DIY - Sidemarker Installation

By: gonzo777 (Difficulty: 4)



Info:

What follows is a step-by-step method for installing standard (in this case Saab) sidemarkers on your Elantra. Much care has been taken in producing a method by which as much potential for error as possible has been removed.

DO NOT attempt this unless you are comfortable with hand tools, and are willing to accept the risk of a possibly costly repair if you make a mistake.

The main benefit of this procedure comes in the form of the template. It is not necessary to make a template, but it will give you some initial cutting experience, ensure a good fit, and when used on the fender it (instead of your fender) will be there to take the hit if your cutting tool tries to run away on a cut.

For reference, this DIY was done on a 2004 Elantra GT hatch.


Tools and Materials:

- small sheet of scrap aluminum
- rulers, short and long
- large sheet of paper
- pencil, pen, crayon
- primer and paint
- 10mm socket and ratchet
- screwdriver
- dremel pointed grinding stone
- dremel cutoff wheels (fiber reinforced are the best)
- jack, stands, chocks, lug wrench
- wire
- wide painters/masking tape
- soldering iron (optional)
- 4x "Quick Splice" (if not soldering)
- 12-10AQG #1/4" Ring Terminals

Index:

I. Making a template
II. The First Fender
III. The Second Fender
IV. Wiring
V. Finishing Up


I. Making a Template

 Driver's side rubbing
- Print the rubbing above and use it as your guide. It is for either side, but the small notch should point toward the front of the car. [You'll notice from the pictures that I did mine backwards by mistake, but it was easily corrected]
- Measure the rubbing and draw a duplicate on a piece of scrap sheet metal. Make sure that you make the duplicate level with one edge of the scrap sheet.
- Cut out the opening, erring on the small side.
- File down burrs and check measurements.
- Test-fit the sidemarker on the template. [The spring goes in the notch and the sidemarker is easily removed by sliding it towards the spring and lifting the rear out of the hole.]
- Adjust fit as necessary.


II. The First Fender

 It doesn't matter which side you start on, but I started on the drivers side.

- Make a cutout of the sidemarker and use it to find where you want to install it on the fender.
- Get measurements or a general idea of placement.
- Jack the car and remove the wheel.
- Remove the fender liner.
- If you have mud flaps, you will need to remove the three plastic nuts. To do this, reach around behind it and squeeze the holding tabs together to pop them out.
- Take a moment to clean out the leaves and debris that has accumulated in there.
- Make sure you are working on at least a semi-clean surface
- Apply 4" masking tape over the fender area in overlapping strips.
- re-place the cutout on top of the masking tape


- using the door moulding as a guide, use a long straight-edge to place a level mark on the masking tape
- continue making level marks until you make one that you can use to place the edge of your template and have the opening where you want to place the side marker.
- tape the template down, making sure you keep it level.

- make the cuts


- remove the template

- measure the opening, test-fit, and adjust as necessary
- grind/file down all edges, round the corners to prevent any future stress on the panel from shearing it at your cutout. [Be CAREFUL of a runaway grinding bit!!]
- spray some metal primer in a cup and apply with a small brush or cotton swab
- when the primer is dry, repeat with paint. The edges will not be seen when you are done, but this will keep the edges from rusting over time.
- Fit again and wiggle the marker around. Adjust the tension as necessary. [I later added electrical tape around the edges to help against noise if they vibrated.]


- Put the wheel back on and lower the car. Do not put the fender liner back in at this time - you will put it in with the tire on later.


III. The Second Fender

 - Raise the car and remove the wheel, fender lining and mud flap. - Clean and tape the area as before. - On the first fender, using the door moulding as a level again, tape a large sheet of paper on the fender like in the photo below.

- Use a crayon or pencil to get a rubbing of the panel edges.
- Trim the wheel well and sidemarker portions.
- Move to the next fender and align apply the paper to the fender as shown below:

- Trace the cutout onto the tape.
- Measure and compare to the first fender. [My measurements were actually about 5mm off.]
- Use your straight edge again and check for level by starting with the door moulding and moving up.
- Align and tape the template, cut and finish as before.


IV. Wiring

Creating Terminal Connectors:

Since the Saab sidemarker electrical connectors are round, connectors can be made easily from ring terminals. I used 12-10AWG #1/4".
- Determine and cut wire length needed. (about 4 lengths of 3')
- Remove the plastic end.
- Cut the ring in half on a diagonal.
- Fold the remaining long end over.
- Open the ring some so it will fit over the sidemarker terminal.
- Connect Wire, crimp and solder.
- Wrap with Electrical tape.
- Repeat 3 more times.



Connecting to blinker/repeater wiring
- There are 2 practical ways you can wire the sidemarker:
a) normally-off, but flashes with the turn indicator
b) normally-on, and flashes alternately with the turn indicator

For wiring a normally-off sidemarker it is easiest to splice directly into the wires close to the turn signal with a "Quick Splice" but soldering does a neater, longer lasting, and more trouble-free job. Some of the rubber sheathing must be cut back in order to do this.

Using Quick Splice:



Soldering:
- Remove the headlight.
- strip back some of the blacksheathing off the turn signal wiring
- strip some of the insuation off of the signal wires (see photo below) and the ends of the new wires and wrap them together.
- solder


Testing:
- Test by turnining ignition on and using your turn signal. Each side should light up in the same pattern as the front signal for that side.
- If a sidemarker does not illuminate, move it to the other side to make sure the bulb is okay. If the bulb is intact, try applying more pressure to the quick connect to make sure the splice is good.
- Install the sidemarkers by first inserting the spring end, then the rear.


V. Finishing Up

 - Wrap all electrical connections in electrical tape, tidy all wiring.
- Re-install fender linings and mud flaps.
- Re-install wheels and torque properly.
- Put tools away.
- Stand back and admire a job well done.