Jeezus

iTrader: (4)

Since "removing door fender" brings up a ton of threads when I search, I thought I
would ask here. Removing the fender requires the 3 bolts under the hood, 1 bolt
under the headlight lid/cover, and 2 behind the door correct? I don't think I will be
able to get the fender off, the headlight cover is held on by phillips head screws
(c'mon mazda, metal on metal should be held with a bolt not a screw) and I already
pretty much stripped one on the passenger side. PB blaster, ATF + acetone, nothing
works getting that dang screw free.

Also, the door should come off from just the henge, right? I can only open the door
about a third of the way because I have Irons on one side of the car and tool boxes
on the other.

Removing both will make running my harness SO much easier. I already removed
the stupid sealant they put to keep water from running down the fender.

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

The bolt under the headlight is a royal pita, but can be removed with a 10 mm wrench using very short radius turns. The rear one at the top of the fender under the door requires the door to be nearly fully open. There are 3 more bolts, one behind the rear of the wheel well splash guard, 2 at the bottom of rear part of the fender. These last 2 almost always snap off, use lots of PB Blaster and an impact screw driver with a 10 mm socket to break them loose. I snap off more than 1/2 of these bottom bolts, then drill and retap them.

Lastly are the triangular braces on the front lower part of the fender and the urethane skirt. Try all 3 bolts on the braces, they tend to snap off too or twist the brace in the process.

Jeezus

iTrader: (4)

I saw that I could get a wrench under the headlight, but apparently all 6 of my 10mm wrenches sprouted legs.

Guess I will put the bolts back in and pry the wheel well out and work from that way. Thanks trochoid.

j9fd3s

iTrader: (3)

there is a bolt up front where the fender meets the header panel, open headlight and take off the plastic cover.

one by the rear of the headlight lid, 3 under the hood. one when you open the door

2 on the bottom of the fender

and 1 halfway down the A pillar, long extension from the wheel well. nut only needs to be loosened

thunkrd

iTrader: (1)

awesome, subscribing... for future reference

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

Good catch, I forgot about the one on the header panel, thanks.

j9fd3s

iTrader: (3)

to get the headlight lids off, ive either used pliers, or i'll use a chisel and unscrew it

thunkrd

iTrader: (1)

i used vice grips to grab on the inside.. man its really difficult tho

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

I rarely mess with the headlight lids anymore. End up doing more damage than good.

j9fd3s

iTrader: (3)

+1 last time was to replace em with new ones on a car i was painting

IanS

iTrader: (4)

Once the head of the philips screws are drilled off, they will normally unscrew right out since the tension is relieved (if not use vice grips to crack them loose). Then simply replace the screws and you're golden. BTW, Mazda used screws because bolts have too large of heads that would rub against other items in the area when the headlights move up or down.

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

Ian's method will work too. Don't try to draw the screws out normally. Instead grab the threads with a pair of 5R vice grips and turn them in so they come out the backside. That will preserve the threads in the headlight bodyand you can use the same size screw for assembly.

Jeezus

iTrader: (4)

Bumpin!

So I averted the whole headlight lid crisis. I removed the headlight bucket and
assembly itself out. I already had the shroud, headlight ring, and headlight already
out, so it was just 3 bolts: Two are underhood, beneath the headlight weather
stripping, the third is below the bucket, and would be behind the headlight motors.
Stupid me, I was looking under the headlight bucket and saw the 10mm nut
(couldn't tell that it was welded on) and took a ratchet to it. I think I might have
tweaked the metal, as the gap around the headlight shifted left

But on to my question, I removed all the bolts, but have 2 stubborn spots.

Front bumper black plastic attachments inside the fender area. There are 2 huge
plastic posts that will not budge! I am not sure what to do with them (pretty sure it
would be something really easy) as they are connected to the bumper and they go
through 2 hole in the fender. No bolts are visible, it just won't move!

I would get some pictures but my camera phone crapped out...

j9fd3s

iTrader: (3)

i think you're talking about the bumper slides? the fender has a big plastic slide thing on it, and the bumper has a little hook deal, and it slides apart. so either pull the bumper forward, or the fender back.

Jeezus

iTrader: (4)

Is this what you are talking about? This is what I am stuck on.

j9fd3s

iTrader: (3)

ja, slide fender back, or bumper forwards.

Jeezus

iTrader: (4)

Thanks j9fd3s, finally got it off. EVERYTHING was bolted to the bottom front of the fender, and
with how close it is to all the other things I couldn't get a jack under it to make it easier. Now
just gotta sort out the harness