Front Clip Removeal
Short answer: It’s best not to remove the front clip as one piece — you risk alignment problems and bending the fenders/core support. Taking it apart piece by piece is awkward only once, and it lets you clean and treat hidden rust.
- The clip is held by: two bolts from the core support to the front of the subframe; one bolt each side under the fender (pointing up); and two bolts each side by the hood hinges to the cowl (one down on top, one back into the firewall). There are alignment shims at all of these — bag and label every bolt and its shims (“passenger side, top of fender at back of hood”) so it goes back the same way.
- Hidden bolts: inside each fender well there are three attaching to an inner bracket (often easiest to remove that bracket entirely). Pull the front tires for access.
- If you do remove the clip, get a helper and don’t twist it — the radiator support is the only thing holding it together. Reassemble in order: set the doors even and straight first, then align the fenders to the doors.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
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