Installation: S13 Kouki (96-98) 180SX Front Lip

[ixfxi]

Hey bastards..........

I believe I misplaced the instructions for the kouki lip, not that I understood them anyway. I've managed to install the lip pretty secure at the moment, but I still have some extra hardware that I am curious how they attach to the vehicle.. meaning, the OEM-way.. not the stupid-i-zip-tie-my-pants-closed-way.

Anyone here have proper instructions or translated the OE instructions by any chance? Also, I am looking for installation instructions for the 91-94 chuki side-skirts. I've installed both, I'm just wanting to verify my work and see if I've missed anything.

Sigh........


I have a feeling of hopelessness posting this thread on this forum. For some reason, I dont think any of you guys care how your bumpers are attached, let alone your aero. Please, surprise me. Russ, anyone?

[projectRDM]

I will finally be installing one in a few weeks but have no firsthand knowledge as of yet. The guy is waiting for paintwork before we start hanging aero parts.

[ixfxi]

I will finally be installing one in a few weeks but have no firsthand knowledge as of yet. The guy is waiting for paintwork before we start hanging aero parts.

i advise doing a dry fit for the front lip, you need to mark the holes before painting otherwise you'll have to create holes through a painted bumper (fail).

the studs that protrude off of the lip that insert through the bumper are not all equally strong. One of them at the far end already broke, its very shitty design for such an expensive piece! such is life, at least its better than the aftermarket shit being sold.

as for the screw response, i'm going to pretend you never posted. actually, if a moderator wants to be nice please remove nonsensical/useless posts from this thread, because I'de like it to be archived with factual info, not stupid shit.

here is a pic of the car as it is now, hovering like dahlsim.
http://www.clearcorners.com/temp/0211_01.jpg

and here is a pic for all you fruitcakes doing rattlecan/rollerjobs..
http://www.clearcorners.com/temp/0211_06.jpg

russ, if you can post pics of the instruction manual and the hardware that comes with the lip. I'll need a copy of the manual and would like to verify that we have the same qty of hardware pieces.

mike / clearcorners.com (you know, someone who actually likes to do things THE RIGHT WAY)

[ThatGuy]

Even though I (unfortunately) resemble that rattlecan remark at this current time, your use of a classic Street Fighter reference in your cars description has swayed me.

Useless posts being trimmed now...

[Brian]

Mike, I have the instructions and everything at home.

I can TRY to scan it up maybe tonight, maybe next week.

I haven't installed mine yet either. I don't want to do it ghetto, but there are so many brackets and whatnot.

I don't read J, but I'll put it up still....

[projectRDM]

i advise doing a dry fit for the front lip, you need to mark the holes before painting otherwise you'll have to create holes through a painted bumper (fail).

the studs that protrude off of the lip that insert through the bumper are not all equally strong. One of them at the far end already broke, its very shitty design for such an expensive piece! such is life, at least its better than the aftermarket shit being sold.


russ, if you can post pics of the instruction manual and the hardware that comes with the lip. I'll need a copy of the manual and would like to verify that we have the same qty of hardware pieces.

mike / clearcorners.com (you know, someone who actually likes to do things THE RIGHT WAY)

It's similar to the JDM Kouki front lip for S14s then. That lip mounts through the bumper cover, the same guy I'm fitting the S13 Type X kit for also has a Kouki S14 which I sadly didn't get ahold of before someone else did the aero fitting. They drilled the bumper cover but made the holes too small, once tightened the bumper stress fractured at each point and not only looks horrid, the lip isn't flush since the protrusions on it are tapered. I don't even want to discuss the sideskirt installation.
I'm going to be redoing it after we get the S13 ready and in for paint. Soon as he comes over I'll print off the lip pages and send them to you.

[Brian]

Also, Russ/Mike.

Do you guys have that black "piping" that I assume you are supposed to put over the top part of the lip where it would meet the actual bumper?

Looks like it isn't on yours, Mike.


So many "U" brackets and whatnot...

and of course they come with the paper templates for hole drilling...

[ixfxi]

I did not use the black-piping (weatherstripping) because it just seems excessive. I still have it and I am still debating whether or not to use it. The reason I dont want to use it is because the black lines create a visual gap or separation between the body panels. I even have the weatherstripping for the over-fenders which I dont think I will use either. If you look at the JDM-rice car, I didnt like how you could see the black lines from afar.

I plan on installing clear bra on the contact areas to prevent direct contact and act as an insulator, especially on the overfender contact areas since they get a lot of wear.

To give you a heads up, the U-brackets appear to be spacers for the outer most sections of the lip, near the front wheel arch. The rest of the hardware is much like you would find on a G35, the "screw-clips" as I call them clip onto the lower section of the bumper and allow you to secure the lip with 10mm machine screws.

I feel like we're a dying or near-extinct species. Its bad enough folks are too cheap to spend money on a nice factory lip for their car, but when they do... then they give us advice to ZIP TIE the shit on. Seriously now................ what the fuck is wrong with people.

[Brian]

That was the other half of my question...

Do you paint the stripping or leave it black.
I seem to have it on the OEM rears too, and....well, they were black to begin with, so I didn't know if the strips were painted too.


at any rate I have no idea when I can scan it.... maybe I'll just do camera phone pictures.

[ixfxi]

im not sure i understand, what do you mean paint the stripping? i didnt use the weatherstripping.

[projectRDM]

Same stuff is used on Zenki sideskirts, it's basically a weatherstrip seal to keep the skirt from rubbing the body. On darker colored cars it looks alright but on lighter colors it stands out way too much, looks like someone took a picture and then traced the line with a black marker. I don't use it for most of my installs.

[ixfxi]

you know, one thing thats always bugged me about our cars is the hood. i know its a random question, but has anyone here EVER heard of a shop capable of fabricating an ALUMINUM hood for your cars?

fuck FRP, shit is too fragile and I dont like race-latches, I still want to use the factory release. i am just curious if anyone knows of an alum hood or someone who makes custom alum hoods.

[Brian]

im not sure i understand, what do you mean paint the stripping? i didnt use the weatherstripping.

I should have wrote it better.

I was speaking in generalities.... not you in particular.

Generally speaking, do people paint the stripping?

That's what I meant.

[ixfxi]

No, i cant imagine anyone painting a rubber piece of weatherstripping because rubber is next to near impossible for paint to adhere to. COF is very low.

[Brian]

Ah, very well.

I didn't know it was more rubber like or plastic like.... didn't really examine it.

I might just toss mine in the garbage.


We'll see.

[Om1kron]

you know, one thing thats always bugged me about our cars is the hood. i know its a random question, but has anyone here EVER heard of a shop capable of fabricating an ALUMINUM hood for your cars?

fuck FRP, shit is too fragile and I dont like race-latches, I still want to use the factory release. i am just curious if anyone knows of an alum hood or someone who makes custom alum hoods.


This is a how to thread, if someone fabbed an aluminum hood, they would have to put the bracing on the bottom of it so it didn't buckle all to hell when you shut your hood. which would make it seriously no different than using the steel hood.

[ixfxi]

This is a how to thread, if someone fabbed an aluminum hood, they would have to put the bracing on the bottom of it so it didn't buckle all to hell when you shut your hood. which would make it seriously no different than using the steel hood.

miata uses an aluminum hood with aluminum undersiding. the point is, someone needs to create a replica of the steel hood but out of aluminum.

get my point, vin? ;)

and yes, i know its a how-to thread.. its my how-to thread. i just figure i'de do a two-in-one and see if anyone had an answer to my random question. though, i dont think we'll ever see an alum hood for the S13 this lifetime. few people would care about details like that.. but it doesnt hurt to pray.

[Brian]

Mike,

http://media.ziptied.com/members/files/51/0213091816a.jpg
http://media.ziptied.com/members/files/51/0213091816b.jpg
http://media.ziptied.com/members/files/51/0213091817.jpg
http://media.ziptied.com/members/files/51/0213091817a.jpg
http://media.ziptied.com/members/files/51/0213091817b.jpg
http://media.ziptied.com/members/files/51/0213091817c.jpg
http://media.ziptied.com/members/files/51/0213091817e.jpg

[lflkajfj12123]

i speak j but those pics are pretty self explanatory imo

if you need help translating any of it just ask

also the manual refers to it as a front protector not a lip haha

[Brian]

pic 5 and pic 6.

three dots D, F, and E.

then next photo shows it as a big hole.

Am I supposed to drill a LARGE hole, or what?

That was the main thing I don't understand.

I see HOW the end result is, but how do I drill that large hole?

[lflkajfj12123]

it says to drill holes d and e then f with a holesaw

d and e ø3--> ø8

f ø3--> ø24

http://www.miyanaga.co.jp/jp/products/hole_saw/img/img_n26_01.jpg

only time i've ever used that was for installing plumbing through wood

[Brian]

8mm and 24mm?


I think if I wanted to, I could say SCREW that center hole saw hole and instead, just drill those other 2 holes and put a longer bolt though there and a regular nut.

The hole saw hole is just to hold the clip on guy with the nut atatched...

[lflkajfj12123]

8mm 24 mm yes

and of course you could do that just like that.. you could just ziptie it on too lol

mike wants the right way though

and by chance anyone have the kouki aero part numbers lip, bumper parts, skirts, valences, wing

[projectRDM]

8mm 24 mm yes

and of course you could do that just like that.. you could just ziptie it on too lol

mike wants the right way though

and by chance anyone have the kouki aero part numbers lip, bumper parts, skirts, valences, wing

www.nismoparts.com has all the OE numbers, you have to add the item to your cart for it to display but they're all correct.

[lflkajfj12123]

ahh okay thank you for that

because i looked on their site and didn't see them before

[lflkajfj12123]

bump

The Nismo Shop : West Covina Nissan : Nissan JDM Kouki 180sx Front Bumper Components (http://www.thenismoshop.com/ikorb.php?func=catalog&category_id=1222&product_id=362)

for the front bumper are the extension brackets necessary or are they another pointless nissan clip?

i just want to get away with front bumper and extensions

sorry if this goes against your ethics mike

[5t341tH]

bump

The Nismo Shop : West Covina Nissan : Nissan JDM Kouki 180sx Front Bumper Components (http://www.thenismoshop.com/ikorb.php?func=catalog&category_id=1222&product_id=362)

for the front bumper are the extension brackets necessary or are they another pointless nissan clip?

i just want to get away with front bumper and extensions

sorry if this goes against your ethics mike
yea u need em. they go inside the bumper and attach to the fender/extensions

[lflkajfj12123]

double sided super 3m tape won't do the job? LOL

that stuff is like cement

[5t341tH]

nah its metal. has studs and shit like that.
gotta get it

[lflkajfj12123]

you're saying i couldn't 3m tape the extensions to the fender?

[projectRDM]

The extensions do tape to the fender on the top edge, but the brackets clip them to the bumper as well. Plus there's a weldnut on the bottom that the extension mounts to that you'll need. I finally got around to putting the full kit on a customer's car Thursday, the front lip is really easy to do and I didn't drill any 24mm holes, I mounted it with the OE 'studs' that go through the bumper (six total) and then the two long screws on the ends. The sides and rear 3pc set are also super easy to do, overall it was cake.

[lflkajfj12123]

thanks thats helpful

going to be installing mine here soon

[ixfxi]

for the front bumper are the extension brackets necessary or are they another pointless nissan clip?

i just want to get away with front bumper and extensions

sorry if this goes against your ethics mike

double sided super 3m tape won't do the job? LOL

that stuff is like cement

you're saying i couldn't 3m tape the extensions to the fender?

no, no and no. you need everything, at least thats the way i see it.

the side supports are metal and not only responsible for securing the sides of the bumper, but also for aligning the sides of the bumper to the fenders and making them gap-free and smooth.

the westco website says that the front bumper bracket is not necessary, but i think thats bullshit. the front bumper bracket is actually the MOST necessary, because it pulls the nose up and keeps it aligned with the hood. otherwise, the upper center part of the bumper will sag and look like shit.

there are also upper stiffeners which attach to the top corners where the bumper curves, right next to the popup headlight lid.. a small weatherstripping gasket type molding goes there. i am waiting for the stiffeners, been on order from the motherland for months now.


if you've got OEM aero, order all the brackets.. dont be a cheap fuck. a few extra bucks to protect the investment and not look like a riceboy with shitty aero that is falling off.

edit: and no, vhb tape will NOT do. that shit comes loose, especially when dealing with heavy shit like bumpers.

[lflkajfj12123]

ordered brackets

[ixfxi]

http://www.clearcorners.com/temp/parts11.jpg
http://www.clearcorners.com/temp/parts12.jpg

if you think that parts like this are just hokey pokey and that you can make due with 3m vhb tape, by all means.. go ahead. I already got into it with Dave Longo (drift freaq) because I was ranting about how lips should be fitted with proper hardware. Certain pieces like sideskirts.. MAYBE. but no way in hell would i secure anything important like a bumper without the proper hardware. yes, they cost a couple bucks. but the way i see it, theyre mandatory.

dollars aside, i cant understand how any car owner wouldnt want to do things right.

[Brian]

IN BEFORE THE LOCK

http://bhworld.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/lip-spoiler.jpg


was more simple than I thought...

drill some holes, the end.

[silviaguy240]

uhhhhhgggg, makes me want to get oem stuff so bad.

[lbsam]

IN BEFORE THE LOCK

http://bhworld.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/lip-spoiler.jpg


was more simple than I thought...

drill some holes, the end.

Did you customize those rectangular holes in the front? or is this a different type of bumper? Looks sick man.

[Brian]

Well, those are carbon fiber R33 GTR N1 ducts.

Thank you.