

| Subject: | Re: Removing rear hatch panel, was Dynamat |
| From: | Max Wellhouse |
| Date: | Wed, 17 Mar 2010 10:37:58 -0500 |
>>>>The LIsle Tool Co. here in Iowa makes a wonderful tool to pop >>>>door panels and salvage a lot of the hold down fasteners. It's a >>>>bent screwdriver thngy with a thicker shaft, bright red handle >>>>and maybe a 30 degree bend in it and a slick looking fork end on >>>>it for prying. Paid maybe 6 or 7 bucks for it. Too bad I didn't >>>>have it when I Dynamatted my rear hatch. Rather than deal with >>>>finding another back panel in a bone yard, or mess with pegboard >>>>, plywood, or paneling, I went to the local plastic shop and >>>>bought a sheet of 3/16" ABS textured plastic in black. Don't >>>>remember what I paid for it, but that was like 10 years ago.. I >>>>used the old chewed up one for a template and where to drill the >>>>new holes. It fit perfectly and looks very nice back >>>>there. Used regular push pin thingys from the auto parts store >>>>to install it and i've had it out a few times since with wiper >>>>washer hose issues and had no trouble prying it off or >>>>reinstalling it with the Lisle tool. If the factory push thngys >>>>break on you, I strongly recommend that you re drill the metal; >>>>holes in the back hatch to American sizes and use the US push pin >>>>fasteners appropriate for the size hole you drilled. >>>>One of my shade tree mechanic credos is "to make access easier >>>>for the next person that needs in there". That could include >>>>antiseizing nuts and bolts and many other >>>>applications. Replacing phillips head scews with allen head or >>>>hex head screws if there's clearance and if the threads are >>>>exposed to rust formation. Replacing the 4mm phillips screws >>>>that hold down the 2.5 EJ25 SOHC Idle Air Control Valve come to >>>>mind. 4mm stainless steel bolts and washers work really well. YMMV DM&FS
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