anyone know what wrench size to use to remove drivers side front fender. Have to replace battery and need to remove bolt at bottom of fender just above rocker panel

 

Forgot to mention it was 1989 automatic

 

It should be a 10mm as far as I know.

 

10mm and a Torx...T30?

 

Yes the torx are T30. I even removed the battery today, and forgot about the torx screws.

 

thanks

 

Thinnest 10mm open end you can find, you only have to loosen it enough to slip the side panel off. Sometimes it helps to remove the 2 small torx at the front of the rocker.

 

Depends on the year. Early cars did NOT have the U-shaped bottom mounting piece. It was closed, so you have to take the bolt completely out. Seems like an excellent candidate for a modification...

 

how early? no flames, but I think you're wrong here. unless my 85's been modified, which I don't think it has, the bottom mounting tab is U-shaped on all fenders. whether it's U-shaped or not, it's damn near impossible to remove or install the bolt. with the rocker panel in place, the bolt will only drop down so far, and thus become captive due to the bolt's 25MM length. there's barely room to get a wrench in there, let alone someone getting their fingers in there to get a bolt out or even started, UNLESS the procedure for these "early" cars (pre july 85) requires removal of the rocker panel. the same bolt is called out (M6X1X25), from 84 to at least 1990.

here's my reasoning. I had the rocker panel, and LH fender off my 85 during a door re-alignment. I removed the fender's bottom bolt and U-nut clip for clean-up. due to murphy's law, I got the assembly procedure mixed up, and installed the rocker panel prior to installing the bolt in the front fender reinforcement U-nut. when I went to install the LH fender, i did an "oh s**t," because there was no way in hell to get the bolt in there due to the U-nut to rocker panel clearance. I had to remove, the rocker panel for a second time . I can tell you I was a little more descriptive than "oh s**t" by the time I was done with that frickin' job!

 

Cliff is "correct here"! It's documented in several places and without looking I believe it's mentioned by CC in their "cutaway" C4 information videos. How early? It's always been a "suggested modification" for someone that has an early fender panel that isn't "slotted"!

 

that's interesting. referencing the parts and assembly manual, there was a PN change between the 84-87 panels, and 88-90 panels. this could be the closed vs open slot thing. looking at my 85's passenger fender panel, IT DOES APPEAR to be modified. I can't believe that issue existed up thru 87. going back to my 85 FSM (page 6D-14, figure 6D-15 - positioning fender skirt for battery removal), the procedure indicates to remove the rear-upper 10mm bolt, and remove the two upper fender to liner torx screws, and loosen the bottom torx screw. then it says to grasp the upper part of the fender and PULL REARWARD SLIGHTLY TO PROVIDE CLEARANCE FOR BATTERY REMOVAL. "pull to provide clearance" WTF??? - . nowhere does it say anything about the bottom 10mm bolt. so, according to the FSM, one does not remove the fender to replace the battery. I can't see how anyone could perform an battery replacement using that procedure. again, WVZR-1, you've proved me wrong! I STAND CORRECTED!!! early fenders may indeed have a closed lower mounting tab slot.

 

That is exactly how I have been removing mine! I use a 13/32" super skinny wrench to get to the bolt and once loosened just "bend" the fender away while pulling your battery up and out. It's not the easiest way but it does work. It would really be a PITA if your battery did not have a carry handle on it though.

 

My '86 has the slotted tab on the bottom. I had heard about the closed tab thing, so I assumed it was '84 and possibly '85 that had them.