How to remove front fascia?

jbs45

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I have looked around quite a bit and can't find a really good illustration or guide on how to do this properly. I want to remove it to be repainted due to rock chips, etc. I have a 2002 RT/10. Please help!
 

Dom426h

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1. Remove the 5 bolts in each wheelwell,
2. Lift the hood and remove the 5 christmasTree fasteners (dont worry about breaking them, buy a pack of New ones from any autoparts store to use as replacements)
3. Look in the crosshair area of your facia, There is 2 more christmastrees in there.
4. Jack up the front end and remove the few bolts underneath the airdam
5. Pull her off with 2 people.
 

Simms

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Don't forget to disconnect/remove the bulb from your sidemarkets.

You can get a cheap tool from Harbor Freight etc that makes removing the christmas trees very easy. Add some electrical tape around the tool to protect your paint as well.
 

Steve 00RT/10

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I have looked around quite a bit and can't find a really good illustration or guide on how to do this properly. I want to remove it to be repainted due to rock chips, etc. I have a 2002 RT/10. Please help!

You might check with your body shop. I had our 2000 repaired and painted last November. I was going to remove it myself, but asked the body guy what they would charge. Having never done one, he told me $50 for removal and $50 to put it back on. With ours being a tricolor car, 10 years old, and 90,000+ miles...it also helped that the car was there for a good paint match. To me, it was money well spent. Body shops typically stock all the fastener stuff as well in case they break one.

Steve
 

ViperTony

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Since I have the hood off and Viper up on stands I snapped some pics for you. I've take the fascia off a few times and I can do it under 20 minutes now, even less when I'm working through a 6 pack. Pics with some notes.

Driver's Side Fender Well:
One1.jpg


Passenger Fender Well:
Two.jpg


Top of Fascia:
Three.jpg


*Note you see bolts in the pic above. I used to have tree fasteners which I removed and tapped the holes for actual body bolts. You may also find shims under some of these bolts. Don't lose them and keep track of where they were and how many in each location.

Front of Fascia:
Four.jpg


The fasteners under the headlights are FUN. I think there's one under each headlight. Be patient and try not to scuff/scratch the fascia below the headlight as you work loose the fastener.

Fascia Underside-Middle:
Five.jpg


Mine looks different from yours because I have the Roe Front Fascia duct installed.

Fascia Underside-Left:
Seven.jpg


Fascia Underside-Right:
Six.jpg


When I remove my fascia, I lay it on a few moving blankets so it doesn't get scuffed/scratched. It's a one person job to remove and install but two people simplifies installation/removal.

If you decide to replace your tree fasteners with bolts let me know and I find which tap/bolt size I used.

Hope this helps.

(yeah, I know the fascia is filthy. It's on my to-do list)
 
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RTTTTed

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That's great guys.

I think Dave 6666 had an Illustrated Upgrade on removing the fascia when he added the Roe front fascia scoop as well.

Ted
 

ViperTony

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Oh, with the fascia off now would be the time to consider a few items:

- Check your coolant overflow bottle and top it off.

- Think about installing a brake duct cooling kit if you need cooler brakes on the track.

- Opportunity to install bigger, louder horns and relocate them to the fascia opening. :D

- Install pusher fans from DC Performance. :2tu:

- Clean out your radiator fins of debris and critters.
 
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Venomiss

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Great pictures Tony that needs to go in Illustrated.

Nobody mentioned the correct way to remove a fascia?

Running over a deer will take care of it for you. Someone in our club did that a while back.
 

Jance GTS

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I just took mine off a few days ago, and I didn't have any bolts below the headlights? I guess the last person never put them back in after it was repainted.
 

SNKEBIT

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I just took mine off a few days ago, and I didn't have any bolts below the headlights? I guess the last person never put them back in after it was repainted.


I have done many and have yet to find any fasteners below headlights. There is places for fasteners, just never come across any. I figure the guys at the factory got sick of trying to put them in there when they aren't really nessesary.:dunno:
 

anaconda666

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Great pics and subtitles Viper Tony. One question though - in one of the pics you state "they will be tree fasteners" but the picture shows five :lmao:
 

LifeIsGood

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I removed the under-the-headlight tree fasteners by getting to them by pulling back the end of the fascia...

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I had 3 black shims on the center tree fastener on top of the fascia...

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I had an odd shaped shim on the driver side under-the-headlight tree fastener, so I needed a way to get the shim back into place. The only way to get a new tree fastener or body bolt through the fasica and into the support probably involves removing the headlight, which I didn't want to do. I installed new tree fasteners upside down (from the bottom) on the two under-the-headlight fastener positions. I put the shim over the new driver side tree fastener...the two upside down fasteners provide a great place to hang the fascia while positioning it to go back on...

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jbs45

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WOW! You all are awesome! Thank you so much, especially for the pictures, it really helps me to feel more comfortable in tearing apart my baby :)

I've read before to make sure the paint shop adds flexol to prevent cracks. Is that all I need to tell them?
 
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