What is the trick (removing left side panels)?

[KeithQ]

Trying to get the side panel off to get to my horn location for a change and am already stumped. Took 3 little hex screws out (or are they torx?) and the panel pulls away after a slight lift but there seems to be a solid plastic piece about halfway down that is attached to something... cannot see what and do not want to hear that snapping noise of broken plastic. Oh yeah, and I *did* hear the sound of something metallic dropping into the abyss once I got the front torx screw out. Of course, the small clip is now MIA. So the front screw has nothing to screw into. Likely have a spare from previous Hondas and Yamahas laying around somewhere.

 

[mjnorris]

There should have been four screws. Two high, one in the glove box and one at the front corner. There are two slots at the bottom that go onto two tabs on the lower panel. If you travel at hiway speeds you need the screw at the front corner, otherwise a wind gust can come up from underneath and blow that panel clean off. That happened to me 8-9 years ago. Was late for work and never found the panel when I went back after work.

 

[KeithQ]

There should have been four screws. Two high, one in the glove box and one at the front corner. There are two slots at the bottom that go onto two tabs on the lower panel. If you travel at hiway speeds you need the screw at the front corner, otherwise a wind gust can come up from underneath and blow that panel clean off. That happened to me 8-9 years ago. Was late for work and never found the panel when I went back after work.

Thanks, I did not look in the box. And I was pretty sure the front one was necessary, considering it was on an edge facing directly into the wind. Good advice though, thanks.

 

[Ceesie76]

On my Sport, but I imagine same on GT, once the torx screws are all out, the panel is still held in somewhat at the front by three protruding clips that snap into the chassis. They require just a bit of force to 'unclip' but not nearly as much as if one forgets to remove a screw, if that makes sense.

 

[KeithQ]

Oddly only two of those push in clips needed to be removed for me to get the lower panel off. The top one stayed in. And of course, after all the knuckle busting fun, I discovered the BMW specific horn connector rather than the spade connection. Not knowing where to splice and not having anything to splice with, I put everything back together, not without some drama...