How to install Lambo Doors on a Toyota 86, Scion FRS and Subaru BRZ

Start here: This guide explains how to install a Vertical Doors, Inc. door conversion kit on the related Toyota 86, Toyota FT86/GT86, Scion FR-S, and Subaru BRZ platform. It also identifies the separate 2022-2026 Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ kits that may use the shared manual as reference material only. The page combines the 13-page VDI manual, vehicle and part-number checks, installation videos, required tools, model-specific preparation, shock-warranty steps, wiring protection, alignment, trimming, and final operation checks.

Why use this page?

Use this page to choose the correct VDI kit, understand which vehicles share the manual, review the listed components and tools, watch real-world installation videos, follow the sequence in the April 26, 2022 VDI manual, complete the warranty-critical shock steps, and find installation support. The PDF supplied with the exact kit remains the controlling source for photographs, hardware locations, cut lines, and adjustment points.

Before installing a Toyota 86, Scion FR-S or Subaru BRZ kit

• Confirm the exact vehicle, model year, market name, and VDI part number before removing any component.
• Read the complete 13-page VDI PDF before beginning.
• For a 2022-2026 Toyota GR86 or Subaru BRZ, treat this shared manual as reference material only and follow the instructions supplied with VDCTOY8622 or VDCSUBBRZ22.
• Watch the applicable videos from beginning to end as visual companions to the manual.
• Work on a clean, level, well-lit surface and protect the fender, door, bumper, glass, trim, wheel, and interior.
• Follow the correct Toyota, Scion, or Subaru service procedure for battery disconnection and factory-panel, light, speaker, wiring, and connector removal.
• Have an experienced helper available to support the door during hinge, alignment, and shock work.
• Photograph, mark, and measure the original upper and lower door gaps, door-to-body distance, and latch-to-striker relationship.
• Organize removed fasteners by panel and location.

Toyota 86, Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ installation videos

These videos were created by the credited customers and creators. They provide useful real-world views of installations on this vehicle family, but they do not replace the official PDF, supplied hardware, instructions packaged with the exact kit, or VDI technical support.

Components listed in the shared manual

Before beginning, compare the supplied components with the official manual and the contents of the genuine VDI kit. Contact Vertical Doors, Inc. if anything is missing or does not match.

• One driver-side and one passenger-side VDI hinge assembly
• Two gas shocks
• Two shoulder bolts
• Two retaining pins
• Four M8-1.25 x 40 mm bolts with washers
• Four M8-1.25 x 80 mm bolts with washers

Tools and materials listed for installation

Additional tools may be required for a particular vehicle, trim, model year, or prior modification. Use an installer experienced with automotive body panels, wiring, supporting and aligning doors, cutting, grinding, and clearance checks.

Toyota 86, Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ installation instructions

This crawlable overview follows the sequence in the shared VDI manual revised April 26, 2022. Use the PDF photographs and diagrams to identify the exact fasteners, body section, harness route, adjustment points, shock orientation, and fender cut line.

1. Disconnect the battery

Complete the correct factory battery-disconnection procedure before releasing door wiring, removing electrical components, or working around the hinge area.

2. Protect the vehicle and remove the front fender

Protect the door edge, fender edge, bumper, wheel, and nearby painted surfaces with painter's tape and suitable covers. Open the hood and remove the upper fender fasteners. Remove the wheel-well fasteners and the side-marker light as shown in the manual.

Pull the wheel-well liner back near the front-bumper-to-fender joint to reach the fasteners. Gently pull the bumper forward enough to remove the remaining fender bolts. Open the door and use a long extension to remove the upper and lower door-jamb fender bolts, then remove the lower fender fasteners and carefully remove the fender.

3. Release and remove the factory door check

Remove the door-check bolts while the fender area is open and allow the check to move inside the door temporarily. Remove the door panel and speaker as shown in the PDF, then remove the door check from inside the door.

4. Modify the illustrated protruding body section

Cut only the small protruding metal section identified in the manual. After making the cut, use the illustrated procedure to flatten the remaining section so the VDI hinge can seat correctly. Protect nearby paint, wiring, glass, trim, and interior surfaces from cutting and grinding debris.

5. Obtain and protect the required wire-harness movement

With the door panel and speaker removed, release the factory clips and harness tape identified in the manual. Move as much existing harness slack as possible toward the front of the door. Wrap and secure the harness with non-friction automotive harness tape and small zip ties.

The harness must not be stretched, pinched, scraped against a sharp edge, or routed through the moving hinge. Do not cut the factory wires. If the available movement is insufficient, stop and contact VDI before altering the harness.

6. Reassemble the door interior, then mark and secure the factory door position

After the door check is removed, the harness is secured, and the speaker is reinstalled, replace the door panel as directed in the manual.

Before loosening the factory hinges, mark the exact factory door position. Use painter's tape to mark the door on the horizontal and vertical planes. Measure and record the distance between the body and the upper and lower front edges of the door. Photograph the gaps and latch-to-striker relationship.

Secure the closed door in its recorded position with protected spacers, supports, painter's tape, and an experienced helper. These reference marks are essential if the door moves after the factory hinges are loosened.

7. Modify the factory wire boot - not the wires

Cut the factory rubber wire boot in half only at the location shown in the PDF. Cut the boot, not the electrical wires. Protect the exposed harness with non-friction automotive harness tape, then use zip ties to secure the two boot halves around the protected harness.

8. Remove the factory hinges and install the correct VDI hinge

Confirm that the door is fully supported and all alignment references remain visible. Remove the factory hinge hardware, then install the correct driver- or passenger-side VDI hinge at the factory mounting locations with the assigned hardware.

Follow the recorded factory door position. The manual instructs the installer to tighten the hinge bolts on the door first and then tighten the bolts on the body. Confirm that the mounting surface is flat and the hinge is seated correctly before adjustment.

Important installation and warranty step

9. Prepare and protect the VDI gas shocks

Do not skip these steps. The VDI manual states that correct lubrication, red threadlocker application, and shock protection are required during installation. Failure to complete these steps voids applicable warranty coverage and may cause future operation problems.

Grease and apply red threadlocker

1. Apply grease to the smooth body of the shoulder bolt.
2. Apply red threadlocker to the shoulder-bolt threads.
3. Apply grease to the bottom contact surface of the shock end.

Protect the shock body and shaft

Warranty warning: Do not use pliers or other gripping tools on the shock body or shaft.

Do not scratch, paint, coat, or place foreign material on the shock body or shaft. Tool marks and surface contamination void applicable shock warranty coverage.

10. Restore horizontal alignment and install the gas shock

Use adjustment nut #1 and Allen set screw #2 shown in the manual. Bring the set screw into contact with the stop, then open and close the door while adjusting until the latch meets the striker correctly and the recorded factory gaps are restored. Leave nut #1 loose until the shock is installed because the alignment must be checked and fine-tuned again.

Have a helper raise and fully support the door. Slip the shock rod mount into the spherical bearing identified as position #1 in the PDF. Install the shoulder bolt into the swing arm at position #2, then secure the bottom shock end with the retaining pin at position #3. Never rely on a loose or partially installed shock to support the door.

11. Set the vertical opening, fine-tune alignment, and lubricate the hinge

Raise the door and adjust opening screw #3 clockwise until the distance between the nub and swing arm allows the swing arm to move vertically without binding. Fine-tune set screw #2 so the door returns to the striker correctly.

Cycle the door outward, upward, downward, and closed several times. Add grease to the nub and swing-arm contact points and all zerk fittings identified in the manual. Do not reinstall the fender until the door alignment is accurate, the set screw is secured, and all specified hardware, lubrication, and threadlocker steps are complete.

12. Trim the hidden fender lip, protect the cut edge, and reassemble

Trim only the non-visible fender lip identified by the cut line in the PDF so the VDI hinge can swing freely. Cut only as much as required for clearance. Sand or grind the finished surface flat and smooth, then apply touch-up paint to the exposed edge to help prevent corrosion and leave a finished appearance.

After alignment and clearance are correct, close the door and reinstall the fender by reversing the removal sequence. Confirm that no electrical wire can be pinched or damaged. Repeat the complete installation, adjustment, lubrication, trimming, and inspection procedure on the opposite side.

Final operation and safety checks

• The vehicle, model year, market name, and installed VDI part number have been confirmed.
• For a 2022-2026 GR86 or BRZ, the instructions supplied with VDCTOY8622 or VDCSUBBRZ22 were followed.
• Each door opens outward to the VDI stopping point before it is raised.
• Each latch meets its striker without slamming, lifting, dropping, or forcing the door.
• The closed-door alignment and panel gaps match the recorded factory position.
• The hinge, shock, harness, wire boot, door, fender, bumper, side marker, wheel-well liner, speaker, and trim remain clear through the full movement.
• No wire is cut, stretched, pinched, exposed to a sharp edge, or routed through a moving hinge joint.
• All specified bolts, adjustment nuts, set screws, shoulder bolts, retaining pins, and zerk fittings are secure.
• The shoulder bolt, shock-end contact surfaces, hinge contact points, and zerk fittings are lubricated as directed.
• No tool marks, paint, scratches, coatings, or foreign material are present on either shock body or shaft.
• The fender cut edge is smooth and protected with touch-up paint.
• Every electrical function and light disconnected during installation works normally.
• Both doors have been cycled repeatedly and checked independently before the vehicle is driven.

Official Toyota 86, Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ PDF instructions

Read the complete 13-page manual before starting and keep it available throughout the installation. This webpage makes the major steps easier to find and adds current fitment separation, videos, support links, and maintenance information, but it does not replace the PDF photographs, diagrams, cut line, hardware locations, adjustment points, or instructions packaged with the exact kit.

Open the official Toyota 86 / Scion FR-S / Subaru BRZ instructions, revised April 26, 2022 (PDF)

Toyota 86, Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ installation FAQ

Do the Toyota 86, Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ use the same installation manual?

Yes. VDI's April 26, 2022 manual combines the related Toyota 86/FT86/GT86, Scion FR-S, and Subaru BRZ applications. Always confirm the correct vehicle-specific part number and follow the instructions supplied with the exact kit.

Does this manual apply to a 2022-2026 Toyota GR86 or Subaru BRZ?

Use it as reference material only. The 2022-2026 Toyota GR86 uses VDCTOY8622, and the 2022-2026 Subaru BRZ uses VDCSUBBRZ22. Follow the instructions supplied with the exact kit whenever they differ from this shared reference.

Which VDI part numbers are linked from this guide?

The linked products are VDCSCFRS2013 for the 2013-2016 Scion FR-S, VDCTOY8617 for the 2017-2021 Toyota 86, VDCSUBBRZ12 for the 2012-2021 Subaru BRZ, VDCTOY8622 for the 2022-2026 Toyota GR86, and VDCSUBBRZ22 for the 2022-2026 Subaru BRZ.

Does the VDI conversion replace the factory doors?

No. The conversion retains the two factory front doors and replaces the factory hinge assemblies with the correct VDI hinge assemblies.

Why must I mark the original door position?

The marks, photographs, and measurements provide a reference if the door moves when the factory hinges are loosened. They help the installer restore the original gaps and latch-to-striker relationship before setting the vertical movement.

Do I cut the factory wires?

No. The shared manual instructs the installer to obtain harness slack, cut only the rubber wire boot, protect the exposed harness with non-friction tape, and secure the boot halves with zip ties. Do not cut the electrical wires.

Does a bolt-on 86/FR-S/BRZ kit require cutting or trimming?

Yes. The shared manual identifies a small protruding body section that must be cut and flattened so the hinge can seat correctly. It also requires trimming the non-visible fender lip so the hinge can swing, smoothing the cut edge, and applying touch-up paint.

Can the customer videos replace the official VDI manual?

No. The videos provide useful real-world views, but the official PDF and the instructions packaged with the exact kit control the applicable components, hardware locations, wiring work, cut areas, adjustment points, shock preparation, and clearance procedure.

Installation help and related links

For help with a genuine VDI kit, have the vehicle year, market/model name, part number, proof of purchase, clear photographs, and a short video of the question ready.

• Shop Toyota 86, Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ kits
• View the 2013-2016 Scion FR-S kit - VDCSCFRS2013
• View the 2017-2021 Toyota 86 kit - VDCTOY8617
• View the 2012-2021 Subaru BRZ kit - VDCSUBBRZ12
• View the 2022-2026 Toyota GR86 kit - VDCTOY8622
• View the 2022-2026 Subaru BRZ kit - VDCSUBBRZ22
• Main Vertical Doors, Inc. installation guide
• Vertical Doors, Inc. Tech Tips
• Find a Vertical Doors, Inc. dealer or installer
• Contact Vertical Doors, Inc.
• Call Vertical Doors, Inc. at 951-245-8669
• Email sales@verticaldoors.com