Gm Molded Splash Guards

[cujo8]

I installed my GM Molded Splash Guards today on my 2011 GMC Sierra and I ran into an issue installing the front guards and I was wondering if anyone else had this issue. These front splash guards are supposed to mount with 4 screws into the inner fender and a large fender bolt on the bottom of the fender. I was able to get the 4 screws to line up and work correctly, but the bottom bolt hole on the slapsh guards is no where close to lining up with existing mounting hole on the underside of the front fender. The contour of the slash guard matches the fender profile very well and is well secured with four screws I did install, but it bothers me that the bottom bolt hole is not right. Both the DS and PS had the same problem. I tried installing the lower bolt first to see if this would help, but then the over four screws did not line up correctly.

I might expect this type problem with an other manufactures product, but since I purchased GM splash guards from a GM dealer I expected the installation to be perfect. I'm happy with how they look on the truck and like I said they appear to be secure, but it's just bothers me they screwed up something so trivial.

I found another issue while doing the splash guard install today, that could have caused damage to my truck or worse yet an accident. The dealer installed wheel guard keyed lug nuts on the trucks on their lot to prevent theft and they were supposed to remove them after I purchased the truck, but they didn't remove them. I thought it was nice that they had left them on the truck for me, but I discovered that they had installed the wrong wheel locks on my truck. I had to remove the rear wheels to install the rear splash guards and when I was reinstalling the wheel I broke the wheel lock when I tried to torque it down. It turns out these wheel locks are not deep enough to accomodate the length of the wheel studs and when I started to torque it down the center of the locking nut broke out completely! Luckily I was able to back the locking nut back out, since the center portion that broke out was the keyed portion of this nut. I was also lucky the dealer had kept the original lug nuts inside the truck, so I could replace the keyed wheel lug nuts with the originals. Not only were these locking lug nuts the wrong size for this application they were not even tight, because it took next to no pressure to unscrew them. If they had torqued them properly they would have found out that they were not the correct ones for the truck. Any way I'm glad I discovered this before they started flying off the truck.

[foghorn23]

When I put the GM splash guards on my Silverado, I had a minor problem with the bottom bolt as you describe, especially on the driver's side. I started the 4 screws enough to hold (nowhere near tight) and then did the bottom bolt. I can understand why they send a replacement bolt for the original. If it hadn't been as long it would have never started. It seemed to work ok and I got everything buttoned up. Of course the guards are made by who knows whom and they might vary....maybe I just got lucky. (Could be that the bowtie on mine made them more streamline )

 

On a 1999 GMT 800 I once owned I could never get the bottom bolt in the rear splash guards. I never had a problem and they were on the truck when I traded it. You probably won't have a problem if you don't get the bolt in.

[bigbeds]

I had the same problem...I trimmed 1/4 inch off each fender liner with some shears. I trimmed the part that is supposed to fit in the slot of the guard...the slot is not wide enuf to accept the entire tab of the fender liner.

Then I started with the large bolt first(Start at the bottom)...get that started and leave it loose..Then pulling up as hard as u can...get the top screw in, then then second one below that..and so on. Then snug it all up...They are super tight fit, no doubt about it.

[cfp40]

Had the same problem with mine. Passenger side fit perfect but the drivers side was a mile off.

Had to use a combination of trimming and muscle to make it fit.