Rear bumper removal

[mark387mw]

My rear bumper needs a bit of work to a small crack in the fibreglass and stress cracks in the paint so the best option is to remove it. I have a wedge bible somewhere in my packing boxes (just moved house). I tdon't know if the method to remove the bumper is in the bible, but I'll attempt to remove it tomorrow. Any top tips before I start, of how it comes off. It might be straight forward when I look but don't forget the 6P's - prior planning prevents piss poor performance.
It's a standard 1985 350i.
Cheers

[adam quantrill]

As I recall there are a couple of screws on each side either self-tappers or M6 clamping the sides up. But the main weight is taken by two M10 bolts captive in the bumper and going into the tub at the rear, and a whole load of heavy packing washers.

So you need to remove the side and rear boot linings to get at this stuff.

I removed most of my heavy washers and replaced with a lighter section of metal pipe to pack out the distance, you can save almost a kilo.

The side ones can be a pain to remove intact, best just to snap them off or saw through with a bare hacksaw blade - make a handle with some packing tape.

[jon haines]

Adam is right in every way. When I removed mine the screws in the sides were rusted to bits and not holding anything.

[mark387mw]

Thanks for the replies. I'll have a look. I'm thinking it would be better if I took it off rather than take to a bodyshop.
Time will tell...!

[KKson]

Bumper on 390SE is only held on with the main bolts. The edges flap a little in the breeze so need to sort that out as well.

[mark387mw]

In the end I let the bodyshop sort it all. It's back looking much better however the bumper has a larger gap than before. Maybe the needs of making it fit and possibly the gap is different from car to car. It's about a centimetre where before I'm sure there was no gap. I can't remember seeing the mounting points before.
Should I stop my OCD about it not being the same or are they all like that sir?
I'm not worried about the horizontal gap, more the distance between the body and bumper. The area at the wheel arch where they 'join' shows the difference. I'm talking panel gaps on a TVR!! I should leave it eh?

Before and after.





(The colours are the same, I lightened the 'after' photo to hopefully show the gap)

Edited by mark387mw on Friday 3rd June 07:00

Edited by mark387mw on Friday 3rd June 07:32

[adam quantrill]

They need to loosen the mounting bolts, push it up higher to close the gap, and tighten, should take no more than a half hour because you have to remove and replace the back boot lining too.