EVO RS Trunk Bar Install
Jul 26, 2004, 08:34 PM
#1
EVO RS Trunk Bar Install
This is a write up on how to do a very stealty install of a EVO RS trunk bar into a regular EVO. So here it goes!.
Step one: Assemble the tools you are going to need.
The tools that you should use are a dremel (you'll need cutoff wheels and a
drum sander bit); a flat file; a ratchet with a 14mm socket; a permanent marker; a razor blade; a right angle pick tool; a tape measure;
I also found out later on that diagonal cutter pliers came in handy for trimming some of the trunk liner.
Step one: Assemble the tools you are going to need.
The tools that you should use are a dremel (you'll need cutoff wheels and a
drum sander bit); a flat file; a ratchet with a 14mm socket; a permanent marker; a razor blade; a right angle pick tool; a tape measure;
I also found out later on that diagonal cutter pliers came in handy for trimming some of the trunk liner.
Jul 26, 2004, 08:40 PM
#3
The next step is to take out the plastic panel at the rear of your trunk. Start by taking out the 4 push clips from the panel. Do the bottom ones (the ones closer to the ends of the panel) first and then do the ones inside. You don't need any tool to remove these. Just put a finger on the outside of them and use your other hand to pull the panel away from the trunk.
Jul 26, 2004, 08:43 PM
#4
Next you must pull up one the panel to remove it. Put your hands under the bottom lip and pull up (not out towards the inside of your car). Start on one of the ends. There are four clips that come up. Two yellow ones (they are on either end of the panel) and two white ones (they are on the inside of the panel). Make sure you pull them out of the trunk if they got stuck in there and didn't come off with the panel.
Jul 26, 2004, 08:52 PM
#6
Now you need to get the right angle pick tool. You need to take out four push pin clips (two on either side of the trunk. one on the rear trunk wall and one under the little panel door on the side of the trunk). Use the right angle pick and push the center of the clip in (gently!! otherwise you'll lose the center). The center will go in about 3/16". Use the pick to pull out the clip(s).
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Jul 26, 2004, 08:59 PM
#8
Now you need your ratchet and 14mm socket (I used a 3/8" ratchet with a 3" extension and a 14mm deep socket). Slide the bar into position. Use your hand to thread the 14mm bolts supplied with the bar into their holes. Then take the ratchet and tighten them down. Once the bolts feel tight (you should hear a slight pop from the lock washer seating down), give it another 1/3 of a turn of the ratchet.
Jul 26, 2004, 09:04 PM
#9
Now you need to cut the trunk lining to fit over the edges of the bar. Measure roughly 6 3/4" from the inner edge of the lining and cut off just the bottom part of the lining with the razor blade (the part that is parallel with the trunk floor). See the second picture for further clarification. I have also provided a third picture which shows what the trunk lining looks like on the drivers side (the passenger side is identical). I made a cut that basically gives just enough room for the bar to stick out and not make the lining pop out.
Last edited by EvilBlueEvo8; Jul 27, 2004 at 07:47 AM.
Jul 26, 2004, 09:13 PM
#10
Now is the long part of the install. You want to be carefull here so you don't mess up your rear trunk panel by scratching it or cutting too much. At first I had measured a cut that I thought would work (see first picture). I later learned it wouldn't allow the panel to sit all the way down because I needed another half inch of so more off the bottom. So basically I made the first cuts with the dremel and the cut off wheel (see picture two and three). After that I had learned that I needed to take the rest of the panel down to fit so rather than risking damaging the panel with a close cut, I used the drum sander bit with the dremel and ground down the rest of the material that I needed off. I ground down to the flat part of the panel (see the last picture) for the whole panel (you can see this if you flip the panel upside down and look from the backside). Just becareful in the middle of the panel to get it straight because there is no flat part to judge your lines against.
Jul 26, 2004, 09:17 PM
#11
Now take the file and flaten out the bumps on the bottom of the panel (see picture). Use the pliers or your fingers to take off the big pieces of plastic flashing. I used the razor blade to finish off the edges of the panel and also to remove the remaining flashing. If you have a deburring tool (I couldn't find mine. I think its at my shop), you can remove the flashing and smooth out the edges much easier with that.
Jul 26, 2004, 09:22 PM
#12
This next step is optional. I did it because it will make life easier during a frustrating situation. The false floor has to small lips on the rear of the panel (on the opening of the trunk side). You do not have to cut these off, but I did. You can tuck them under the bar but if you need to lift the panel, it is a p.i.t.a. to get it out with the lips under the bar. Try it you'll understand. It will make life easier in the future if you cut them off now. I used the dremel with a cut off wheel to cut them off.
Jul 26, 2004, 09:31 PM
#14
Finally you can put the rear trunk panel back in. Just line it up and push down untill you lock it in place (picture one). Now you can put your four push clips back in their holes that way the panel sits nice and tight. Throw your carpet back in and cover up your bar and then you can wonder where it went (picture two) because it will be fully hidden from sight (except for the slight bulge in the edge of the carpet) if you did it right. The guys at my shop really liked how clean it came out and how it was hidden from sight. Good luck guys!
