Fab Fours VC3900 User manual

Installation manual
ViCowl
Product number: VC3900
Application: 2019 GMC 1500

IMPORTANT SAFETY GUIDE | Your safety and the safety of others is very important.
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
In order to help you make informed decisions about safety, we have provided the following warnings,
safety precauons, installaon instrucons, and other important informaon to alert you to potenal
hazards that could hurt you or others.
Please do a job safety analysis before each task to idenfy potenal hazards for your situaon and
remove/protect against them. Use own good judgment and take your me. Check packaged materials
immediately upon arrival to ensure that all listed parts are included and undamaged.
Read and understand all warnings, safety precauons, and instrucons before installing this
product.
SENSORS FIELD OF VIEW WILL BE ALTERED WITH USE OF THE REPLACEMENT BUMPER.
• Failure to observe the following warnings and instrucons provided in this manual could lead to
severe injury and/or death.
• For professional installaon only. Careless installaon and/or operaon can result in serious injury,
death, and/or equipment damage. All liability for installaon and use rests with the user or consumer.
• Fab Fours, Inc. Only approves installing this product according to these wrien instrucons with the
hardware provided. Failure to install according to these instrucons will invalidate the warranty. This
includes, but is not limited to, using alternave installaon methods, hardware, or materials.
• This product is for o road use only.
WARNINGS
• Always remove jewelry and wear eye protecon.
• Always use extreme cauon when jacking up a vehicle for work. Set emergency brake and use re
blocks. Locate and use the vehicle manufacturers designated liing points. Use jack stands.
• Always use appropriate and adequate care in liing components into place.
• Always ensure components will remain secure during installaon and operaon.
• Always wear safety glasses when installing this kit. A drilling operaon will cause ying metal chips.
Flying chips can cause serious eye injury.
• Always use extreme cauon when drilling a vehicle. Always disconnect power before welding.
Thoroughly inspect the area to be drilled (on both sides of material when possible) prior to drilling,
and relocate any objects that may be damaged.
• Always use extreme cauon when welding a vehicle. Thoroughly inspect the area to be welded (on
both sides of material when possible) prior to welding, and relocate any objects that may be a re
hazard. When welding in a cab, make sure the interior surfaces are covered (e.g., welding blanket) and
a re exnguisher is at hand.
• Always use extreme cauon when cung and trimming during ng.
• Always ghten all nuts and bolts securely per installaon instrucons.
• Always route electrical cables carefully. Avoid moving parts, components that become hot, and
rough or sharp edges.
• Always insulate and protect all exposed wiring and electrical terminals.
• Perform regular inspecons and maintenance on mounts and hardware.

Table of contents
SAFETY / DISCLAIMER
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A MESSAGE FROM THE OWNER
GETTING STARTED
PROVIDED MATERIAL
DISASSEMBLY
HOOD HINGE INSTALLATION
HOOD INSTALLATION
VICOWL PREASSEMBLY
VICOWL INSTALLATION
CONTACT
2
3
4
5
6-7
8
10
13
14
16
19

A message from the owner
Fab Fours’ was born out of a passion for customizing vehicles and a love of the outdoors. Our
engineering team uses the latest 3D design soware to turn new product ideas into reality. In our
factory, designs come to life with the combinaon of cung edge technology for metal cung
and forming and an American workforce that puts it’s heart and pride into every product.
From design and manufacturing, to quality and delivery, Fab Fours’ mission is to be the market
leader for steel truck and jeep accessories. We make sure a quality product is delivered on me,
more than expected, beer than expected to our customers.
Enjoy your new Fab Fours product. Welcome to the family!
Greg Higgs
Founder, Fab Fours

5
Before you begin the installaon process of your new Fab Fours product, we suggest
laying out all materials and parts on a pad or protecve surface.
Failure to fully account for all components before beginning installaon may leave vehicle
immobile unl part is acquired. Refer to the next pages as an inventory check.
Getting started

Provided materials
50161-HW VC3900-IM
HW IM
61724
21766 21765
21743
21313
61723
21767
21771 21770
21768 21769
61720- QTY: 2

7
Hardware kit | 50161
• 3/16” Allen Wrench
• 7/23” Allen Wrench
• 9/16” Open end wrench
• 1/2” Open end wrench
• (2) 7/16” Open end wrench
• 3/8” Drive ratchet
• 3/8” Drive, 9” extension
• 3/8” Drive 9/16” socket
• 3/8” Drive, 1/2” socket
• 3/8” Drive, 13mm socket
• Scissors
• 1/4” Drill bit
• 3/8” Drill bit
• Painters tape
• Pen or pencil
• Knife
• Pick or small at head screwdriver
• Plasc panel pry bar
• 6” Ruler
TOOLS REQUIRED
Disassemble the vehicle where you
can catalog and store everything.
We suggest labeling and bagging all
the OEM bolts when removing from
the vehicle. Failure to keep track of
parts could lead to an inability to
properly reinstall components.
Organization
We recommend two people
perform the installaon as items
are heavy and may need to be held
in place while installing.
Installation
Fab Fours
Identification
Component
Description
QTY
50161- HW Oil-embedded thrust bearing 2
50161- HW Oil-embedded anged sleeve bearing 2
50161- HW Threadlocker, blue locte® 242, 0.02 oz. capsule 1
50161- HW 3/8"-16 x 1 1/4 ", yellow zinc, hex cap screw, grade 8 6
50161- HW 5/16”-18, Nylock hex nut 11
50161- HW 5/16”, stainless steel, at washer 11
50161- HW 5/16”-18 x 3/4", stainless steel, buon head cap screw 9
50161- HW 5/16", rubber bonded sealing washer 9
50161- HW 1/2”, yellow zinc, at washer, grade 8 2
50161- HW 17/32” drill bit with a 1/2” shank 1
50161- HW 3/8"- expandable inset tool 1
50161- HW 3/8"-16 X 3/4” stainless steel, buon head cap screw 10
50161- HW 3/8", rubber bonded sealing washer 10
50161- HW 3/8"-16, knurled Rivet Nut 4
50161- HW 10mm, stainless steel, ball stud, 5/16"-18 threads 2
50161- HW 3/8", yellow zinc, at washer, grade 8 10
50161- HW 3/8", yellow zinc, lock washer, grade 8 6
50161- HW 3/8"-16, yellow zinc, Nylock nut, grade 8 2
50161- HW 1/4”-20 x 1”, yellow zinc, hex cap screw, grade 8 2
50161- HW 1/4"-20, yellow zinc, hex nut, grade 8 2
50161- HW 1/4", yellow zinc, lock washer, grade 8 2
50161- HW 1/4", yellow zinc, at washer, grade 8 4

DISASSEMBLY
1. Apply a small amount of blue painter’s
tape across the hood and fender on both
driver and passenger side. Mark the tape
with a straight-line perpendicular with the
hood and fender body seam. Use a knife
to cut the tape along the hood and fender
seam.
Note: Step one is recommended to assist
you in realignment of the hood during
reassembly.
2. Loosen the four (4) OEM nuts on each
side that secure the hood to the upper hood
hinge bracket so they can be removed by
hand. (Figure 1)
3. Disconnect any electrical connecons
and washer uid lines if your vehicle is
equipped.
4. With assistance, remove the hood bolts
and remove the hood.
6. Remove the three (3) screws holding the
splash shield to the wheel well. (Figure 2,
#1)
Figure 1
Figure 2
5. Remove both the wiper cowl trim panel
from both the driver side and passenger
side by pulling out towards the center of the
windshield.
7. Remove the single bolt from the splash
shield. (Figure 2, #2)

9
8. Remove the splash shield from the fender
area and set aside for future reinstallaon.
9. Remove the eleven (11) wheel well liner
bolts. (Figure 3, #1)
10. Remove retainer from the wheel well liner.
(Figure 3, #2)
11. Remove the wheel well liner on both
sides of the vehicle and set aside for future
reinstallaon. (Figure 3, #3)
12. Using a small pick or screwdriver, pry out
on the metal spring clip (Figure 4, #2). Pull the
air spring head (Figure 4, #1) away from the
ball stud (Figure 4, #4) while the spring clip is
pulled away. Disconnect the air spring from the
bracket only and leave aached to frame rail.
Rotate forward out of the way.
Figure 5
Figure 4
13. Remove the two (2) lower hood hinge bolts.
(Figure 5, #1)
14. Remove the hood hinges from the fender area
and set aside as they won’t be used with this product.
Figure 3

2. Stack the 3/8”-16 Nylock nut on the at
washer and place over the brass bushing. Add
the brass thrust washer, followed by the lower
bracket, at washer and 3/8”-16 hex cap screw.
Tighten the Nylock nut making sure the thrust
washer does not pop out of the brass bushing.
(Figure 6)
1. Install the brass bushing into the upper hole
in the upper bracket. (Figure 6)
3. Fully assemble and ghten the driver side
hood hinge opposite of what is shown in
Figure 6.
4. Using a 7/16” wrench, install and fully ghten
the antenna to the passenger side bracket using
the 1/4”-20 yellow zinc hex cap screw, yellow
zinc at washer, yellow zinc at washer, yellow
zinc lock washer and yellow zinc hex nut bolt
stack provided in the hardware kit. (Figure 7)
Hood Hinge installation
Figure 6 (Passenger Side)
Figure 7

11
5. Insert the passenger side bracket where the
OEM bracket was removed.
6. Using the factory fender bolt, hand ghten
the front bracket mount. (Figure 8)
7. Install and hand ghten the two (2) factory
bracket bolts. (Figure 9)
8. Using a ruler, set the height of the upper hole
1-1/16” above the closest poron of the fender
prole. (Figure 10)
9. Using either an open-end wrench or ratchet,
fully ghten the lower two bolts, then the front
fender bolt.
Figure 8
Figure 9
Figure 10

11. The antenna is intended to be a snug t
between the fender and bracket. Once fully
installed, it should look like Figure 12.
Figure 12
10. Using a 1/2” open ended wrench and
1/2” socket/ratchet, install the ball joint, at
washer and M8 Nylock nut from the provided
hardware kit. Snap the OEM air spring to the
ball stud on the upper bracket. (Figure 6, Figure
11)
Figure 11
12. Repeat the same steps for the driver side
bracket except the antenna installaon.

13
Hood installation
1. With assistance, li the hood onto the upper
bracket of the hood brackets and hand ghten the
four (4) factory nuts.
2. Align the upper bracket with the missing paint
marks made under the hood from the factory
brackets.
5. Fully raise hood and reconnect the gas assist
springs on the ball joint on the hinge upper arm.
Note: Be mindful of how high you raise the hood
while making adjustments to alignment. It is possible
that the hood will shi without your knowledge if
hood is raised too high.
Figure 13
3. Lower the hood slowly and check for uniform
hood gap and alignment of lines on blue tape made
during the disassembly of the OEM hinges. Adjust
as needed. (Figure 13)
4. Slowly raise the hood just enough to reach in
with a 13mm socket and ratchet and fully ghten
down the four factory bolts securing the hood.

vicowl preassembly
1. Install and hand ghten the rubber bumpers and
1/2” at washers to the visor. (Figure 14)
Note: The rubber bonded washer is used on the
outside surface of the visor to reduce any powder
coat wear marks that would be created using
at washers and visible if bolts are moved due to
reassembly of visor with light insert.
2. Using a 3/16” Allen wrench and 1/2” socket/
ratchet, install and ghten the visor trim (or light
insert if purchased) into the back of the visor using
the nine (9) 5/16”-18 bolts, rubber bonded washer,
at washer, and 5/16”-18 Nylock nut provided in
the hardware kit. The bolt stack starts from the
outside and nishes with the nut on the inside.
(Figure 15)
Note: It’s highly recommended that all weld nuts are
chased with the appropriate taps to clean out any
powder coat or foreign debris prior to assembly. Tap
sizes needed to do this are 1/2”-13 and 3/8"-16.
.
Note: bolt stacks with a rubber bonded washer will
never feel fully ght. Tighten the bolt just enough
before the rubber squeezes out.
3. From the bulk strip of 1” wide neoprene rubber
strip, cut and install the three (3) strips to the inside
of both arms. (Figure 16)
Note: leave about a 1/8” reveal on the edge of the
arms. This will ensure the rubber strip doesn’t shi or
show aer installaon. There will be extra material.
Figure 14
Figure 15
Figure 16

15
5. Install the edge trim with adhesive onto the leading
edge of the Cowl. (Figure 18)
Note: Do not stretch the seal as you apply it to the
Cowl. Doing so may cause the seal to pull away from
the sheet metal in the future.
6. The edge seal should terminate at the hook of
the Cowl on each end.
4. Loosely install both ViCowl arms to the visor
using the six (6) 3/8”-16 yellow zinc, hex cap
screws and rubber bonded washers provided in the
hardware kit. (Figure 17)
7. Trim the edge seal for t and nish. (Figure 19)
Figure 14
Figure 17
Figure 18
Figure 19

vicowl installation
4. Mark the Rivnut hole locaon on both driver and
passenger fenders before removing the ViCowl for
drilling. (Figure 21)
Note: A high degree of accuracy is needed when
marking the Rivnut locaons. Hold the arm ght to
fender if needed while marking. The Rivnuts constute
a majority percentage of the mounng strength of
the upper ViCowl to the vehicle. A hole center punch
is recommended followed by incremental pilot holes
to the nish hole size of the included 17/32” drill bit.
You will have trouble lining up bolt holes if Rivnuts are
misplaced.
2. Loosely install the 3/8”-16 yellow zinc, hex cap
screw, yellow zinc lock washer and yellow zinc at
washer through the lower hinge bracket and into
the arm securing the ViCowl from falling lower on
the vehicle. (Figure 20)
1. With assistance, li the upper ViCowl assembly
up over the hood and slowly lower the arms into
posion. The arm mounng bracket should rest to
the outside of the lower hinge and line up with the
rear bolt hole.
3. Check for t and fully ghten down both arms to
the hinge brackets.
6. Use the 1/8” drill bit to drill pilot holes in each
of the marked locaons. Then use a 3/8” drill bit to
drill a bigger hole. Drill directly perpendicular to the
side of the fender. (Figure 22)
5. Remove the upper ViCowl assembly in
preparaon to drill and install the four (4) Rivnuts
in the fenders.
Figure 20
Figure 21
Figure 22

17
8. With the expendable tool threaded into the
Rivnut, insert it into one of the holes making
sure that it ts in far enough to ush the collar
of the Rivnut to fender panel. For an exceponal
installaon coat the knurls of the Rivnut with
Locte.
7. Fully dill out the holes with the 17/32” drill bit.
(Figure 23)
9. Place the 9/16” box end wrench on the body
of the expendable tool and the 9/16” socket and
ratchet on the bolt head on the back side of the
tool. (Figure 24)
10. Tighten the bolt into the Rivnut unl it becomes
snug in the fender panel. DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN
CAUSING THE INSERT TO SPIN!
11. Repeat steps 6-10 to drill the remaining Rivnut
hole locaons marked on the vehicle.
Figure 23
Figure 24
13. Using a 7/32” Allen wrench, install the 3/8”-
16 buon head bolts and rubber bonded washers
using Locte. (Figure 25)
12. With assistance, reinstall the upper ViCowl
using steps 1-3 of the ViCowl installaon secon.
Figure 25
14. Using an extension and 9/16” socket/ratchet,
fully ghten the 3/8” yellow zinc hex screw used to
ghten the arm to the bracket.

17. Loosely install the four (4) 3/8”-16 bolts, at
washers and lock washers into the Cowl on both
passenger and driver side. (Figure 26)
16. With assistance, lower the Cowl up on the
mounng surface of the arms. The Cowl mounng
surface goes to the outside of the bracket mounng
surface.
16. Using a plasc panel pry bar, insert the pry bar
under the Cowl and on top of the arm to maintain a
symmetrical gap on each arm. (Figure 27)
Note: An 1/8” gap is required on both sides to
prevent rubbing the Cowl and the arm together and
causing damage.
17. Push down the front of the Cowl closing any gap
that may be between the hood and the edge trim
of the Cowl. Fully ghten down the front and back
bolts.
Note: We recommend using an impact driver, long
extension, and swivel to make ghten down of the
Cowl hardware.
19. Repeat steps 16-18 for the opposite side of the
vehicle.
18. Remove the plasc panel pry bar.
20. Once the ViCowl is fully installed, reinstall the
well liners and splash guard.
Figure 26
Figure 27
15. Check for symmetry of the visor and both arms.
Using a 7/32” Allen Wrench, fully ghten the six (6)
3/8” stainless steel buon head screws with rubber
washers.

19
Fab Fours Inc.
2213 Industrial Park Road
Lancaster, SC 29720
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
fabfours.com
Contact information

“If you’re looking for more of the same,
then you’ve come to the wrong place.”
- Greg Higgs