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View Full Version : front turn signal indicator cover removal



6670charger
11-27-2011, 07:51 AM
How difficult is it to remove/change the front turn signal covers? The Bentley manual makes it look like you have to remove the center grille first, and then the rest comes out after removing some screws, although it says nothing about the screws that hold the cover to the inner part of the fender. I isn't really specific about removal of these covers.

Bought a set of clear covers, but, it looks like the changeover process is a lot more complicated than I had first thought.

Thanks.

martyyn
11-27-2011, 07:11 PM
Ive updated to clear fronts and side on e30's, e39's, e32's but my e34 was by far the most labour intensive !

Its not hard, but my main piece of advice would be to just take out anything which even looks like its going to be in the way. I think in the end it took me 45 mins but Id say 30 of that was wrecking my knuckles trying to do it with everything still in the car !

Im assuming you have the whole indicator unit and not just the lens itself ?

6670charger
11-28-2011, 12:48 AM
Yep. I have the whole indicator. Looks like I have to take out the center grille and then each of the side grilles based on what's in the Bentley manual.

Tash_1991
11-28-2011, 07:12 AM
.... Doesn't your touring have the clears standard?? Or was it a factory option? I'm 3rd owner of my touring, last two were brother and sister, both elderly. Doubt they pulled it all apart to fit clears :P

6670charger
11-28-2011, 07:20 AM
7537

Mine are factory amber. I'm sure it's a Germany thing. I've seen a few cars with clear, but, they're all obviously aftermarket conversions.

Tash_1991
11-28-2011, 02:37 PM
I'll pull mine apart today and see if they are genuine.. I'm curious now!

martyyn
11-28-2011, 03:56 PM
Sorry forgot to mention I didnt take the grill out, only whatever was sitting behind the indicator in the engine bay, the airbox and stuff like that.

6670charger
11-28-2011, 04:09 PM
So, you were able to change your out by removing stuff from inside the engine bay only? I'd rather do that I think than remove the whole grille.

martyyn
11-29-2011, 05:30 PM
Im pretty sure I didnt but it was a while ago, was dark, wasnt really paying attention, was shouting at the bits I had to remove from the engine bay so I cant be 100% sure.

At the very worst, its only a minute to remove the clips and screws to remove the left and right grill so it doesnt really add to the overall time if you do you to remove them.

jfs356
11-29-2011, 07:16 PM
It is not as difficult as it sounds, I have some .jpg images to show how, but cannot seem to load them to this post.
Search any BMW forum for "E34 head light removal" and you will find pics of the grille removal process. Really just a matter of
pushing a few tabs (long screwdriver) and removing a few phillips screws.

shogun
11-29-2011, 08:59 PM
here we go, the link is on my website to Winston Fong
grill removal (http://home.comcast.net/~winstonfong/repairpagessite2/frontgrillremoval.htm)

more stuff in there
BMW index page (http://home.comcast.net/~fongman1/)

jfs356
11-29-2011, 10:06 PM
Yes, those are the pics I saved and tried to load earlier, they are excellent in
how to do this. For some reason I could not upload them to this page? Nice work.:)

shogun
11-29-2011, 10:31 PM
for pics you can use imageshack, photobucket, tinyurl and other free of charge services. Just download them to that site from your PC and post the link here

jfs356
11-30-2011, 01:12 PM
Great, thanks for the info!