[uclacyc]

Edit: These instructions are followed by the Entry Sill Top Trim Installation Tutorial

I recently bought some sweet CF sills from Jacob, but couldn't find any instructions on how to remove the stock sills, so I'm writing one up here. It took me over an hour to figure it all out, but realistically, the whole procedure should have only taken twenty minutes.

While some steps are covered in other threads, such as in My Dash Removal Instructions and Sill Removal & Replacement..., there's nothing that did a step-by-step tutorial with pictures of just the sill removal. Also, door sill removal pics mentions removing seven screws, but you only need to remove three from each side of the car for the removal, though you do need to remove seven from each side for the installation.

1. First, locate the rubber mat in the coin pocket (cubby).
   
2. Using a flathead screwdriver, push against the mat to remove it.
   
3. The mat should be relatively easy to remove, since it's only held by two strips of double-sided tape.
   
4. Next, remove the screws that were underneath the rubber mat, in the coin pocket.
   
5. Near the opening of the door, remove the single screw. Using an old credit card, work underneath the sill to loosen the Spooge.
   
6. Loosen the Spooge on both sides of the sill top trim.
   
7. Towards the rear of the car, work underneath the sill as much as possible. There is a thick double-sided tape under this, and will be your main resistance to removing the sill top trim.
   
8. Pull the sill up, hard. Don't jerk it or else you might hit your head on something, but gradually pull harder and harder until the Spooge and double-sided tape give way. This will take a lot of effort.
   
9. With the sill lifted slightly, pull the sill toward the rear of the car, and it should pop right off. Note: If you will also be installing sills, you might want to remove the other two screws in the coin purse first. See Entry Sill Top Trim Installation Tutorial.
   
10. Be careful that you don't drop and screws into the hole where the sill used to be. I did, and it was really painful to get it out. Basically, it falls all the way to the bottom of the aluminum chassis.
    
11. The sill top trim is removed. You can use the stock padding if you're installing your CF sill. You'll have to pull hard on the stock padding as well to remove it. To install a sill, be sure to use 3M tape.
    
12. Use the old credit card as a scraper to remove any remaining Spooge or double-sided tape.
    
13. And this is why you want to use an old credit card.
    

 

[Dragon]

Another great write up that needs to be added to the uberpost.

 

[Jim-C]

Thanks for posting this. Nice work.

 

[SirLotus]

Nice write up. The tricky part is getting it re-installed, those front tabs, by the cubby hole, need a lot of coaxing to get them in.
Michael

 

[Amarao]

Nice write up. The tricky part is getting it re-installed, those front tabs, by the cubby hole, need a lot of coaxing to get them in.
Michael

I just gave the front a good tap and it popped into place.

Also I added some 3M double-stick foam tape under the majority of the sill. In case anyone actually sat on the sill one day I wanted it to be properly supported. I figured the last thing I wanted is the sill cracking because someone put too much weight on it.

 

[uclacyc]

I'm going to write up the tutorial for the installation in a bit.

 

[uclacyc]

Done. See updated first post.

 

[Keeper]

Another great write up that needs to be added to the uberpost.

Done!

 

[Noizemaker]

Oh awesome!

I guess i know what that rattle in my passenger sill is now :rage:

and my driver's sill i got to take off tonight 'cause my door pin switch broke and i can't reset my cluster. Broke the switch getting it out, now I want the wire!

Never figured there were screws under the front!

 

[kestrel74]

Anyone get that credit card number ??? rotfl

 

[buzzy]

So the reason why I didn't include this in my dash removal instructions is that my sill's don't really break in 2 like you have in step 9. They are clipped together pretty securely and don't separate easily at all, even when removed from the car.

 

[jmmorford]

So the reason why I didn't include this in my dash removal instructions is that my sill's don't really break in 2 like you have in step 9. They are clipped together pretty securely and don't separate easily at all, even when removed from the car.

Right. My door sills snap very tightly to the dash piece above them (the one with the vents). They are very difficult to remove without also removing the upper dash piece, which is hard to remove with the door sill attached. Just as indicated by buzzy, mine are hard to separate even when both pieces are removed from the car.

That said, in the end force is the key. If I keep working the sill, pulling backward and pushing the front down, it will eventually pop free.

 

[Notorious]

Thanks. This explains a lot.

 

[David Craig]

About two months ago I started to hear an odd noise in my Elise.

When I turn one way and then the other, I hear something rolling back and forth. It seems to be a noise coming from behind the driver seat.

So far I've carefully checked under both seats and have removed the aluminum undertray. I've also inspected the diffuser area of the car.

I have not figured out yet where the noise is coming from.

I was thinking of removing the driver-side sill but based on this thread it seems a bit messy. I don't really want to peel tape and then buy new stuff.

So my question is this...is it likely that something could have gotten into the sill area and be rolling around?

Any other ideas of what I should check? For example is it easy to remove the plastic interior piece that holds the read speakers in place? Perhaps something fell in there.

 

[Dylan]

David Craig - these are good instructions, but it's really not as hard as it might seem when you write it up step by step. I also have an '09, and maybe because it's newer, that is, the glue isn't as old, the sills weren't stuck all that securely. It is tricky to realign the front tabs, but once you see how they are made, it's also fairly intuitive. After removing all the screws, just get the back end started, and pull straight up at the back, so that the front end moves mostly straight down, and disengages from the air vent surround. On the drivers side, you can remove the upper part too. On the passenger side, you'd have to remove the airbag cover because it overlaps the end panel.

I didn't remove any glue or tape from the chassis. There was some sticky tape on the bottom of the sills, and it came right off. I completely replaced my panels with Trim Shop items. There was plenty of glue and tape left, enough that the new one stuck right down, and I didn't even put the side screws back in (the Trim Shop panels didn't have the holes pre-cut through the leather, and it looks better without the screws anyway).

Removing the rear panel is harder, but mostly because it doesn't easily come out from behind the seats. I had both my seats out for other reasons, but it could be done with just one out - not sure if possible without taking any out. You have to remove those pesky plastic push fasteners, and the interior light, although that's easy to push out from behind if you can see the tabs that hold it in - and the speaker wires. Maybe the seat belt anchors, but I can't remember if that's necessary. You can remove the seats without completely disconnecting the belts, just watch the recoil

 

[SirLotus]

Removing the plastic sill trim does not give access into the sill.
Michael

 

[David Craig]

Thanks for the photo. That really clarifies things for me.

Anyways (fingers crossed) my daughter and I have removed a stone from the diffuser area of the car that I think may have been the culprit. It was big enough that it could not escape from under the heat shield on its own.

 

[darkSol]

Removing the plastic sill trim does not give access into the sill.
Michael

Hmmm I thought you had to get to this stage in order to unclip the rad/oil hoses from inside the sill... to remove the oil lines.

Perhaps not. :shrug:

 

[David Craig]

Removing the plastic sill trim does not give access into the sill.
Michael

But doesn't it allow access to the circled areas?

I'm looking for something that is loose. Perhaps something is loose in those areas?

 

[David Craig]

See the circled RED areas in the previous post.

Has anyone ever found anything rolling around inside those areas?

I'm thinking of removing my driver side sill this weekend to have a look.