Remove front bumper cover?

[genVer]

I just purchased the aero kit and am having difficulties installing the front splitters. It appears that the only way I'm going to be able to determine where to drill the new installation holes in the carbon fiber splitter is by removing the front fascia.

Does anyone know if this is attached only by the visible screws (along top under edge of hood, in wheel wells and along bottom) or if there are other connection points?

[LATAMUD]

These are instructions for a Gen3/4 but I imagine they are very close if not identical to the Gen5.

You don't have to remove the headlights. Remove the forward wheel well liners, and there are two nuts holding the bumper to the fenders on each side. Under the hood, there are a few screws on the top of the bumper in center, like 6 or 8. I think there are a few scres under the bumper holding it to the under-engine pan. And I think you have to undo the pigtails for the fog lights, but might be getting confused with a different car. Also, there arfe a few screws holding the cover to the bumper, near the hood latch inside the grill.

[genVer]

Thanks for the reply LATAMUD. I'm a little nervous but guess I'm just gonna dive in and see where I get. Hoping I'll be able to look back when it's done and think "that wasn't so bad". lol

[SilveRT8]

Had mine taken off to get the front grille painted body color and it's like Latamud said just to remove all the screws on top, sides and bottom + the pigtails for side markers. Top screws have varying numbers of shims to properly aling with hood line, just note or keep them in the same order for reinstallation.

[ViperSmith]

ha, yes, the shims are plastic washers

DON'T LOSE THEM!

as i did lol

[SilveRT8]

While the front bumper was off, I installed some "rain gutter" black plastic mesh grille (home depot) to protect the rad from flying debris.

[genVer]

Awesome! Thanks for the tips guys. I'm gonna try and tackle it this weekend.

[Bruce]

My dealer was nice enough to print out the following pages from the shop manual as I wanted to remove the front bumper, but for the exact opposite reason of OP's. I wanted to remove the front splitters on the TA. Why? I think the front splitters will be too low once I lower the car, they barely clear driveway approaches as they sit so if I were to lower the car 1", which the car needs desperately to look right, then they will scrape like there's no tomorrow. Which the amount of clearance from OEM ride height, there' no need to go up/down a driveway approach at an angle, but once lowered, the splitters will scrape when I go to approaches at 45 degree. But anyways, here are the instructions...

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff112/bli8/scan.jpg
http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff112/bli8/scan0001.jpg

[genVer]

Bruce, you are amazing! How can I go wrong while having these instructions in hand? This is exactly why I love this place.

[genVer]

Was quite the task but the splitters are now installed. I did encounter two fasteners not shown in the manual pages which had to be removed. I have updated the instructions in red for anyone else who may need to remove their front fascia.

http://viper.c-myweb.com/howto/bumper.jpg

[sharmut]

Thank you for posting the service manual. I need to reinstall the retainer clip that holds the driver's side front air duct. Some how the clip was installed in front of the slot that secures the air inlet, instead of behind. Someone feel asleep at the factory during assembly.

[parabs]

This was an extremely helpful thread. TA 1.0 aero now completely installed and front OEM carbon brake ducts installed as well!