I just finished installing the GM accessory splash guards on my wife's new Terrain and
I thought I would write up a little tutorial as some people have questions about the
install in other threads.
I got my front and rear splash guard set from gmpartsdirect.com for $75 shipped.
The front pair includes a hardware pack with 8 screws and 4 tinnerman clips.
Front Instructions:
1. The front splash guards can be installed by turning the front wheels to access the
rear of the wheel well.
2. Clean the lower rocker plastic panel with the provided alcohol wipes where the double
sided tape on the splash guard makes contact
3. Remove the bottom 2 push pins. These pins come out by pulling out the center of
the pin and then prying out the outer push pin body.
4. Pull out the fender liner and slide the tinnerman clips over the holes in the lower
plastic rocker panel.
5. Install the splash guard using 2 screws into the tinnerman clips. Adjust the splash
guard so it is tight against the rocker panel where the double sides tape is located.
Also make sure the plastic tab for the double sided tape is sticking out so you can
pull it off.
6. Using a hand screwdriver, drive the upper screw into the fender liner and thru the
plastic rocker trim panel. The screw will make its own hole, no need to drill.
7. Again with a hand screwdriver, drive the lower vertical screw thru the plastic rocker
trim panel.
8. Last, pull the plastic tab to expose the double sided tape and press firmly against
the plastic rocker trim panel.
The rear pair includes a hardware pack with 6 screws and 6 tinnerman clips.
Front Instructions:
1. You need to remove the rear wheels to install the rear splash guards. Since there
seems to be no center jacking point on the Terrain, I jacked up each side independently
under the A-arm.
2. Clean the lower rear plastic trim panel with the provided alcohol wipes where the double
sided tape on the splash guard makes contact
2. Remove the bottom 2 push pins. The lower push pin will receive a screw and the upper
one makes it easier to pull the fender liner away.
3. Pull out the fender liner and slide a tinnerman clip over the bottom push pin hole in the
rear lower plastic trim panel. For some reason our Terrain already had a clip installed
in this hole on the left rear but not on the right rear.
4. Install the splash guard using 1 screw into the tinnerman clip. Adjust the splash
guard so it is tight against the rocker panel where the double sides tape is located.
5. Using a hand screwdriver, drive the a screw in the upper splash guard hole thru the
fender liner and the rear lower plastic trim panel.
6. Remove the 2 mounting screws and put a tinnerman clip on the rear lower plastic
trim panel over the hole you just created. This may be overkill but it allows the
upper screw to bite into the metal tinnerman clip instead of just into the rear plastic
trim panel.
7. Reinstall the splash guard using the 2 screws into the tinnerman clips. Adjust the splash
guard so it is tight against the rocker panel where the double sides tape is located. Also
make sure the plastic tab for the double sided tape is sticking out so you can pull it off.
8. Again with a hand screwdriver, drive the lower vertical screw thru the rear plastic
trim panel.
9. Reinstall the push pin into the upper hole by pulling out the center most of the way,
inserting the pin and push the center back in.
10. Last, pull the plastic tab to expose the double sided tape and press firmly against
the rear plastic trim panel.
You will have some tinnerman clips left over in the rear. It would have been nice to use
them on the vertical screw but it is located too far into the panel for the clip to reach
the hole. You should have 2 left over tinnerman clips, I had 3 due to the one rear side
already having one installed. I'm thinking about using the 2 remaining tinnerman clips on
the upper screw on the front guard, but I need to look and see if there is any way to
slip it over the lip on the lower rocker plastic trim panel.
Total install time was around an hour.
I know this is long and drawn out but hopefully it will help if you have questions about
the install. Assuming you can jack up the Terrain to remove the rear wheels, it is much
better to install yourself rather than paying dealer labor rates of $75/hour.
The splash guards look great and exactly match the color and texture of the lower
plastic rocker trim panel.
I thought I would write up a little tutorial as some people have questions about the
install in other threads.
I got my front and rear splash guard set from gmpartsdirect.com for $75 shipped.
The front pair includes a hardware pack with 8 screws and 4 tinnerman clips.
Front Instructions:
1. The front splash guards can be installed by turning the front wheels to access the
rear of the wheel well.
2. Clean the lower rocker plastic panel with the provided alcohol wipes where the double
sided tape on the splash guard makes contact
3. Remove the bottom 2 push pins. These pins come out by pulling out the center of
the pin and then prying out the outer push pin body.
4. Pull out the fender liner and slide the tinnerman clips over the holes in the lower
plastic rocker panel.
5. Install the splash guard using 2 screws into the tinnerman clips. Adjust the splash
guard so it is tight against the rocker panel where the double sides tape is located.
Also make sure the plastic tab for the double sided tape is sticking out so you can
pull it off.
6. Using a hand screwdriver, drive the upper screw into the fender liner and thru the
plastic rocker trim panel. The screw will make its own hole, no need to drill.
7. Again with a hand screwdriver, drive the lower vertical screw thru the plastic rocker
trim panel.
8. Last, pull the plastic tab to expose the double sided tape and press firmly against
the plastic rocker trim panel.
The rear pair includes a hardware pack with 6 screws and 6 tinnerman clips.
Front Instructions:
1. You need to remove the rear wheels to install the rear splash guards. Since there
seems to be no center jacking point on the Terrain, I jacked up each side independently
under the A-arm.
2. Clean the lower rear plastic trim panel with the provided alcohol wipes where the double
sided tape on the splash guard makes contact
2. Remove the bottom 2 push pins. The lower push pin will receive a screw and the upper
one makes it easier to pull the fender liner away.
3. Pull out the fender liner and slide a tinnerman clip over the bottom push pin hole in the
rear lower plastic trim panel. For some reason our Terrain already had a clip installed
in this hole on the left rear but not on the right rear.
4. Install the splash guard using 1 screw into the tinnerman clip. Adjust the splash
guard so it is tight against the rocker panel where the double sides tape is located.
5. Using a hand screwdriver, drive the a screw in the upper splash guard hole thru the
fender liner and the rear lower plastic trim panel.
6. Remove the 2 mounting screws and put a tinnerman clip on the rear lower plastic
trim panel over the hole you just created. This may be overkill but it allows the
upper screw to bite into the metal tinnerman clip instead of just into the rear plastic
trim panel.
7. Reinstall the splash guard using the 2 screws into the tinnerman clips. Adjust the splash
guard so it is tight against the rocker panel where the double sides tape is located. Also
make sure the plastic tab for the double sided tape is sticking out so you can pull it off.
8. Again with a hand screwdriver, drive the lower vertical screw thru the rear plastic
trim panel.
9. Reinstall the push pin into the upper hole by pulling out the center most of the way,
inserting the pin and push the center back in.
10. Last, pull the plastic tab to expose the double sided tape and press firmly against
the rear plastic trim panel.
You will have some tinnerman clips left over in the rear. It would have been nice to use
them on the vertical screw but it is located too far into the panel for the clip to reach
the hole. You should have 2 left over tinnerman clips, I had 3 due to the one rear side
already having one installed. I'm thinking about using the 2 remaining tinnerman clips on
the upper screw on the front guard, but I need to look and see if there is any way to
slip it over the lip on the lower rocker plastic trim panel.
Total install time was around an hour.
I know this is long and drawn out but hopefully it will help if you have questions about
the install. Assuming you can jack up the Terrain to remove the rear wheels, it is much
better to install yourself rather than paying dealer labor rates of $75/hour.
The splash guards look great and exactly match the color and texture of the lower
plastic rocker trim panel.
