Front Splitter easy to replace?


drilling

GT Owner
Sep 13, 2018
402
That grey plastic piece under front bumper.

How easy is it to replace it? Can it be a DIy job?
 
Easy peasy. You don't need to jack the car...
 
Very easy
 
Very easy

Does it need bumper removed or anything? Or as simple as just removing the splitter with pins and call it a day?
 
Remove 2 plastic push pins each end and then remove bolts.
 
It is usually best to let the splitter sit on the ground flat where it is warm for a few days. They are known to have a curve or bow in them.. When you mount it, it has a "smile" to it. The GT Guy has a new piece of metal to straighten it out on mounting. They don't all do this. There is an old thread about this.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2112
Check the old thread for how to do it. Not hard, but there are screws further under the panel that are hard to access unless you jack the car up a bit. Put a floor jack under either the right or left from track point. Also check the 3 struts at the front that hold the splitter and front edge of the bumper cover down and parallel to the road. If the front edge of the splitter is noticeably higher in the middle than the edges, then one or more of those struts got bent. They often get bent by hitting speed bumps or parking blocks, bending them up. I've bent them several times. :cautious:

Chance are, since you want to replace the splitter, those struts are bent too. Last time I looked, new struts were about $48 each, but I was able to bend back the original ones by heating to anneal the aluminum, then very carefully bending them back to the correct angle.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2112
Check the old thread for how to do it. Not hard, but there are screws further under the panel that are hard to access unless you jack the car up a bit. Put a floor jack under either the right or left from track point. Also check the 3 struts at the front that hold the splitter and front edge of the bumper cover down and parallel to the road. If the front edge of the splitter is noticeably higher in the middle than the edges, then one or more of those struts got bent. They often get bent by hitting speed bumps or parking blocks, bending them up. I've bent them several times. :cautious:

Chance are, since you want to replace the splitter, those struts are bent too. Last time I looked, new struts were about $48 each, but I was able to bend back the original ones by heating to anneal the aluminum, then very carefully bending them back to the correct angle.

How easy of a fix is it? I see a lot of cars with front splitter bent upward (like a smile). Is that a damage to the body? Would there be any diy videos? Lol
 
How easy of a fix is it? I see a lot of cars with front splitter bent upward (like a smile). Is that a damage to the body? Would there be any diy videos? Lol
 

Attachments

  • 51ABBDF8-5611-4644-9F9A-0A8F46475539.jpeg
    51ABBDF8-5611-4644-9F9A-0A8F46475539.jpeg
    95.5 KB · Views: 38
I think it's an easy fix. It's not damage to the body, other than those little struts. I don't know of any DIY videos. If you take off the splitter, it will be obvious.
 
  • Like
Reactions: drilling
I think it's an easy fix. It's not damage to the body, other than those little struts. I don't know of any DIY videos. If you take off the splitter, it will be obvious.

Yeah ive seen some cars with a strong frown and scrape of the splitter. Wonder if it retained any internal damage sans the bent strut which seems like an easy replacement.

Do you know parts number by any chance?
 
No on the parts number. Check with NorthwoodGT. That’s who I bought them from several years ago. It’s just a simple bar of aluminum, flattened and drilled on both ends. Then one end is bent into an “L”. You could make something from some aluminum stock from Home Depot if you needed it fast.
 
The three center support rods(one in each of the 06 grill vertices) are also slotted where they bolt to the back of the front bumper support. This allows some up/down adjustment of the center section of the splitter. On the 06 models this adjustment is easy, as the grill does not block access the upper rod screws. If the lower portion of the rod is bent up, the rods can be removed and straightened. Very easy on the open grill 06s, but need to remove splitter on 05s with mesh grills.
 
I'm on my third splitter, super-easy job, but every replacement was a "frowny" one. I actually used one of the damaged ones on our '98 Mustang race car, it was almost a bolt-on fit!
 
I'm on my third splitter, super-easy job, but every replacement was a "frowny" one. I actually used one of the damaged ones on our '98 Mustang race car, it was almost a bolt-on fit!
Is it because of just natural bend in plastic?
 
Is it because of just natural bend in plastic?
No - it was designed that way. Part of the underside aero set up.
 
I believe this is the part number for the three strut/support rods: 5G7Z-17C972-AC. In most cases the rods can be adjusted, or the rod foot bent flat again, to cure a frowned front splitter.
 
rich brooks has a fix for warping issue
 
No - it was designed that way. Part of the underside aero set up.
The splitter should be flat. Otherwise, this may indicate the car has bent supports in the front fascia as previously mentioned.