GM Bra question
Racer
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 405
Likes: 0
From: Colorado Springs CO.
Finally got it installed - humor!
Originally Posted by C5-BRUCE
I just received my new GM Bra. There are 7 screws included, three are wood screws for under the nose, and 4 machine screws with rubber dampeners for the wheel wells. I removed the two lower screws and found them to be wood type screws? There seems to be no way to install the snaps using the machine screws provided?
Some owners should never be allowed near their cars with a tool of any kind! I qualify, as tomorrow I'll be on my THIRD day trying to install my GM Bra. Story follows..........
Sunday (day 1) morning I opened the box, laid out the bra in the sun as instructed. Installed the upper (hood) portion of the bra and hooked the long sections of the bungee cords to the hood liner grommets, as instructed. Attempted to hook the lower bungee "cords" to the lower hood grommets without success. OK, no problem, I'll come back to that.
Cocked the wheels to gain access to the right side wheel well, as two screws had to be removed and replaced with two snap-head screws (same on the left side). The machine screws supplied with the bra wouldn't work - I needed #8 marine snap-head screws. Off I go to Home Depot only to learn they don't carry them. Told by the "screw manager" I needed to go to a boat store or upholstery shop? On Sunday? Packed everything back up and quit for the day.
Monday morning (day 2) I found a boat store that only had #10 snap-head screws and bought them. The screw head was the right size, but the shaft was a 'bit' larger in diameter. I figured that having a plastic car I'd be able to "force" them into place. Wrong, didn't work! By this time I had installed two of the supplied #8 screws in the right side wheel, one in the left wheel well and was able to force fit one of the #10's to finish the wheel well installation. But I still had three more to go, under the nose, and I was pretty sure the #10's wouldn't work.
I called around and found an upholstery shop that had the #8 screws. Off I go on my third attempt to get screwed. Yes, they had them, and now I was ready to install all seven snaps correctly. Again I cocked the wheels to allow access, and replaced the forced #10 screw with a #8. It was then I realized I'd installed all the snaps on the BACK side of the wheel well, when they needed to be on the FRONT side of the wheel well. My patience was wearing thin, not to mention the damage to my IQ !
I relocated all four screws (both sides) and again laid the bra out on the driveway to warm up in the sun. While the bra was warming, I crawled under the nose to install the last three snap screws. In doing so I was visited by a herd of carpenter ants, none of whom brought tools. BANG! What was that? The sky opened up and the bra laying out to warm was immediately soaked, as well as me. Again packed everything back up. End of Day 2.
Bottom line: a 45 minute job will end up taking 2-1/2 days. Perhaps I should send my resume to GM, or maybe our local dealer?
Grins........... -
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 5,059
Likes: 11
From: Wenatchee WA
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13
You might want to get a couple of small peices of 3M scotchcal (sp?).
Use them to protect the painted edge of the fender where the bra wraps around to the fender snaps.
Use them to protect the painted edge of the fender where the bra wraps around to the fender snaps.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,567
Likes: 0
From: Clovis, Ca.
I installed my GM bra this weekend. It involved a little work, but came out fine. The three wood screws just screw into the original holes underneath the front. The four machined screws require removal of the clips before installation. (I found it best to remove all three wheelwell screws, then use needle nose pliars to remove the two clips, otherwise they will drop down inside the front end and are a pain to get out). I started a screw into the rubber grommet, then using a rubber mallot I pounded the grommet completely into the hole. I then screwed the screw all the way in and it snugged up real nice. I did the same for the second screw, then replaced the original third screw.
It would have made sense for GM to use wood screws in the wheel wells also, but that's GM.......The end result is that the GM bra is a really good fit, and looks much better than I though it would.
It would have made sense for GM to use wood screws in the wheel wells also, but that's GM.......The end result is that the GM bra is a really good fit, and looks much better than I though it would.
