Adding a spoiler to your car

From Taurus Car Club Maintenance and Modification Wiki

This document will show you how to install an aftermarket spoiler on your Taurus (in this example, a 2001 SES).

Please note that almost all aftermarket kits are different, but this should give you a good idea of what to expect.

Estimated time: 90 minutes

This tutorial has been specially written for the Taurus Club of America. Under no circumstances shall the author be liable for any direct, incidental, special or consequential damages that result from the use or the inability to use the content or the information referenced in this document. Reproduction in part or in whole without permission is expressly prohibited.

Requirements

• electric drill
• 3/32" and 5/16" drill bits
• masking tape
• phillips head screw driver
• felt tip pen
• rust inhibiting primer
• a strong heart if your car is new (imagine 6 gaping holes)

Step 1

Remove the inside panel from the trunk by removing the plugs shown in the picture on the right. They are very strong, and very flexible, but also hard to remove. I used a steak fork, but anything will do. Don't worry about breaking these, you can pick up a new set from Advanced Auto for a buck, and these are specifically designed for Ford.

Step 2

The kit I received didn't have a template. Instead it came with something called E-Z locator strips. Turn the spoiler upside down (1) and put the strips in each threaded hole as shown in the pictures (2). I would suggest taping them since they have the tendency of falling out once you try to fit the spoiler on the trunklid.

Step 3

Make sure the trunk lid is clean to avoid scratches when you move the spoiler (1). Gently place the spoiler on the lid, and start taking measurements, and adjust so it is centered (2). When you place the spoiler, make sure that you do not place it too close to the rear edge of the trunk. Check to make sure the bolts won't be hitting the trunklock's wiring harness or that it isn't going through a predrilled hole. Placing the spoiler too far back will also allow water between the lid and spoiler due to the curving on the 2000+ models trunks. Once you are absolutely sure the spoiler is aligned and centered, tape the E-Z locator strips to the trunk.

Step 4

After you taped all E-Z locator strips to the lid, it is time to remove the spoiler.

It would not be a bad idea to get someone to help you, since you really can not afford to have those strips move (this would result in the holes being misaligned and could be a serious showstopper.). Gently lift one side while making sure the strips don't move, then lift the middle section (if you have a 3-leg spoiler) and last but not least, lift the other side. Since all the weight is on the side that you are lifting last, it is really easy to move those strips, so be careful there! Get that tape measure out and start verifying that everything is still in the same place. This is the last step before you start drilling, so it doesn't hurt to double check, especially if your car is new!

Step 5

WARNING: before you start drilling, verify your bolts will be long enough. I ran into this problem, and you don't want to drive around on a Sunday with holes in your trunk if you have no access to another vehicle.

Luckily, I had spare bolts that were long enough. Use the 3/32" drill bit to predrill the small holes by drilling through each E-Z locator strip (1). Remember, you are going through two layers (the trunk lid, and the inside trunk frame) so make sure the holes are aligned. Remove the taped locator strips carefully (to avoid damage to your finish). Open the holes with the 5/16" drill bit (2). Do not wipe the metal dust from the trunk lid, I would suggest blowing it off first as much as possible, then try using a sponge or soft cloth that is wet and try picking it up that way. Treat all holes with rust inhibitor.

Step 6

(1) Guide the brake light wire through the hole you drilled for this, while gently setting the spoiler down on the trunk. Once again, if would make things easier if you had someone around to help you (opening the trunk to guide the wire through and placing the spoiler at the same time). (2) Secure the spoiler by tightening a bolt on each side. CAUTION: ** DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN THESE BOLTS! ** It would not be a bad idea to use gaskets to help seal the holes. Finish securing the spoiler with the remaining bolts. (3) Adjust the trunk shocks to stop the trunk from dropping on your head due to the additional weight. I moved the lever from the first notch to the third (highest) one. This also ads another nice benefit, you do not have to slam the trunk anymore to close it.

Step 7

Attach the brake light wire to the trunk's wiring harness with electrical tape or straps, whichever you have. You only have to do this for the first section since once you go down the hinges, you can use the wire locking mechanisms your car is equipped with. This will make it look really clean, as shown in the picture.

Step 8

It is time to hook up the spoiler brake light by connecting it to the 3rd brake light in the car. Remove the panel by removing the same type of plugs as the ones we pulled in the first step.

Connect the spoiler brake light to the 3rd brake light using the red scotch locks (shown in the top picture). You have to connect 2 wires totally. Before you put the panel back together, test the brake lights!

Step 9

You just added 10 HP to your car Adding a spoiler isn't really that hard, as long as you make sure you have all the parts (and correct sizes), so don't be discouraged if some of the details are different here. The next step would be removing the 3rd brake light, but the replacement deck is rather expensive. Disconnecting the bulbs for now would probably do the job, but it doesn't look bad until you find a better solution. If you recently got the spoiler painted, do not wax or polish the paint until it has thoroughly cured. The paint shop will give you specific instructions on when it is acceptable to wax. Otherwise, you could damage the clear coat or the paint itself.

--etron