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How do I remove the front bumper?

Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 1:45 pm
by Jimbob
The haynes makes this seem like a simple procedure but as far as I can see the bracket bolts that I need to remove are nigh on impossible to get access to without removing the front skirt first.

Do any of you experienced ones out there have any clues?

Appologies if I'm missing something obvious! :yup:

It's a mk2 by the way...

Jim

Re: How do I remove the front bumper?

Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 1:57 pm
by wasted
No need to remove the skirt; it's just two bolts on either side, inside the engine bay. I believe they're 13mm, and they go into the beams going the length of the engine bay. The brackets stay attached to the bumper as it's taken out.

For the offside one, they're easily accessible - look down to the left of the radiator on the inside of the beam.

On the nearside they're a little more hidden by the battery tray, but still easily accessible. Essentially a mirror image of the offside.

Once they're removed on both sides, the bumper slides - or more usually, falls - off.

Re: How do I remove the front bumper?

Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2011 1:52 pm
by Jimbob
wasted wrote:No need to remove the skirt; it's just two bolts on either side, inside the engine bay. I believe they're 13mm, and they go into the beams going the length of the engine bay. The brackets stay attached to the bumper as it's taken out.

For the offside one, they're easily accessible - look down to the left of the radiator on the inside of the beam.

On the nearside they're a little more hidden by the battery tray, but still easily accessible. Essentially a mirror image of the offside.

Once they're removed on both sides, the bumper slides - or more usually, falls - off.

Great thanks. I've located the bolts now and given them a liberal spray of lubricant in preparation for removal...

My problem was to take the haynes manual too literally, when it said 'working underneath the car locate the two bolts on the longitudinal beams' I took this to mean I needed to be underneath the car :scratch: , whereas, as you pointed out they stare straight up at you whilst looking down into the bay.

Next thing is to take it off and see what's causing it to droop(the back one is too follow), hopefully a simple solution but I'm not holding my breath...I have a tin of hammerite at the ready :hugegrin:

Re: How do I remove the front bumper?

Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2011 1:58 pm
by wasted
Yeah, never did quite understand why the Haynes suggests working underneath the car, but you can get to them that way too. It's just a lot easier working from the top of the engine bay.

If the bumper's drooping, you might find that just loosening the bolts off, lifting the bumper to horizontal, and retightening the bolts works - there's a certain amount of adjustability in the holes on the beam. When you're tightening things up, tighten the one nearest the front of the car first to hold the position of the bumper, and then the rear one to secure it.

Re: How do I remove the front bumper?

Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2011 3:07 pm
by Old Mac Rocco
there's a certain amount of adjustability in the holes on the beam.
Just check to make sure the holes haven't been attacked by our old enemy RUST and are bigger than they should be.
:bye:

Re: How do I remove the front bumper?

Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2011 5:58 pm
by Jimbob
Thanks for the pointers chaps :good: will probably get round to this tomorrow now all being well.

Re: How do I remove the front bumper?

Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2011 6:40 pm
by DT1
If you have foglights remember to take them off first.

Re: How do I remove the front bumper?

Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2011 3:57 pm
by ghost123uk
wasted wrote: If the bumper's drooping, you might find that just loosening the bolts off, lifting the bumper to horizontal, and retightening the bolts works - there's a certain amount of adjustability in the holes on the beam. When you're tightening things up, tighten the one nearest the front of the car first to hold the position of the bumper, and then the rear one to secure it.
Good point that, you often see Rocco's with the bumper not level and it does spoil the look of the car.

Ok Ok Gill, I am will do yours, tomorrow :roll:

Re: How do I remove the front bumper?

Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2011 2:34 pm
by Jimbob
My bumper is made of rust.

Re: How do I remove the front bumper?

Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2011 2:49 pm
by hiltow
I'm about to do a similar operation on my car but was interested in what wasted said:
When you're tightening things up, tighten the one nearest the front of the car first to hold the position of the bumper, and then the rear one to secure it.
My front bumper is fine and the alignment is spot-on as it left the factory (which I want to maintain). I want to do a bit of engine bay detailing and replace these four bumper securing bolts and washers.

To stop the bumper from moving, I was planning to undo / replace one bolt at a time, so that at any one time there are at least three tightened up and holding the bumper at any one time (i.e. one on the side you're working on and two on the opposite side).

I'm just a bit worried now that it will move when one of bolts is undone - is this what will happen or do both bolts on one side have to be undone before the alignement's lost?

(apologies for hijacking the thread a bit!)

Re: How do I remove the front bumper?

Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2011 3:10 pm
by wasted
As long as one's in, and good and tight, you should be fine. Just as a precaution, you could stand something under the bumper to prop it up.