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Saggy bumper, crash damage?

Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2021 4:40 pm
by frlrubett
Had a saggy bumper for as long as I have had the car and because its an easy fix, never bothered to do it. Decided to loosen the bolts today and get it sorted. Nothing I tried could get the right hand side of the bumper to sit flush with the headlights so I ended up removing the bumper completely to have a look.

This is what I found.

https://ibb.co/XtxLHhM

The metal behind is bent and its not pushing the bumper plastic correctly up which is causes this issue. New bumper of could someone recommend a fix?

Re: Saggy bumper, crash damage?

Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2021 8:54 pm
by mark1gls
You can remove the metal part of the bumper from the plastic cover if it’s easier to bash it with a bigger hammer than in your picture to get it back into shape or you may need a new/old bumper which is straight, you may find your plastic is cover is better or worse than a new/old one so worth holding onto for the moment.

Re: Saggy bumper, crash damage?

Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2021 9:36 pm
by frlrubett
mark1gls wrote: Sat Feb 06, 2021 8:54 pm You can remove the metal part of the bumper from the plastic cover if it’s easier to bash it with a bigger hammer than in your picture to get it back into shape or you may need a new/old bumper which is straight, you may find your plastic is cover is better or worse than a new/old one so worth holding onto for the moment.
Isn't removing the plastic bit a dog of a job?

Re: Saggy bumper, crash damage?

Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2021 9:23 am
by Kdc169
is the metal rotten? thats the hard part to find.

the way plastic is held on is with wedges, remove wedges and the compress tabs the plastic will come away from the iron/steel. try a bit of hot air to soften them as they will be brittle. I got a better steel/iron from joost.. reattached all parts hot glued areas where tabs was damaged. now i need to paint.. if i ever get round to it.

Re: Saggy bumper, crash damage?

Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2021 9:33 am
by frlrubett
The metal is good, I have just read one of there guides to removal on here. Every time I solve a problem a new one arises, so this is on the never ending list!

Re: Saggy bumper, crash damage?

Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2021 9:44 am
by Kdc169

Re: Saggy bumper, crash damage?

Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2021 1:25 pm
by mark1gls
If it was me I would wait until we get a nice hot sunny day as it will be easier to squash the plastic tabs to remove the plastic cover.

Re: Saggy bumper, crash damage?

Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2021 11:01 pm
by DannyH
I have to admire your optimism Mark!

Re: Saggy bumper, crash damage?

Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2021 7:58 am
by Kdc169
DannyH wrote: Sun Feb 07, 2021 11:01 pm I have to admire your optimism Mark!
lol yes defo need more sun than feb/march heat gun or boiling water maybe. sadly it brittle, its 30yr old plastic... it may end up in oceans and land fills, but only crumbles to smaller parts.

Re: Saggy bumper, crash damage?

Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2021 8:21 am
by frlrubett
And I wake up to snow today.... brilliant.

Re: Saggy bumper, crash damage?

Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2021 8:53 pm
by C 20 CCO
One problem at a time, that’s the vw way :dash: