How to install Fender braces on a 2006 STi

rube23 · 09-17-2006, 05:56 PM

SickSTi and I decided to install a set of fender braces on his 06 STi and I figured it would be a good idea to take some pics and post up a "how to". This particular set was made by Creative Werks, they look like the Happi Motoring ones I used, but most importantly they are much sturdier than the stock ones. Once off the car you can flex the stock ones by hand where as the aftermarket ones dont budge. Once installed you can immediately notice how much flex it reduces from the front end of the car, feels like the suspension transmits less bump absorption to the body of the car. The car just feels structurally tighter in the front.
One thing to remember, the fenders are paper thin metal....slip with the wrench and you could easily dent the fenders....so be very careful.

Heres a pic of some of the tools we used. The most important tool here is the offset 14mm wrench and 14mm ratcheting wrench. Also a flathead & phillips screwdriver for the fender liner clips. 10mm socket and wrench for the fender bolts.

Jack the car up and place jackstands under the front jacking points. Never attempt to work under the car using just a jack. Remove all the fender liner clips except these. No need to remove it completely.

Let the liner hang like such. You will have plenty of room to work.

If you look up behind the fender you can see the stock brace. This is the top part of the stock brace. That top most bolt can only be removed by removing the fender bolts and pushing the fender out a bit. Not a big deal though.

Here is rear of the stock brace where it attaches to the body. All 4 bolts securing it are 14mm.

Using the offset 14mm wrench & ratcheting wrenches remove 3 of the 4 bolts holding the stock fender brace leaving the top most bolt still in. Swinging the brace downward will make it easier to get to the top most bolt. Again be very careful when cracking the bolts loose and removing them, one slip and you WILL dent that fender from the inside out!

Here is the top most bolt and you can see where it wont come out unless you loosen up and push the fender out.

Remove the 3 10mm fender bolts on top of the fender and this 10mm bolt accessed by opening the drivers (or passengers) door.

Push the fender gently out as such. This will give you enough room to remove that top bolt.

Here is a pic of the new Creative Werks brace compared to the flimsy stock one.

Start installing the new brace exactly as you removed the stock one. While still keeping the fender pushed out install the new brace with the top most bolt, you can get it 90% of the way in by hand (at least we did) then rotate the brace into position and install the remaining 3 bolts and tighten all 4 using the offset 14mm wrench....Again be very careful as you dont want to slip and dent your fender.

Here is pic of the new fender brace installed

Now you can reinstall the fender bolts and liner and repeat for the other side. Definitely one of the best improvements you can make to the front structural integrity of your STi in my opinion. If there are any improvements to turn in/handling, they are minimal at best as I didnt notice any improvement in that area.

spazegun2213 · 09-17-2006, 05:58 PM

very nice write up.

LightWerkz · 09-17-2006, 06:22 PM

Nice stuff. How much do these go for?

rube23 · 09-17-2006, 07:08 PM

I believe these were $100 shipped from a group buy on Nasioc.

***snorky*** · 09-17-2006, 09:07 PM

How hard is it to remove the whole fender? I'd like to get the Turn in Concepts version of these and i'm hamfisted so i would probably dent my fender installing them this way.

**WESTI** · 09-17-2006, 09:15 PM

thats a nice writeup

rube23 · 09-18-2006, 02:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AWDrift007

How hard is it to remove the whole fender? I'd like to get the Turn in Concepts version of these and i'm hamfisted so i would probably dent my fender installing them this way.

Theres absolutely no reason to remove the fender, just be careful and take your time and you wont have any problems.

**SickSTi** · 09-18-2006, 12:25 PM

how-to came out great, and you got it up quick too!

thanks for the install, i just helped with the prep and tying [sp?] up the loose ends..

heres the link for the braces..92 and change shipped, cant beat it..

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=995062

NewShockerGuy · 09-23-2006, 12:25 AM

Awesome!

Thanks for the write up!
We used your how to to install my ofensive braces!

w00t w00t

-Nigel

moswald80 · 10-05-2006, 09:53 AM

AWDrift,

I put the Turn in Concepts Fender Braces on about a month ago and you do not have to remove the fender at all. Getting the stock ones out is the most difficult part of the job. Take your time and if you are having trouble with a bolt try coming at it from different angles. If you are really having trouble with a bolt then leave that one for last. Once you get the other three out you can rotate the entire brace to get a little more room. Also, if you rotate the brace the right way it will loosen that last bolt for you. Once you get the old braces out the rest is no problem. The TiC braces go in much easier and there is much more clearance in the right places. They really did a good job making it easy to install.

**2blue4usti** · 10-05-2006, 02:46 PM

Nice documentation.
But, you do not have to remove the fender. I did it on the first install, but not the second. Second install tool all of 45 minutes including getting car on hoist and removing tires. You can pull the door side of the fender liner loose and tuck it forward behind the rotor without a problem.
Most important tool shown above, the offset box end wrench! You can loosen all of the bolt with this wrench, then use Gearwrenches!

rube23 · 10-05-2006, 03:05 PM

I never said to remove the fender....

read my post #7 above..........

**2blue4usti** · 10-05-2006, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rube23

I never said to remove the fender....

read my post #7 above..........

rube23......sorry....don't think I said you did, been reading way too many threads lately. Biggest point I wanted to make was how easy it was to remove the bolts using the offset 14mm box end! Especially after the first time I installed them and did not have the OSBE.

And a note, I did an '05 first, then an '04. The shape of the '06 fender appears to be closer to the top bolt, so loosening the fender is a very good move on the
'06.

Again, great thread, well documented.

Peace,

D

***snorky*** · 10-06-2006, 06:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moswald80

AWDrift,

I put the Turn in Concepts Fender Braces on about a month ago and you do not have to remove the fender at all. Getting the stock ones out is the most difficult part of the job. Take your time and if you are having trouble with a bolt try coming at it from different angles. If you are really having trouble with a bolt then leave that one for last. Once you get the other three out you can rotate the entire brace to get a little more room. Also, if you rotate the brace the right way it will loosen that last bolt for you. Once you get the old braces out the rest is no problem. The TiC braces go in much easier and there is much more clearance in the right places. They really did a good job making it easy to install.

Yeah I did a little "research" and i like the TiC braces the most. They look strong and well built plus the price is right. I'll be getting them soon... next paycheck.

Thanks man.

**TRM** · 10-07-2006, 12:55 PM

nice job. and i see Nick's added it to the How To Catalog Sticky.

09-17-2006, 05:56 PM	#1
rube23 HowTo Contributor Car: 06 STi Fav Mod: LED Windshield Washer Nozzles Location: NYC Posts: 336 Join Date: Jul 2005 Trader Rating: (3)	How to install Fender braces on a 2006 STi SickSTi and I decided to install a set of fender braces on his 06 STi and I figured it would be a good idea to take some pics and post up a "how to". This particular set was made by Creative Werks, they look like the Happi Motoring ones I used, but most importantly they are much sturdier than the stock ones. Once off the car you can flex the stock ones by hand where as the aftermarket ones dont budge. Once installed you can immediately notice how much flex it reduces from the front end of the car, feels like the suspension transmits less bump absorption to the body of the car. The car just feels structurally tighter in the front. One thing to remember, the fenders are paper thin metal....slip with the wrench and you could easily dent the fenders....so be very careful. Heres a pic of some of the tools we used. The most important tool here is the offset 14mm wrench and 14mm ratcheting wrench. Also a flathead & phillips screwdriver for the fender liner clips. 10mm socket and wrench for the fender bolts. Jack the car up and place jackstands under the front jacking points. Never attempt to work under the car using just a jack. Remove all the fender liner clips except these. No need to remove it completely. Let the liner hang like such. You will have plenty of room to work. If you look up behind the fender you can see the stock brace. This is the top part of the stock brace. That top most bolt can only be removed by removing the fender bolts and pushing the fender out a bit. Not a big deal though. Here is rear of the stock brace where it attaches to the body. All 4 bolts securing it are 14mm. Using the offset 14mm wrench & ratcheting wrenches remove 3 of the 4 bolts holding the stock fender brace leaving the top most bolt still in. Swinging the brace downward will make it easier to get to the top most bolt. Again be very careful when cracking the bolts loose and removing them, one slip and you WILL dent that fender from the inside out! Here is the top most bolt and you can see where it wont come out unless you loosen up and push the fender out. Remove the 3 10mm fender bolts on top of the fender and this 10mm bolt accessed by opening the drivers (or passengers) door. Push the fender gently out as such. This will give you enough room to remove that top bolt. Here is a pic of the new Creative Werks brace compared to the flimsy stock one. Start installing the new brace exactly as you removed the stock one. While still keeping the fender pushed out install the new brace with the top most bolt, you can get it 90% of the way in by hand (at least we did) then rotate the brace into position and install the remaining 3 bolts and tighten all 4 using the offset 14mm wrench....Again be very careful as you dont want to slip and dent your fender. Here is pic of the new fender brace installed Now you can reinstall the fender bolts and liner and repeat for the other side. Definitely one of the best improvements you can make to the front structural integrity of your STi in my opinion. If there are any improvements to turn in/handling, they are minimal at best as I didnt notice any improvement in that area. This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad. Last edited by rube23 : 09-25-2006 at 03:27 PM.

10-07-2006, 12:55 PM	#15
TRM i am Darwin's rottweiler. Car: 04 STi Fav Mod: Driving Lessons Location: Eastern PA Posts: 2,203 Join Date: Oct 2003 Trader Rating: (0)	nice job. and i see Nick's added it to the How To Catalog Sticky. This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad.

09-17-2006, 05:58 PM	#2
spazegun2213 Poor Speed Racer Car: 96 328 Fav Mod: Race Car! Location: Northern VA Posts: 8,393 Join Date: Mar 2005 Trader Rating: (8)	very nice write up.

09-17-2006, 06:22 PM	#3
LightWerkz STI Master Car: E46 M3 Fav Mod: ZCP Wheels Location: Clifton Posts: 7,494 Join Date: Aug 2005 Trader Rating: (77)	Nice stuff. How much do these go for?

09-17-2006, 07:08 PM	#4
rube23 HowTo Contributor Car: 06 STi Fav Mod: LED Windshield Washer Nozzles Location: NYC Posts: 336 Join Date: Jul 2005 Trader Rating: (3)	I believe these were $100 shipped from a group buy on Nasioc.

09-17-2006, 09:07 PM	#5
*snorky* Teh Other White Meat Car: 32J GDFDYEH Fav Mod: Fullerton's Qrack on my car Location: Chicagoland Posts: 3,637 Join Date: Apr 2006 Trader Rating: (22)	How hard is it to remove the whole fender? I'd like to get the Turn in Concepts version of these and i'm hamfisted so i would probably dent my fender installing them this way.

09-17-2006, 09:15 PM	#6
WESTI Mod Pro Tempore for Premium Members Car: 06 WRB STI Fav Mod: HKS CARBON TI Location: Irvine, Ca Posts: 5,607 Join Date: Apr 2006 Trader Rating: (9)	thats a nice writeup

09-18-2006, 12:25 PM	#8
SickSTi Gold Member Car: 06 STI Fav Mod: SP2 Location: nyc Posts: 290 Join Date: Dec 2003 Trader Rating: (1)	how-to came out great, and you got it up quick too! thanks for the install, i just helped with the prep and tying [sp?] up the loose ends.. heres the link for the braces..92 and change shipped, cant beat it.. http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=995062

09-23-2006, 12:25 AM	#9
NewShockerGuy The Next Petter Solberg Car: 05' STI Fav Mod: Defi gauges, or TXS TBE or JDM sidemarkers...arg! Location: FairFax VA Posts: 928 Join Date: Nov 2004 Trader Rating: (3)	Awesome! Thanks for the write up! We used your how to to install my ofensive braces! w00t w00t -Nigel

10-05-2006, 09:53 AM	#10
moswald80 Amateur STI Driver Posts: 21 Join Date: Jun 2006 Trader Rating: (0)	AWDrift, I put the Turn in Concepts Fender Braces on about a month ago and you do not have to remove the fender at all. Getting the stock ones out is the most difficult part of the job. Take your time and if you are having trouble with a bolt try coming at it from different angles. If you are really having trouble with a bolt then leave that one for last. Once you get the other three out you can rotate the entire brace to get a little more room. Also, if you rotate the brace the right way it will loosen that last bolt for you. Once you get the old braces out the rest is no problem. The TiC braces go in much easier and there is much more clearance in the right places. They really did a good job making it easy to install.

10-05-2006, 02:46 PM	#11
2blue4usti Gold Member Car: 04 WRB STi - 07 Blue Fav Mod: TIC Click Kit & Cobb SS, RCE Springs and Plates w/Cobb Stg2 Protuned Location: MI Posts: 1,106 Join Date: May 2003 Trader Rating: (3)	Nice documentation. But, you do not have to remove the fender. I did it on the first install, but not the second. Second install tool all of 45 minutes including getting car on hoist and removing tires. You can pull the door side of the fender liner loose and tuck it forward behind the rotor without a problem. Most important tool shown above, the offset box end wrench! You can loosen all of the bolt with this wrench, then use Gearwrenches!

10-05-2006, 03:05 PM	#12
rube23 HowTo Contributor Car: 06 STi Fav Mod: LED Windshield Washer Nozzles Location: NYC Posts: 336 Join Date: Jul 2005 Trader Rating: (3)	I never said to remove the fender.... read my post #7 above..........