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WRX03Hatch

Following in the footsteps of Elmo (Jake) and getting some advice and tips from him I have finally installed and come up with a very comprehensive DIY for installing STi Side Splitters on Hatch front bars. To say the least it's absolutely piss easy and looks like a factory fit, plus it is probably secured to the car better then what they are on an actual STi. If you can tie show laces then you can do this Laughing

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Parts required:- STi Side splitters $217, (1/4 inch Hi Tensile brass nuts x14, brass bolts x8 and brass washers x16, about $15). Double sided tape is optional but not really required.

Tools required:- Drill with 1/4 inch drill bit, ring spanner and socket/rachet to suit bolts/nuts, Dremel (small power tool for engraving/sanding/cutting, otherwise use a stanely knife/sandpaper), and a marking pen.

This whole process is easier of you jack the car up, one side at a time is all that's necessary so you can use the jack that comes with the car.

Start by removing these tabs shown here using knife/sandpaper (or Dremel to make it quicker and easier).

so it looks like this

Now remove these white plugs, they just slide out.

This is what your left with, these parts are plastic pot riveted down.

Cut or sand the tops back like this

Then simply pop it off with a screw driver

Sand the remaining posts back slightly so it doesn't obstruct with the bumper on the car when fitted.

Now the Side Splitter should fit farely flush up against the bumper in place. Remove the factory plastic clip from the bottom inside wheel arch edge of your bumper and use it to hold the splitter in place using the top hole this time, as shown below.

This is how it will sit naturally, but with it being plastic it is easily pursuaded to fit into place with minimal stress.

From here, hold it in place and mark out the places where holes need to be drilled into the bottom of your bumper (these holes are out of sight even with the Splitters not fitted so don't worry about the fact you are drilling into your bumper Laughing

). This whole splitter assembly is completely reversable if ever you wish to remove them one day with no sign of anything being touched or drilled.

Anyway, mark and drill the holes required

These are the general layout of the bolts

And this is what the bolt configurations look like. Multiple nuts are used as spacers, you will see why shortly. These correspond from right to left with the picture above

Now simply start bolting it up. Start with this bolt here and work your way around to the front. After doing this bolt you can add a small amount of double sided tape if you wish to the top corner nearest the headlight (area where you removed tabs) but it isn't really necessary if you've aligned the splitter correctly when drilling holes). Movement in that area is extremely minimal even without double sided tape.

Continue bolting it up. The below pictures also show you why spacers are required and how they go together. Use one nut as a spacer on the second last bolt to the front and 2 nuts as spacers for the final bolt at the front.

This is how it looks bolted up and fitted correctly

This end part here should also line up almost perfectly, for some reason in other threads I have seen people have not been able to get this to line up right but for me it worked perfectly Wink

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And here is the final result after both sides have been done.

Once again I would like to thank Elmo (Jake) for his help and time in giving me tips on how to do it Wink

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jrex2 · Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2005 3:23 pm Post subject:

Great job mate, the pics are fantastic.
The hatch looks great.
Did the spotlight covers fit without any mods?
I like to do the same to my sedan. Are the sidse spliters sold painted? $217 for two is good price.

szybko · Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2005 4:05 pm Post subject:

Top effort, looks the goods Cool

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WRP10 no:142
152.9kw tuned by Autotech
More to come in 6 months........

my03 · Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2005 4:20 pm Post subject:

look great, paint those side skirts!!@!

Starscream · Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2005 4:41 pm Post subject:

Looks good...now for the front lip Wink

Now clean your garage. It's a mess! Laughing

Starscream · Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2005 4:43 pm Post subject:

Ewok · Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2005 5:06 pm Post subject:

At last!!! Glad you did it, the result is awesome - 1000% improvement. Now can you fit the lip you have been dreaming about???

Edit: Great DIY by the way!
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bwhinnen · Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2005 6:50 pm Post subject:

Looks great. Great work and it should end up in the Archives and DIY sections Very Happy

Cheers
Brett
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Brett Whinnen
Parenthood status: Dad! Beautiful baby boy named Braden.
Technical Culpability: Great
Opinionated: Highly
BS Factor: Extreme
Photographic Talent: You tell me

stealth · Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2005 6:50 pm Post subject:

Thar looks great. Thanks for the DIY. Now I've got no excuse- I'll have to stop talking about this and do it to my wagon too. Hopefully I'll be able to fit a V-limited front lip once I've got the splitters...
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Man is a credulous animal, and must believe something; in the absence of good grounds for belief, he will be satisfied with bad ones.

WRX03Hatch · Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2005 7:30 pm Post subject:

WRX03Hatch · Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2005 7:33 pm Post subject:

WRX03Hatch · Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2005 7:36 pm Post subject:

WRX03Hatch · Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2005 7:40 pm Post subject:

WRX03Hatch · Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2005 7:45 pm Post subject:

Oh and one more just to make it 5 posts in a row Laughing

. Thanks for all the kind words everyone Wink

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jrex2 · Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2005 7:49 pm Post subject:

It is going to be an STI wagon. I love it!
Painting the side skirts will save you product used to keep them black.
Going back to the spotlight covers, do they just click
in to the slots? and how much are they.