DIY - Install/Remove Side Skirts on Any Year W210
11-12-2011, 12:24 AM
#1
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Thread Starter
DIY - Install/Remove Side Skirts on Any Year W210
I've just installed AMG E55 side skirts on my pre-facelift 1997 E420. You can add any style side skirts to any year W210 E-Class regardless as to if they've had side skirts before. Of course, you can swap your skirts for a different style if you want too. I'll spend the next few posts describing the process of adding the skirts to a pre-facelift car, but these photos and instructions should help anyone looking to remove their skirts for any reason too.
First, here's a photo of the desired outcome -- the AMG E55 side skirts on a pre-facelift W210. For those not familiar with the skirts, these are the sport/AMG style rounded skirts found on the E55 and also on the sport version of the E430. You can pick them up at salvage yards or on EBAY for anywhere from about $100 to $300 each side. You can also look for them on car-part.com which shows what salvage yards may have them near you (look under "rocker mouldings" etc... they are in a few diff categories).
But also, don't hesitate to call around to shops as you may have better luck. I found some listed on car-part.com for $150/ea and drove about 50 miles to the location and then the owner decided he wanted $250. I decided to walk away rather than deal with a guy like that. I then found a yard in another state and ordered a left side for about $100 with shipping. But then, I decided to go to some junkyards looking for some other parts and a yard happened to have a set that they sold me for $125/ea. I decided to buy both of them since they were black, which I preferred over the silver I had ordered. So looks like I'm going to have an extra left side skirt in a few days! There has been a set on ebay with an asking price of $600 as well.
One other place to try looking for these is brand new from a dealer or a parts store that has access to a wide selection of genuine Mercedes parts. I found one place selling what I think is the right part for about $350 brand new, each side - primered (you would probably still need a number of other parts too, such as fasteners and maybe the jack hole cover if it wasn't included). I believe the part numbers are (left) 2106980754 and (right) 2106980854.
Other parts you will likely need, even if you get these at a junkyard:
#375 - 2106987130: seal trim strip left
#375 - 2106987230: seal trim strip right
#480 - 0029883781: body trim clip (2 for each side)
#470 - 0029883781: body trim clip (2 for each side)
#490 - 0109887278: trim clip (1 per side)
The above parts are likely to be needed, even if you have a donor car or are removing/installing your existing skirts, as they are likely to be broken or dried up. You may also need #430 - 2109970033... these are inside white clips that I will show later (several for each side if you don't have them with your part, or you might just need a few to replace ones that break taking the part on and off).
That's enough for this first post as an intro. Attached to this post are pics with the desired outcome along with the parts diagram (note that the skirt pictured doesn't match but the same parts are used for any skirts).
First, here's a photo of the desired outcome -- the AMG E55 side skirts on a pre-facelift W210. For those not familiar with the skirts, these are the sport/AMG style rounded skirts found on the E55 and also on the sport version of the E430. You can pick them up at salvage yards or on EBAY for anywhere from about $100 to $300 each side. You can also look for them on car-part.com which shows what salvage yards may have them near you (look under "rocker mouldings" etc... they are in a few diff categories).
But also, don't hesitate to call around to shops as you may have better luck. I found some listed on car-part.com for $150/ea and drove about 50 miles to the location and then the owner decided he wanted $250. I decided to walk away rather than deal with a guy like that. I then found a yard in another state and ordered a left side for about $100 with shipping. But then, I decided to go to some junkyards looking for some other parts and a yard happened to have a set that they sold me for $125/ea. I decided to buy both of them since they were black, which I preferred over the silver I had ordered. So looks like I'm going to have an extra left side skirt in a few days! There has been a set on ebay with an asking price of $600 as well.
One other place to try looking for these is brand new from a dealer or a parts store that has access to a wide selection of genuine Mercedes parts. I found one place selling what I think is the right part for about $350 brand new, each side - primered (you would probably still need a number of other parts too, such as fasteners and maybe the jack hole cover if it wasn't included). I believe the part numbers are (left) 2106980754 and (right) 2106980854.
Other parts you will likely need, even if you get these at a junkyard:
#375 - 2106987130: seal trim strip left
#375 - 2106987230: seal trim strip right
#480 - 0029883781: body trim clip (2 for each side)
#470 - 0029883781: body trim clip (2 for each side)
#490 - 0109887278: trim clip (1 per side)
The above parts are likely to be needed, even if you have a donor car or are removing/installing your existing skirts, as they are likely to be broken or dried up. You may also need #430 - 2109970033... these are inside white clips that I will show later (several for each side if you don't have them with your part, or you might just need a few to replace ones that break taking the part on and off).
That's enough for this first post as an intro. Attached to this post are pics with the desired outcome along with the parts diagram (note that the skirt pictured doesn't match but the same parts are used for any skirts).
11-12-2011, 12:37 AM
#2
Member
Thread Starter
Once you're really sure you're ready to install, you need to remove several parts on each side. Might as well just do one side at a time as you may learn something useful in the process to use on the other.
(1) On the inside door sills of your 1996 to 1999 pre-facelift W210, there is a little black strip running from the front of the front door to the back of the back door. Your are going to pull this up and remove it as this is where the top lip of your new side skirts will attach. You simply pull it up and it will snap away. It may leave a bunch of white female parts for the trim clips in the holes. You want to use a screwdriver and clean those out so you have bare holes. See attached photo.
(2) Remove the trim/seal strip at the bottom of your front fender. Just follow the fender to where it ends next to the front door and there is a little rubber, horizontal strip. That comes off.
(3) Remove a similar little rubber trim strip behind the back door.
(1) On the inside door sills of your 1996 to 1999 pre-facelift W210, there is a little black strip running from the front of the front door to the back of the back door. Your are going to pull this up and remove it as this is where the top lip of your new side skirts will attach. You simply pull it up and it will snap away. It may leave a bunch of white female parts for the trim clips in the holes. You want to use a screwdriver and clean those out so you have bare holes. See attached photo.
(2) Remove the trim/seal strip at the bottom of your front fender. Just follow the fender to where it ends next to the front door and there is a little rubber, horizontal strip. That comes off.
(3) Remove a similar little rubber trim strip behind the back door.
11-12-2011, 12:46 AM
#3
Member
Thread Starter
NOTE: the two parts described in last two steps are items #41 and #161 in the attached diagram.
(4) for cars that have not had skirts before, you'll need to remove a couple of rubber/plastic underbody panels. The big one is item #170 in the attached diagram. The part is shown taken off the car in the attached photo, sitting next to the side skirt. There are probably 20 screws in this thing, so get busy!
(5) there is another, smaller underbody panel similar to the one above. remove that as well. (see photo attached).
(4) for cars that have not had skirts before, you'll need to remove a couple of rubber/plastic underbody panels. The big one is item #170 in the attached diagram. The part is shown taken off the car in the attached photo, sitting next to the side skirt. There are probably 20 screws in this thing, so get busy!
(5) there is another, smaller underbody panel similar to the one above. remove that as well. (see photo attached).
11-12-2011, 12:53 AM
#4
Member
Thread Starter
(6) now, you'll want to remove the screws for the bottom of the front fender liner. Just follow the inside of the fender around and just under the car there are a couple of screws -- these are slightly larger than the rest you've likely seen, so keep them separate.
(7) you are likely now realizing just how dirty it is back behind the fender liner and where your fender meets the lower panel!! This is a good chance to clean out dry dirt and other debris. I suspect that if you are in a cold climate this is an area you might find rust. It's probably a good idea to have some materials ready to treat any corrosion you find and/or do some preventative work.
TRICKY PART FOLLOWS!! (Well, the only part of this that requires much thought)
(8) take a moment and compare the underside panels you've removed from the new side skirts you are going to install. note that ONLY A FEW OF THE HOLES MATCH if you are trying to install skirts that are not for your model year. The holes in between on my skirts used big black quick fasteners that ARE NOT USED on my 97 E420. If you are not able to use these black fasteners, remove them now (see attached photo). You may want to figure out a way to seal up these big holes left behind in order to protect your undercarriage (I'm going to go back and do this when my car is painted in month or two).
(9) You'll now need to mark out and drill holes in a zig zag pattern for screws using the panel you removed from your car as a template. Again, see the side-by-side photo attached to earlier steps. If you are seeing the same parts I have, you'll find that a few of the holes DO match up (one front, one back) so you can get things aligned using those and then mark the other places where you are going to put screws. Note that you probably want to make larger holes than the screw to provide room for adjustment... use the factory holes for screws to get an idea on an appropriate size.
(7) you are likely now realizing just how dirty it is back behind the fender liner and where your fender meets the lower panel!! This is a good chance to clean out dry dirt and other debris. I suspect that if you are in a cold climate this is an area you might find rust. It's probably a good idea to have some materials ready to treat any corrosion you find and/or do some preventative work.
TRICKY PART FOLLOWS!! (Well, the only part of this that requires much thought)
(8) take a moment and compare the underside panels you've removed from the new side skirts you are going to install. note that ONLY A FEW OF THE HOLES MATCH if you are trying to install skirts that are not for your model year. The holes in between on my skirts used big black quick fasteners that ARE NOT USED on my 97 E420. If you are not able to use these black fasteners, remove them now (see attached photo). You may want to figure out a way to seal up these big holes left behind in order to protect your undercarriage (I'm going to go back and do this when my car is painted in month or two).
(9) You'll now need to mark out and drill holes in a zig zag pattern for screws using the panel you removed from your car as a template. Again, see the side-by-side photo attached to earlier steps. If you are seeing the same parts I have, you'll find that a few of the holes DO match up (one front, one back) so you can get things aligned using those and then mark the other places where you are going to put screws. Note that you probably want to make larger holes than the screw to provide room for adjustment... use the factory holes for screws to get an idea on an appropriate size.
Last edited by CA_Tallguy; 11-12-2011 at 01:09 AM.
11-12-2011, 01:16 AM
#5
Member
Thread Starter
INSTALL THE NEW SKIRTS - put it all back together using the new parts. I may come back and edit this to provide a bit more detail, but thing should be pretty obvious by this point on how it goes back together.
(10) Double check the white clips that will attached the top lip inside the door. See the attached photo of the white clip for how it attaches. If you still have some on there, inspect them for damage and replace if they are broken.
(11) You're on your own from here... I still need to get a few parts like the seal trim strips for the front and back from the dealer, so will likely be removing and reinstalling with these items. For the time being, I just snapped in the top row of fasteners inside the car door sills and then screwed in screws on the bottom of the car where they lined up.
(12) I think your last step will be to put the front fender liner screws back in -- they attache through both your skirt and the fender liner and then into the car.
(10) Double check the white clips that will attached the top lip inside the door. See the attached photo of the white clip for how it attaches. If you still have some on there, inspect them for damage and replace if they are broken.
(11) You're on your own from here... I still need to get a few parts like the seal trim strips for the front and back from the dealer, so will likely be removing and reinstalling with these items. For the time being, I just snapped in the top row of fasteners inside the car door sills and then screwed in screws on the bottom of the car where they lined up.
(12) I think your last step will be to put the front fender liner screws back in -- they attache through both your skirt and the fender liner and then into the car.
Last edited by CA_Tallguy; 11-12-2011 at 01:19 AM.
03-23-2012, 07:10 PM
#7
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1999 E320
LOVE IT!
i was just the victim of a hit and run that has fortunately resulted in a freeeeebie amg / sport rear bumper upgrade! side skirts are on my shopping list of things to buy before the car goes into the body shop to get fixed and i was about to start looking into the process of installing them.
Thanks for your superb timing!
i was just the victim of a hit and run that has fortunately resulted in a freeeeebie amg / sport rear bumper upgrade! side skirts are on my shopping list of things to buy before the car goes into the body shop to get fixed and i was about to start looking into the process of installing them.
Thanks for your superb timing!
