trunk removal/install DIY

[extemporia]

After months with out access to my trunk due to structural failure a friend and I replaced my trunk lid...

Here is my attempt at a diy, if you have questions or need clarification let me know.


the ripped metal that caused the latch not to align properly



If you have a bentley manual it helps, but we still had to figure some things out on our own so here is my attempt at a write up on how to change your trunk lid.

1. Gather a 10mm socket, ratchet and extension, phillips and flat screwdriver and a friend to help out

2. Remove the trunk lining (carpet). It will probably come off around the tabs but you can deal with those later. Begin taking out all of the locking stuff (actuator, key socket, lock/latch, outside cover with license lights). Most of this stuff is straight forward, just unscrew it and pull it off). Do not forget to undo any wiring that is running to the lock motor or spoiler brake light (you may have to cut/uncrimp the wires)

3. Remove the trunk shocks, this part can be tricky. You want to pry the little metal cliip away from the shock but try not to take it off (its a pain to get back on). Once it is pried far enough away the shock should come right off. Do this for both sides, top and bottom.





4. Get a friend to help hold the trunk lid and remove the bottom bolts on either side of the trunk and then LOOSEN the top two because you can slide the trunk off of the little rail that its on and then set it off to the side. (you may need a few parts off of the old trunk if stuff breaks)



5. Take the top two bolts that you just undid and screw them into the new trunk lid. Once they are in you can slide the new trunk into place and put the bottom screws in but DO NOT tighten them all the way.

6. Begin installing all of the locking/latching stuff but do not tighten the latch all the way.



7. You or a friend should climb into the trunk and watch how it closes and try to get the latch to shut on the post. this part may take sometime.

8. With the friend or you still in the trunk, loosen the catch post bolts so that the two pieces are connected but are able to move.

9. Begin to align the trunk top bottom, side to side. This was the hardest part because we kept opening, shutting, tightening, loosening the bolts to get a near perfect fit.

(I found it helpful to have my friend push down on the trunk while i secured the catch post in position so that i could get the best possible fit). Do not forget to check all around the trunk to make sure everything lines up, it may not be PERFECT but you can get pretty close.

When everything looks good and is working well begin to attach the last pieces like license lights, plates, etc...


Here are some pictures of my old dented trunk lid and the new one (too bad it wasnt the same color) I plan on removing the spoiler and getting it all repainted but it was more important for me to have a working trunk than a pretty one.















the new trunk had been repaired prior to install so that it wouldn't happen again

[GacAttack]

Good work, and welcome back to the land of cargo-carriers!

[smax]

Trunk removal DIY... I'm thinking:

1. Buy 318ti
2. Swap in s52
3. ???
4. Profit.

[extemporia]

i carry too much stuff around... i need the space but if this car is totaled i'm SO doing it...

[acthad]

Nice write up.

How did the original one 'rip'? Should an e36 owner do something to prevent this?

[extemporia]

the original trunk ripped at the two mounting screws for the latch, if someone wanted to get it reinforced it wouldn't hurt but i think its a pretty rare issue.

i did notice that my 99 trunk lid seems to weight a lot more than the new one and the sheer weight without reinforcement may have caused the malfunction. the car was also a track monkey and the stress of chassis flex could have caused those points to weaken over time.

hope that helps

[Butler]

Bump! Thanks This helps a lot.

I'm looking at the inner locking mechanism and it looks like its held to the body of the trunk by a torx bit? Does anyone know what size?

[Badgtho is back]

the spoiler typically causes that failure

[Balthazarr]

Sure does.
Too heavy for the metal, so when you are bouncing over bumps and rough roads or even not so rough, the metal gives and eventually fails.
I need to get mine welded and reinforced.

[rayesc]

Mine has the rips and no spoiler. Shuts fine 499 out of 500 times. The 500th time I have to bend it back a little by hand. Waiting for a decent Arctic Silver trunk lid with factory spoiler to become available since it's rarely an issue.

[BimmerM3inGA]

That's also a good way to get rid of the spoiler.

[bennyfizzle]

I've seen this area of metal torn on almost every single e36 I'd worked on/looked at.