side skirt for a proper fit.
- Install the side skirt using screws on each end right where it wraps around the wheel well. This is the part where you might need to lift the car and take the wheels off.
- There are also a few other places to secure the side skirt, and this will depend on each individual style and application. Some might require screw on the factory rocker panels, the actually door jamb or anywhere else that is not visible when you have the doors closed. Some side skirts will have concave indentations for using rivets and filled over with body filler.
- After completing installation check door clearances to ensure paint will not rub.
Note: We recommend professional installation for all parts. |
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EVO X Exterior Styling 