It's all about POWER to WEIGHT ratio

INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

The installation instructions we ship with each and every kit are very detailed and include many pictures and helpfull hints. Our kits are designed to be installed by the DIY home installer using common hand tools. Below is an example of our 88-91 CRX kit. It will give you some idea of how a typical install goes.

**To download instructions for all of our other kits scroll to the very bottom of the page.

Introduction: Thank you for purchasing your sunroof plug kit from lighterfaster.com. This sunroof plug kit was designed specifically for your car. The carbon fiber panel included in this kit is fabricated using the latest in vacuum infusion technology. Vacuum infusion allows us to produce a high quality carbon/composite panel with very low weight. We utilize a relatively thin yet durable resin on the top side of the panel to provide good wear characteristics even when exposed to ultra violet radiation. When cared for properly this panel will retain its perfect appearance over the life of the product. Following the instructions in this booklet will ensure proper fitment of the kit. Remember when working with power tools, always wear eye protection. Lighterfaster.com accepts no liability for incorrectly installed kits or injuries you may experience when installing the kit.

Packing List: Please go ever this packing list and verify you received all the parts required to install the kit.

24 aluminum drive rivets, includes 2 extra

24 clear anodized aluminum “L” brackets, includes 2 extra

1-2.7 oz. tube of Loctite Superflex black RTV silicon

24 small stainless steel Nylock nuts, includes 2 extra

24 countersunk stainless steel machine screws, includes 2 extra

Bracket positioning diagram

Bracket locating tool

Water jet cut sunroof panel – UV clear coated

Tools required for installation:

Roll masking tape

Hammer

Small sharp drift punch

Flat head drift punch

High speed drill

1/4-82 countersinking bit-carbide is recommended

1/8” drill bit-carbide is recommended

3/16” drill bit-carbide is recommended

6mm box end wrench or small crescent wrench

1/16” Allen wrench

Ice cubes

Fine point pen

88-91 CRX Helms manual is recommended

Painters dust mask

Safety glasses

Refund Policy: Installed or modified kits are not eligible for refund. All kits must be returned with all parts included. If any parts are missing the value of those parts will be deducted from your refund.

Step1: Remove the headliner and factory sunroof. Consult your Helms manual for instruction on removing the headliner and sunroof.

Sunroof Removed

Step 2: Clean the flange surface with Windexä or other degreaser. This is important because the silicon needs a clean surface to bond with. Next, mark the holes to be drilled. To accomplish this tear off 22, 2” pieces of masking tape. Then starting from this point measure and apply tape to each bracket point. Measure each point counter clockwise. Reference the bracket diagram for each point.

Step 3: After placing masking tape at each bracket mounting point specified in the diagram, draw a line through the center of each piece of tape. Now tape a bracket to the bottom of the bracket locating tool, as shown in the pictures below.

You can see the bracket is taped adjacent to the step in the bracket locating tool. This will ensure that each drilling hole will be marked at the correct elevation and your sunroof plug will mount flush with the body of the car.

Step 4: Place the bracket mounting tool (bracket) side down and with the bracket laying against the edge of the inner sunroof flange. Make sure the bracket locating tools surface lies   flat against the body of the car. Now mark the first hole to be drilled with a fine point pen. Be as precise as possible with this or the sunroof panel will sit higher or lower than ideal. In the picture on the right you can see how the brackets will be mounted later on.

Step 5: Your bracket mounting holes should now be marked and ready to drill. Using a small sharp drift punch as shown in the picture below on the left hand side. Make sure your punch is sharp. Next, carefully punch each marked point. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP. The holes absolutely must be drilled where you mark them. The drift punch helps to ensure the drill points are exact.

Step 6: It’s time to drill your mounting holes. We highly recommended the use of sharp carbide drill bits for this procedure as they last longer and produce cleaner holes. Drill each one of the holes in the flange with a 3/16” drill bit. After you drill a hole make sure you can fit a drive rivet through each hole and that the holes have clean edges. At this point it would be a good idea to use touch-up paint to protect the newly exposed metal. If you do choose to paint the holes wait until its dry before moving on to the next step.

Step 7: Now that you have finished drilling all of the mounting holes you can attach the brackets with drive rivets. Our amazing aluminum drive rivets do not require a rivet gun. You simply push the rivet through the 3/16” bracket hole and then push the bracket against the inner sunroof flange. Once the bracket is in position just tap on the back of the rivet with a flat head drift punch and hammer until you see a flush rivet head. The big end of the rivet goes into the car. If you wish you can paint these brackets the same color as the car for enhanced looks.

Tip: To make the holes you drill into the carbon more smooth you can masking tape the surface temporarily. This makes a cleaner hole.

Step 8: Make sure that all the brackets are level. You will be able to rotate them slightly after installation. Now you can mount the sunroof panel to the brackets. Make sure the clear-coated side of the panel is facing up. Get a friend to help center the carbon panel on the brackets. There should only be about 1/8” gap between the car body and the panel. While holding the panel against the brackets have your friend mark a dot through the bracket and onto the bottom of the carbon panel. It is best to mark the bracket in two opposing corners of the sunroof plug. It is only necessary to mark the holes on two sides of the panel so that it won’t move later on while you drill the other panel holes. Once you have marked a drill point on both sides of the panel remove the panel and place it on a flat surface to be drilled. Use caution and only place the panel on a clean surface. As you drill you should blow the carbon dust away from the hole, do not brush it away. Carbon dust will scratch the surface of the plate if care is not taken. Before drilling carbon you should wear eye protection and a painter dust mask. Now drill both holes with a 1/8” drill bit and countersink these holes with a ¼-82 countersinking bit, carbide is recommended. Make sure you countersink the top of the sunroof plug and not the bottom. Return the panel to the sunroof gap for installation. Using the counter sunk machine screws and Nylock nuts bolt down both sides of the panel.

Step 9: Now that the carbon panel is secured by two points you can proceed with drilling the other holes in the panel. Lay out a drop cloth of some type over the seats of your car so you don’t get carbon dust all over them. With a friend holding the top of the panel down near your drilling location start drilling through the bracket hole and into the panel with a 1/8” drill bit from the inside of the car out. USE EXTREME CAUTION when drilling these holes. Do not get your fingers in the way of the drill. Once all of your holes are drilled start countersinking theses holes on the outside of the panel. When countersinking holes go slow so you don’t go through the material. On the first hole go slow and use one of your screws as a guide on how deep to go with your countersink. You only need to make sure the screw will be flush with the body. Continue this on every hole until you feel comfortable with the results.

Step 10: After drilling all of the panel holes you can insert screws in each hole. Using a 1/16” Allen wrench and a 6mm box end wrench tighten each fastener and then back off the screw approximately ½ turn. Continue this on every hole. The reason for backing off each connection ½ turn is to prevent panel buckling. If you tighten the screw too much it may slightly flex the panel. This is where making sure your brackets are level is important. Your car should now look like this.

Step 11: Now it’s time to seal the panel with the silicon provided in the kit. First you need to mask off all the areas where you don’t want to apply silicon. Using the masking tape cover everything but the gap and leave a slight amount of the carbon panel and car body showing. See picture.

Now seal off the gap from the underside of the panel so that silicon doesn’t drip into the car interior. This will provide a lasting UV and chemical resistant seal for the panel. Once you have the panel properly taped off you can start applying the silicon.

Step 12: Now you can use the silicon that is included with the kit to seal the panel. First remove the cap and cut the end of the nozzle off so that you have about a 1/8” hole and begin applying the silicon in an even bead all the way around the panel. The silicon has about a 30 minutes working time so take your time. After you have filled the gap to a little overflowing with silicon you can start smoothing out the silicon bead with an ice cube.

         Black Silicon Tube                       Ice Cube

The technique used to smooth the silicone bead is very simple. Get a large ice cube from the freezer. Using the flat edge of the ice cube bridge the gap between the car body and the carbon panel and smooth out the bead. A good way to get a flat edge on an ice cube is to let it sit on a level surface at room temperature. Have the ice ready before you begin filling the gap with silicon. When smoothing out the bead with the ice make sure you press the ice firmly against the panel and car. Make sure the excess silicon is as thin as possible where the tape edge will be pulled back up. If the epoxy is thick on the tape edges the tape will tend to pull the silicon when you remove the tape. After you are done wait 6 hours before removing the tape. The silicon needs to be hard before you remove the tape. The silicon fully cures in 24 hours. Once cured it will provide a permanent seal that resists ultra-violet rays, weather, and chemicals.

Step 13: Once cured you can remove all of the tape. Do not pull the tape straight up from the car. Pull the tape off gently at about a 45° angle relative to the roof of the car. Congratulations! Now you should be left with a beautiful carbon fiber sunroof plug that fits flush with the rest of the body.

**All kits now come with black painted stainless steel fasteners.

Thank you very much for your purchase and we wish you many 1st place finishes!  If you have any questions about the sunroof plug kit please email us at support@lighterfaster.com or call me and I can assist you.

Adam Weeks
Founder                                                                                              WWW.LIGHTERFASTER.COM
801-789-3897

INSTALL FAQ:

1. How long does it take to install an SPK?

It varies depending upon which type of brackets are needed to install your kit. With rivet-in type kits it takes about 1-2 hours to install the plug on the custom brackets, then sealing the kit takes less than an hour but after sealing the car must sit overnight in a garage to let the silicon cure before driving the car. With bond-in or bond-in/rivet-in kits you must let the car sit overnight before installing the panelon the brackets. This is how long it takes for the bracket adhesive to cure.

2. Are there any special tools required to install the kits?

No, the only tools you need are a high speed drill and a few different carbide drill bits and a 5/32x84 carbide coutersinking drill bit. All of these tools can be found at your local high quality tool store. Check our TECH LINKS page to view online sources where you can buy these bits.

3. Will installing a sunroof plug increase the road noise inside my car?

Not significantly, our kits fit more flush than most factory moonroofs since there is no thick moulding on the roof. This ensures there will be no whistling from wind. Rivet a piece of lexan to your roof and chances are it will start to whistle.

4. Can I set heavy objects on my roof?

It is not reccomended although they are probably capable of holding at least 20 lbs. without damage.

5. Can the kit be installed and then removed for race days?

No, the kit is not meant to be easily removable. It is possible to return the car to stock relatively easily if you sell the car. Everything is removable.

6. Why were't the kits designed to open and close manualy, "I will miss my sunroof".

The main reason is that it would be very difficult to seal the panel reliably over and over without dramatically increasing the cost of the kit. You see these tyoe of problems all the time in aftermarket sunroofs. We decided to avoid increasing the cost of our kits.

7. Some kits have the brackets attached to the body with JB Weld. Will this really hold?

Yes, as long as you sand the paint down to the metal in the positions where the brackets are installed JB Weld holds very well. Follow the instructions and you won't have any problems. We actually tried several types of more expensive adhesives but JB Weld worked the best. JB Weld is sandable and paintable and does not dramatically increase the cost of the kit. In some cases embedding the custom brackets in JB Weld was the only means of attaching the brackets due to the space provided. We use drive rivets where possible.

8. With the headliner removed can you see the brackets?

No, you really have to go out of your way to see the custom brackets with the headliner installed. Of course if you leave the headliner out they will be visible but even then you can paint the bracekts the color of you car. Even unpainted the brackets aren't that noticeable. These brackets cannot be bought at Home Depot! They are custom bent and punched at a custom metal shop. Yet another benefit of the kit, it is a professional install.

9. What is the hardest part of the install?

I would say the answer is two-fold. First would be counter sinking the holes in the carbon fiber panel. The key here is to go slow and have a screw on hand to test fitment until you get the screws to fit flush with the top of the panel. If in doubt go slow and let the drill do the work. The other difficult step is removing the tape after the silicon seal cures. Again, go slow and make sure the silicon is fully cured or you may get a small strip of silicon pulling outas you remove the masking tape around the sunroof. You can slice the silicon edge with a razor blade as you pull the tape up to avoid silicon pull-out.

10. Why don't the cabon panels come pre-drilled and counter-sunk?

The reason is the brackets need to be installed first and then the panel since it would be very difficult to install the brackets to the panel and the install the brackets to the car. There is not enough room. This being the case we would have to make sure each bracket is in the exact same position every time. Honestly we cannot depend on everyone to place the bracets in the exact same spot so pre-drilling the holes would not work.

11. Will this kit fit an aftermarket sunroof gap?

We have actually had a kit returned because of this. The customer assumed it would fit. Unfortunately we cannot know the size and shape of all of the possible roofs on the market. This kit was designed around the factory electric sunroof on the SI models.

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