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Thread: Side Skirt. Removing.

  1. #1
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    Side Skirt. Removing.

    I need to remove the side skirts on my 99 M3. I also need to remove the plastic cover things just inside the door (above the side skirt if that makes sense ). There are a couple small surface rust spots I need to take care of and these things are in the way.

    I watched a youtube video today about how to do it and the guy was having a really hard time getting all the plastic pin/grommet/thingamajigs off.

    These plastic grommet things appear to have a pin in the center of them. I noticed in the comments of the video somebody said to just push those pins all the way through and it helps to release them. Makes sense, but then you would have the other end of the plastic grommet things rolling around inside the rocker covers I would think.

    So, does anybody have experience removing these things they would like to share?

    Thanks for any advice.

  2. #2
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    copied from the M3 forum net: Remove the rivets on the rear edge of the side skirt. There are two. Remove the rivets off the lower edge of the side skirt that run the length of the skirt (underneath the car).Pull the side skirt off using force or using body panel removal tools. The clips are not hard to overcome. Some will break during the process. Proper installation requires removing all the clips that are stuck in the body after removal. Install each clip at the arrow mark along the clip rail behind the side skirt. Then you can reinstall the skirt back onto the body. http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...61&hg=51&fg=16
    ----------------
    Just one more thought. IIRC there are (2) push pin rivets at the rear of the skirt. There are not the ones that have heads on them and the only way to get the out is to drive the pin into the rocker panel, where it is lost forever. So you need new pins or rivets. (rivets come with pins) .
    -----------------
    The last time that happened to me I was able to get to the clip without removing the entire assembly. I popped off one or two clips on either side, replaced them and the original broken one, and voilą. This saved me time and then I facepalmed myself at how long I was riding like that considering it took me a minute to fix.
    -------------
    like everyone said, its a very straightforward job. I had to replace my rubber gasket that attaches to the side skirt.
    ----------------
    The rubber seal on my driver's side is, well, missin' some rubber. So I need to replace it. Do you need to replace all the black underside grommets (duh I assume so) AND all the white clamps on the side of the car (not sure but thinking its a good idea?). Having not taken the side skirt off before...

    1. How do the white clamps affix to the side of the car (friction, wedging, adhesive, etc)

    2. How does the upper side skirt rubber seal fit itself?

    To do the whole job properly I assume you'd need:

    1. (1) Rubber Seal Gasket 51712234044
    2. (10?) Underside Expanding Rivets 51111908077
    3. (10?) White Facing Clamps 51712234032
    4. (5?)
    --------------------------
    My driver's side skirt rubber seal has, well, left the building in certain places and I need to replace it. Not having removed the side skirt before...

    1. Does the rubber gasket just seat itself w/the adhesive backing? I.E. only one place it can go on.

    2. Same with the white facing clamps. Do they just snap in with those grommets? I assume I should replace all of these even if I dont break some of them?

    What I should order:

    (1) Rubber Seal Gasket 51712234044
    (10?) White Facing Clamps 51712234032
    (10?) Expanding Rivets for Underside 51111908077
    (5?) Expanding Rivets for Rear 51161881149

    I like ordering a cpl extra of small bits in case I break or lose a few. Do you need the green grommet or pin? Anything else or do I have it covered?
    -------------------
    Yes. The old rubbber seal Gasket 51-71-2-234-044) has to be peeled off the side skirt. Then clean the rest of the goo off before putting on the new one if you want the new one to lay flush and look proper. The hardest part of this job is removing the old goo from the old rubber strip.
    -----------------
    I ended up ordering the white clips and the green grommets separately, along with the black underside rivets and the rivets at the back tire. Maybe 10 each. Hope thats enough. I like to have a cpl extra in case I booger one.
    ------------
    my sedan has 11 clips on each side.
    ----------
    Ha. Figures I would order 10 clips when I need 11. Im sure there will be 1-2 out of the originals I can re-use however.
    -------------------------
    Shogun tricks and tips for the E32 series are HERE!

  3. #3
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    Thank you shogun!

  4. #4
    RRSperry's Avatar
    RRSperry is offline Senior Moment Member BMW E36 M3 Expert
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    Just wait til you see the price of the gasket... IIRC it was about $40 per side..
    No matter where you go, there you are...

  5. #5
    Join Date
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    11/88 E32 750iL+98 E36M3
    Now: Gasket For Side Skirt Part #: 51712234044 MSRP $81.75/piece
    Shogun tricks and tips for the E32 series are HERE!

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by RRSperry View Post
    Just wait til you see the price of the gasket... IIRC it was about $40 per side..
    Quote Originally Posted by shogun View Post
    Now: Gasket For Side Skirt Part #: 51712234044 MSRP $81.75/piece
    Thanks guys... everything on these cars is stupid expensive.

  7. #7
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    Just wanted to give a little update to this in case anybody finds this helpful down the road. I watched a video on this and the guy was having a really hard time removing the expandable grommets on the underside of the cover that face the ground. The underside ones have a head to the pin. I simply took a sharp woodworking chisel and pared off the head. This allowed me to push the pin into the rocker cover and the grommet to just drop right out. No force at all. The rocker panel cover just simply popped off. So, shave the head of the pin off. Super easy.

  8. #8
    MauiM3Mania's Avatar
    MauiM3Mania is offline Observer/Master Skeptic Moderator
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    FWIW, https://thebmwminipartstore.com gets $65.96 ea for that seal strip.
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