Rear fascia install - a tip that might be very helpful

[Henrik]

While reinstalling the rear fascia I learned that:

- You should not install the rear impact absorber and then installed the rear fascia.

What you should do is:

- Lay the rear impact absorber inside the rear fascia, then install the rear fascia. After that, install the four bolts that secure the rear imapct absorber to the frame and finally install and tighten all other fascia bolts and nuts.

While the first option would make the most sense it didn't work for me. The lower portion of the fascia just wouldn't butt up against the body all the way - there was about a one inch gap. Once I thought of the second option, everything popped in (relatively) effortlessly.

[Farrar]

Great tip! Thanks!

[Nicholas R]

I'm intrigued as to what would have caused the gap. I've had my rear fascia off more than just about anyone (it's the only way to access a lot of things for me) and I've never had the issue. Any ideas what it would have been?

[Henrik]

I'm intrigued as to what would have caused the gap. I've had my rear fascia off more than just about anyone (it's the only way to access a lot of things for me) and I've never had the issue. Any ideas what it would have been?

What I think was happening in my case is that by installing the absorber first and then then fascia, the fascia wouldn't fit around the absorber when installed "straight on". So the end result is that the lower portion of the fascia became to thick. I think this is a matter of tolerance/shrinkage issues more than anything.