Can someone walk me through front bumper removal....any tricks? Can one person do it or is it a two man job? starting tomorrow afternoon...... :cry

 

This is not a bad job, really. Going from memory, I'll try to walk you through it.

I removed the hood first. I don't know how you can possibly get the 10mm fasteners out of the top of the bumper without removing it or risk scratching it. Trace around your four hood bolts with a paint marker before removing them to make putting it back on easier.

Next, remove all the 10mm fasteners from the top of the bumper. Remove the two 10mm screws and the pan head torx screws at the front of each wheel well. Remove the 7mm nuts on top of the sides of the front bumper and the side marker lights. You will have to disconnect some wiring connectors and/or wire loom clamps.

Next, roll under the car and remove the 7mm screws at the back of the bumper cover near the radiator. There are several more at each of the two rails designed to prevent curb damage.

Remove the screws holding the outside air dam deflectors in place. It is easier if you have someone up top to hold a nut driver on the nut while you turn the torx screw from below.

Now you should be able to pull the top of the bumper cover over the metal rienforcement and work it free from the car. Be gentle, as the flexing could cause your paint to crack.

When reinstalling the hood, another trick to getting it lined up is to remove the top wheel wells from the hood. This will allow you to close the hood and tighten the bolts right where the hood needs to be. Good luck.

 

Thanks for the advice; now: anyone want to help this weekend? :rolleyes:

 

Sure, bring the car over to my shop in Chandler, AZ this weekend. Its not far from Minnesota, right? Seriously though, I thought of something else last night. If you do end up taking the upper wheel wells out to set your hood adjustment, make sure to remove the small hydraulic struts from the hinges, as that will allow the hinges to move freely into the position they need to be in when the hood is closed.

 

Actually I could take you up on that offer. I'd like to replace my road blasted fog light lenses with new ones. :D

 

Follow-up: This morning I started on the job: it was 42 degrees out. I got the top of the bumper off without taking off the hood! All it took was an offset box end wrench and some patience. Also, once I got them part-way out, a box end gearwrench finished them off. It is now all apart. I took off the eggcrate and cleaned the sand out of it and reinstalled it.

The front spoiler is very chewed up so I am going to hold off on front bumper installation until I get a new spoiler: will order Monday morning. Thanks to all for your advice. By the way, if you haven't ever taken off the bumper, don't look too close at yours. If it's anything like mine it will probably make you cry...