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      08-14-2010, 06:23 PM   #19
Rafale
Zed Quatre
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Drives: '11 Z4 35is & '11 535xi GT
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Portland, OR. USA

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Just installed!

Ok,

I just DIYed the installation. To Ind, you should really put some simple instructions together. I got pretty close to ruining it. I will post some pic on the main forum later after I will have waxed my car. The paint is not a perfect match but it is really pretty good. At some angles we do see a noticeable difference but for the most part it is fine.

Here's the story:

You do not need to take the wheels off your car to install these. I feel bad not to have taken pictures during my installation to share with others but I guess I was too preoccupied with the process itself.

I found out that the access to the back of the reflector from behind the wheel well cover is possible when I changed my signal light bulb.
All you have to do is to turn your steering wheel all the way one direction or the other.
I used a floor jack to give myself some more space in the wheel well.
After you remove the cover for light bulb compartment, there are three screws along the outer front edge of the wheel well. Remove them using an 8mm socket ratchet. After this, by grabbing the inside of the light compartment opening, you can ease the wheel well cover out without removing it. The opening should be enough for you to squeeze your hands in there.
It is pretty easy to this point. Now the most difficult starts I was hoping to see some tabs or screws but no... no luck. I almost gave up at this point. I was starting to pack my tools when I suddenly wondered why there is a piece of 3M paper around the new deflectors. I carefully removed the paper and wondered why it was so sticky on the surface... Duh! . The damn reflector is actually glued to the bumper cover! I went back at it and spent a long time pushing, heating with a hair drier, trying to squeeze a flat head screw driver to pop it out. I finally got it out using a screw driver to create a gap and then using a little crow bar from the bottom up. You can then just put the painted reflector in place after of course removing the wax paper covering the adhesive.
It was quite a sense of accomplishment after spending an hour on this. I moved to the other side and got the other one done much quicker.
After this do not forget to put everything back together... especially the cover for the signal light compartment.

Now that I look at it I feel like there is a uniform recess between the surface of the reflector and the surface of the bumper so here is my question:

When I removed the amber reflectors, the sticky surface had the exact same color as the painted ones so I did not think too much and did a one to one replacement. However still stuck behind the bumper cover, it looked like the original reflectors were installed with some thick (1-2mm) double sided tapes. Should I have removed them before installing the new ones? I am pretty sure the gap would not be there anymore but I am not sure this is how it was designed.

Last edited by Rafale; 08-15-2010 at 06:54 PM..
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