JDP Front Lip Installation on the 2012+ Honda Fit (GE8)

Park on a level surface and give yourself room to walk around the front of the car. Because two of the bumper fasteners sit behind each front wheel, steer to full lock toward one side to open up access to that fender's screws, then reverse the lock when you move to the opposite side. Have a raised support ready to rest the bumper on once it is off the car; working at waist height makes both removal and mounting far easier than laying it on the ground.

Lift out the cowl trim that sits above the grille first, as it overlaps the bumper's top edge. Then work around the bumper releasing every fastener: two screws or clips inside each wheel-arch liner, and beneath the bumper a total of four self-tapping screws and five clips. Keep the hardware sorted by location so reassembly is straightforward. A reference PDF for the College Hills Honda foglight/bumper procedure and the forum's foglight-replacement thread are worth reviewing if you have not pulled this bumper before.

With all screws and clips out, start at a fender and free the three tabs along that edge. Once both fender sides are released, reach into the foglight opening under the bumper, grip firmly, and draw the bumper straight forward off the tabs that engage near the headlights. Move deliberately so the paint and tabs are not damaged. Rest the removed bumper on your raised support, outer face up, ready for fitting the lip.

Cover each tabbed section of the lip that will be drilled with a strip of tape. The tape serves two purposes: a marker line drawn on it is easy to see when you transfer hole positions, and the tape backing helps stop the lip material from cracking or chipping as the drill bit breaks through. Do this to every tab that will carry a fastener.

Hold the lip against the lower edge of the bumper in its final position and confirm it seats evenly on both sides before marking anything. The kit's pre-drilled tab holes will not coincide with the bumper's short-clip points, so you must transfer new hole positions from the lip onto the bumper. Mark through each tab onto the bumper with the marker. Take extra care that the left and right tabs sit the same distance in; uneven marking here is what leaves the lip standing off the fender with a visible gap.

At each marked point, drill a pilot hole with a 7/64 inch bit first, then open it out to the finished size with a 1/4 inch bit. Drill the bumper at its marks and the taped lip tabs to match. Running a small pilot before the full-size bit keeps the holes accurately placed and reduces the chance of splitting the lip.

Line the lip's holes up with the freshly drilled bumper holes and secure them using the bolts, washers, and nuts supplied in the kit, which replace the factory deflector clips. Draw the hardware up so the lip sits tight against the bumper, paying particular attention to the fender ends, which need to be pulled in snug or they will bow away from the body. There is no factory gasket where the lip contacts the bumper; if you want to close that open edge, door-edge trim rubber can be added.

Reinstall the bumper by engaging the headlight and fender tabs, then refit every screw and clip you removed. When replacing the cowl, tuck its edge under the grille first and only then lay it down flat, or it will not seat correctly. Reinstall the wheel-arch fasteners with the wheels turned as needed for access.

Step back and inspect both sides. If one end stands proud of the fender or leaves a gap, the tabs on that side were marked or drilled out of position; loosen, realign, and if necessary re-drill to bring it flush. Once satisfied, apply a wax that offers UVA/UVB protection to the lip. This was noted to prevent the material from turning white or discolouring over time, a problem some owners reported on lips left untreated.