Side Skirts (sill cover)
- Thread starter ric19
- Start date
I've never taken it off but it's only held on with 3 bolts and one push on plastic style rivet. The bolts should be 10mm each like the ones I had to adjust for the front bumper.
There is a diagram here on real OEM. Maybe an idea to get another plastic rivet thingy just incase it breaks, they sometimes can be tight and break. Cheap and cheerful, you can even get them on eBay in bags for 10 for a few quid.
It doesn't say it but I'm assuming a 'trim removal' tool maybe required incase it's also got clips on the skirt itself and needs to be carefully removed.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=LL52-EUR-08-2013-E89-BMW-Z4_28i&diagId=51_7185
There is a diagram here on real OEM. Maybe an idea to get another plastic rivet thingy just incase it breaks, they sometimes can be tight and break. Cheap and cheerful, you can even get them on eBay in bags for 10 for a few quid.
It doesn't say it but I'm assuming a 'trim removal' tool maybe required incase it's also got clips on the skirt itself and needs to be carefully removed.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=LL52-EUR-08-2013-E89-BMW-Z4_28i&diagId=51_7185
Ric19. I did mine a few months back. As mentioned there are 3 bolts and the rest are clips. I would recommend buying new as the do stretch when removed. Cost around £1.20 each from a dealer. Once u have undone the bolts you need to pull it from the clips, but the area around the front of the door is difficult to get both in / out. As you need to slide the skirt forwards to get clearance..
Amazing how much mud collects behind these sills.
I think it does no harm to pop them off every few years and clean behind.
I removed one to try and hotgun out a dent the previous owner had put in.
Part 10 I made a tool by grinding a vee shaped cutout into the end of an old knife, in order to extract the small central pin.
I think it does no harm to pop them off every few years and clean behind.
I removed one to try and hotgun out a dent the previous owner had put in.
Part 10 I made a tool by grinding a vee shaped cutout into the end of an old knife, in order to extract the small central pin.
It is relative simple to remove the side skirts.
After removing the bolts, you have to pull the skirts with open door to you. For the first time it will cost you some effort to pull that much on your car part, but it hurts you more than the car. Take care at the door area and please always do this work with 2 persons.
Please don't fear of pulling off the skirts from the clips.
For the re-installation I suggest to check the #4 and #5.
The sealant #4 should be glued to the skirt before re-assembly, because otherwise it will be difficult to get this in place after installation.
I did this removal and re-assembly very often for the design process of my self engineered/designed side skirts:
with my rear skirts:
After removing the bolts, you have to pull the skirts with open door to you. For the first time it will cost you some effort to pull that much on your car part, but it hurts you more than the car. Take care at the door area and please always do this work with 2 persons.
Please don't fear of pulling off the skirts from the clips.
For the re-installation I suggest to check the #4 and #5.
The sealant #4 should be glued to the skirt before re-assembly, because otherwise it will be difficult to get this in place after installation.
I did this removal and re-assembly very often for the design process of my self engineered/designed side skirts:
with my rear skirts:
Thanks for the info... I have taken it down to Stratstone Chesterfield today, and they are saying its going to be about £400 to replace and paint, but i am hoping that my minor bodywork insurance which runs out in Feb will cough up £100 of this if they authorise my claim, with a bit of luck and a fair wind 
