poor fitting front bumper

[newaccorddriver]

im on the final stretch of finishing up my accord. asides from a few small issues within the engine bay, im focusing on the outside of the car now, specifically the front bumper.


i tried to fit it on with some serious bad luck. elijahs old accord which i bought is an 89, and my old bumpers are an 86(long story short, his old bumpers got tossed). the big issue that i am currently having is that i cant seem to get it to fit 'right'. when its fully mounted, it seems as if both the sides are hanging considerably lower then they are supposed to be leaving a huge gap between the bumpers edge and the fenders. is there any way around fixing this gap?

i tried lifting the entire bumper and tightening the bolts that hold it down, but that doesnt seem to work as the 'slack' on the mounts bring it back down. i then tried to screw on the 2 side things with the bumper bolted in place, and even them, it didnt look right. i then looked at the side mounts for the bumper themselves, and although they had some slack within and hung a bit low, there really isnt a way i was able to bring it back up.


anyone have any suggestions as to why the sides are hanging quite a bit lower then they should be? also, is there an easier way for a single person to install the bumper? i can only seem to get one side on with ease while fighting the other side.

[A18A]

are you sliding the side mounts on properly?

i install my bumpers by myself, normally loosely putting in a bolt on one side and lining the other side up properly and bolting that side in properly, then doing the other side

[lostforawhile]

one thing that will help, at least on the front, the front bumper mounts come apart, i fit a large washer in the top and bottom of each one before reassembly, this takes out the slack from the worn out rubber mounts. do you have pictures? that would help a lot,

[Dr_Snooz]

Body work is like that. You get to fiddle and fart for days on end trying to get it right. Even in the factory they have trouble (or at least they used to). If the door didn't fit right, they'd put a block of wood in it and slam it closed to bend it, etc. etc.

You'll have to move mounts around, shim and shave to get it perfect.

Have fun.

[lostforawhile]

Body work is like that. You get to fiddle and fart for days on end trying to get it right. Even in the factory they have trouble (or at least they used to). If the door didn't fit right, they'd put a block of wood in it and slam it closed to bend it, etc. etc.

You'll have to move mounts around, shim and shave to get it perfect.

Have fun.

the bumper should go on pretty straight, it sounds like it's off the pins it slides on at the sides and the front mounts are worn out, once the mounts are shimmed, the sides will line up much better

[newaccorddriver]

the bumper should go on pretty straight, it sounds like it's off the pins it slides on at the sides and the front mounts are worn out, once the mounts are shimmed, the sides will line up much better

you are partially right. i took apart the front mounts, and noticed that the rubber within the mount completely deteriorated to a point where the metal piece popped right out with next to no force. that would explain why i was able to move the bumper into the 'right' place, but still not be able to get it to stay there once tightened. i dont think any amount of shimming would have solved that problem.

as far as the sliding mounts on the side goes, one side protrudes about a quarter inch farther out then the fender while the other side fits flush. i think it will be meeting a hammer pretty soon


i have pictures on my phone, but i have a cheap phone, no data plan, or ability to text pictures to anything, so im kinda hooped for posting pictures until i get a new camera.

[carotman]

These rubber mounts definitely sag over time. It's time to buy new ones!

[Dr_Snooz]

A few washers at the outside bolts holding the bumper cover on will bring the corners up nicely. Please don't beat on the side mounts. They are adjustable.

[lostforawhile]

has anyone thought of shimming the center of the mounts with washers and using that stuff people were using to make motor mounts solid to fix them in place?

[A18A]

i used solid bumper mounts from a lower spec accord lol

[newaccorddriver]

went to the junkers and picked up some parts for the accord. i reinstalled the front bumper, and it fits together much better now, but still not perfect. its still hanging a bit low which i can deal with as the splash shield isnt installed yet and bolted up to it yet. the passenger side fits very nicely. the drivers side on the other hand, i checked to make sure it was sitting on the slide, and it was. its still poking outwards by alot for some reason, but i guess i can deal with it until its on the road, then pay a body man to fix it

[charliekuney]

Did you have someone holding it up when you bolted it on? Mine sagged from a fender-bender but I had my dad hold the bumper up as far as he could while I screwed in the bolts and it sits flush now.

[newaccorddriver]

Did you have someone holding it up when you bolted it on? Mine sagged from a fender-bender but I had my dad hold the bumper up as far as he could while I screwed in the bolts and it sits flush now.

i lifted it as i tightened the bolts, still sagging downwards. i think im gonna try and stuff some washers under the mounts to see if that helps it a bit

[CzEcHy]

i lifted it as i tightened the bolts, still sagging downwards. i think im gonna try and stuff some washers under the mounts to see if that helps it a bit

Think of it as not helping a bit, but fixing it completely.

Washers underneath will defiantly fix the problem, fixed mine and mine sagged and inch atleast.

[lostforawhile]

Think of it as not helping a bit, but fixing it completely.

Washers underneath will defiantly fix the problem, fixed mine and mine sagged and inch atleast.

yea the rubber mounts sag really bad the washers shim it right back up, why they used rubber mounts like that, I have no idea, it's behind the steel inner bumper. I may machine myself some out of solid aluminum block

[CzEcHy]

yea the rubber mounts sag really bad the washers shim it right back up, why they used rubber mounts like that, I have no idea, it's behind the steel inner bumper. I may machine myself some out of solid aluminum block


I'd buy some. Washers sound so "ghetto-rigged".

[lostforawhile]

I'd buy some. Washers sound so "ghetto-rigged".

they aren't at all, you are talking about large heavy fender washers, inside of the mount itself

[Dr_Snooz]

the drivers side on the other hand, i checked to make sure it was sitting on the slide, and it was. its still poking outwards by alot for some reason, but i guess i can deal with it until its on the road, then pay a body man to fix it

Are you really going to pay a body guy to turn a screw? :huh:

If you own a Phillips screwdriver, just adjust it.