Alaskanpilot

Hey guys,

I figured I'd make my first how-to contribution to the C6 world with this one on replacing the rear brake duct scoops on a Z06 (and now Grand Sports too I guess). I like lots of pictures because, at least for me... they help far more than reading a bunch of text.

I drove mine up the Alaska Highway and my current scoops got hammered pretty hard by rocks. Turns out these scoops are a paltry $6 each from the dealer so replacing them was a no-brainer.

Here's how to do the job!

To start, you'll obviously need a LH and a RH scoop. I got them from the dealer for $12 total. As far as tools, all that's needed is a 7mm wrench or ratchet, and a slotted (flat) screwdriver; as well as the obvious items such as a jack and jackstands, and a way to get the wheels off.






You'll notice that if you have a 2006, the replacement scoops will have a wider lip, which covers more of the paint surrounding the area. Good move, GM!




Here is a "before" shot, showing the narrow-lipped 2006 scoops, and all the damage I had.



First, raise and suitably support the vehicle and remove the wheels.

This will expose the wheel well liner. It's only necessary to remove the front of it. There are four 7mm bolts to remove (all circled in red on the following two pictures; note one is on the BOTTOM of the car).






The next three pictures show what I found, to be the easiest way to snake the liner out of the wheelwell.







At this point, it gets a bit trickier. You want to (carefully) muscle the liner away from the lip on the rocker panel and the quarter panel in order to fully free it. As you are doing all this, you'll probably have a few pounds of dirt and gravel come tumbling out!



Anyway, eventually you will have freed the bottom portion of the wheel well liner, as shown below:



Begin loosening the liner from the quarter panel lip as you work your way to the top of the wheel well, as shown: (note that you can pull the quarter panel away from the car about an inch or two; use this carefully to your advantage)





...and that's about as far as you need to go. Once done, you can pull the front part of the liner all the way back to the axle (and reveal another treasure trove of dirt...)



Here's a shot into the gap we've just created:




Looking towards the brake duct scoop, you will see the brake duct meeting the scoop, as shown. Note that there are THREE parts here: The duct, the scoop as seen from outside the car, and a third part that "frames" the scoop from behind the body panel. We do not need to remove that frame.



We need to get the brake duct out of the way. it's held on by two latches that are attached to that piece that frames the scoop. As you can see from the picture above, one latch is easy to access but the other is between the body panel and the duct, and you'll invent some new swear words trying to unhook that side. But eventually it DOES come off. Here's the removed scoop, with the two ports that the latches were stuck in:



Next, a good view with the duct removed. We can clearly see the surrounding frame piece, and then the scoop itself is on the inside in what looks like two vertical "oval" shapes. There are four latches attached to the scoop, that lock it into the surrounding frame. Use the flat screwdriver to pry them gently loose. Once all four are loose, the scoop can be pushed out of the body panel and it is removed.



A view from outside the car, with the scoop removed:



A view from behind the panel, with the scoop removed:



Now, the new piece simply pops in from the front, and that's it. You may need to push hard to get the latches to engage; it's held in place pretty tight. It helps to use a free hand to work it from inside the wheel well too. Eventually you will get all four latches to latch.

Here we are!



Now everything pretty much goes back together in the reverse order. attach the brake duct first (much easier to attach than to remove!), then start easing the wheel well liner back into place. You'll need to fuss with the lower front portion to make it fit. One thing to be aware of, is that when the liner gets to the rocker panel, it needs to go between the two tabs as shown below. Left to its own, it will try to end up behind them both.



Finish getting that liner back in, situate the brake duct where it needs to go, and put the four screws back in.

That completes one side; the steps are identical for the other side.

All thats left is the wheels and lowering the car, and you're good to go! This whole job took me about 90 minutes, and that includes the time it took to document my process.

I hope someone finds this helpful!

twinger01

DaOtherOne

Excellent write up.

Thank you

MRIENG

2010SilverVette

Is there an easy way to get the outer black piece to stay in place? The frame for the scoop keeps popping out...

LMBZ4ME

Nice job. Looks great. Thanks for writing this up.

valet_devil

Is are there any difference if you have GM side skirts installed?

AtomicZ_Eric

Thanks for the great write-up. Your detail and thoroughness is greatly appreciated. I may also recommend posting this at the Z06vette.com forum. They're very good about keeping the DIY list updated and readily available. I copied my exhaust install to that forum - just requires a copy / paste if you're already a member. Thanks again.

new_hampster

Good write-up. The good photos helped me find an easier way to do this. See my post in the C6 general discussion.

AzDave47

Great write up.

When this job is done it also makes sense to install some closed cell foam weather stripping between the liner and the fender lip to prevent all those rocks and gravel from getting in behind and dropping down into the body seam behind the door.

NDAGRUV

GREAT write up!!
Even MORE importantly, I'd like to say "KUDO'S" for actually DRIVING your Z up one of the most scenic (and tough) highways in America!!
One thing I cannot stand (IMO) is a person having such a FINE road car, and then putting it into a trailer for the ride "to wherever", driving around the fairgrounds, and then putting it back into a trailer for the trip home!
I, like you, bought my ZO6 TO DRIVE and enjoy.
LIFE'S TOO SHORT FOR TRAILER'S!!

GOOD ON 'YA!!!

12zo

Nice job.

Michael_D

I love DIY's with lot's of pics. Well done.

My method to remove them was barbaric. I used a Sawzall... LOL

CHEV AGAIN

Nice job! After seeing the pictures you took, couldn't a guy cut out the little center divider of the trim piece and just remove them and snap in the new ones? The old ones would be wrecked but??
( I see someone posted this very solution, Sorry)

Mark

Ramsair

Tell me more... have carbon inserts for the front and back.... would prefer not to have to remove the wheels, liners etc to install them

I have a sawzall.....

Ramsair

SO here is the official update to this thread. Sawzall down the middle of the plastic vents, take out about 1/4 inch - pinch in the sides and they pop out. No need to jack up car, pull liners, etc. I just did all 4 and it took less than 5 minutes. The backs are a little more stubborn to get out... use a small flat head to get the outside moving and then pull from the bottom. New ones snap right in.

Easiest mod to date.

Chris

Never-Enough

So GM went with a smaller scoop for 2007+ so more paint gets damaged? Brilliant!

LMBTom

Thanks for the write-up.

Here's the part numbers for easy cutting and pasting:
25790358
25790357

BearZ06

[QUOTE=new_hampster;1587820976]Good write-up. The good photos helped me find an easier way to do this. See my post in the C6 general discussion.[/QUOTE

Great write up and pictures above but this is by far an easier and faster way

JP426

It's the other way around, 2007+ has the larger lip.