Installing a body kit on a vehicle is a quite great commitment. In general, a body kit consists of rear and front bumpers, paint, side guards, and spoilers.
With anything that would considerably change the appearance of your car, it is necessary to be patient and think everything twice.
If not, the final work might turn out looking cheap and mismatched. Several kits are easy enough to install yourself, but in most cases, it is always better to have an experienced mechanic done it. The following section will show you how to find a suitable and then install a body kit on your car.
How to Choose a Body Kit?
Step 1: Search for Your Favorite Body Kit
Get used to regularly using your search engine to find a body kit that would work for budget and your car. Take enough amount of time to scroll through various examples and pay special attention to any brands that appear frequently because these would be good to refer later.
You can also make a photo folder for reference and inspiration, but a couple of online applications could make this process simpler and more diverse. Make a list of all companies that provide proper products for your vehicle. For vehicles like the Honda Civic or VW Golf, there are a lot of options available in the market.
For each option, you need to look up and read many customer reviews carefully. Look for any places in which customers mention any possible problem, how the kits fit, or how challenging the installation is.
Step 2: Purchase a Body Kit
Buy the body kit that you ultimately choose, and during the process of ordering, bear in mind the layout and specific model of your vehicle. With some versions, the actual dimensions would be different, depending on the area where it is distributed. If online ordering, call an employee to ask any necessary questions before buying. They will advise you the best way to install this unit properly. You should also know which tools will be necessary to install the body kit as some people only take wrenches and screwdrivers, while some require welding and cutting.
Step 3: Inspect The Kit
Before starting the process of installing, check every single item of the body kit and make sure that it does not only fit your car model, but all of them are symmetrical.
Lay out these pieces on the ground, next to the respective areas on the body, it will be simple to check the general width and length when held near the factory unit. Replace any pieces before continuing if they are defective or damaged.
How to Install a Body Kit?
There is a wide range of body kit models with various styles available in the market these days, so every of them will have its own pros and cons. It requires a little amount of fitting as these kits are not perfect.
And after using a vehicle for a while, little scrapes and bumps can make the panels to be unaligned. Every kit and car are not the same, but there are a couple of steps that are quite universal.
Step 1: Prepare The Kit for Installing
You should paint every piece of the kid before installing if you are not planning to paint the whole car. When you are painting the kit pieces, take the code for any specific colors of paint from the car’s manufacturer. The paint of these new pieces will have a brand new look, so you need to wax and detail the rest of the car after installing the kit to keep the cohesion.
Step 2: Remove All Factory Items That Will Be Taken Over by Kit Pieces
This is often the side rocker/skirts panels and bumpers. On several car models, this would be very challenging and might require some special tools. It is also important to research the task for your particular model in advance to avoid facing a hectic run to the local auto store each couple of hours.
Step 3: Clean Exposed Surface
Using degreaser to clean off any areas that you will mount new pieces. This would prevent built-up dirt and grime from damaging the kit.
Step 4: Lay out The Body Kit
Line up all pieces of the body kit near the areas where you will mount them to make sure that screws, holes, and all of other features line up properly.
Step 5: Attach Every Piece of The Body Kit. If Possible, Begin with The Front Bumper.
On a couple of kits, you should attach the side skirts first to prevent it from overlapping with the bumper. However, it is often better to install the front first and then work your way back as it will help all pieces of the kit flow and line up with your car.
Note
- Twist the front till it lines up with the grille and the headlights. This might take you some trial and error.
- Install and change the side skirt so that it lines up with the front bumper and the fenders.
- Line up the rear bumper with the side skirts and the rear taillights.
- Step back and figure out the fit of the entire set. Decide if to adjust the location of any units or not.
Shahriar Haque says
Your car describes who you are, so always be careful choosing the customization and body kits you are adopting for your car.