When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Before I dig any further, what do you all think about this damage?
I was hoping it was just bumper cover (which I just learned is a cover and not the actual bumper ) and fender. I was going to go to pick-n-pull and replace them.
Then I dug deeper and found the metal bumper is damaged, and the mounts for it are as well. I almost took it off, but I realized I probably wont be able to get it back on so I need to make sure.
About how much do you think a shop would charge just to fix the bumper mount?
Is it maybe possible I could bend it back close enough to fit a new bumper, with limited hand tools?
It didn't look that bad at first: https://i.imgur.com/EWprmHX.jpg
His car... https://i.imgur.com/0c1mxPE.jpg
(if you're wondering, this dumbass in front of me slammed on his brakes the instant the light turned yellow. And this dumbass *points at self* was going too fast in the rain to stop fast enough.)
Last edited by TheYonderGod; 02-08-2017 at 04:21 PM.
Considering those are the ends of the front subframe, you probably should dig around a bit more and examine the rest of the frame rails for damage. Specifically I'd be looking all along the frame rails back to the firewall, along the inner fenders, etc for signs of collapsed crush zones. You exceeded the shock absorbing capability of the front bumper, so it's possible you have more serious damage.
Got an old tree? Plenty of backyard mechanics have pulled damage like that far enough back out to bolt a salvaged replacement part in place. You'd be surprised what you can pull by chaining a frame rail to a tree and hitting the gas lightly in reverse. Trouble is the integrity of the structure is compromised. The next accident like that may not absorb the hit as well as it did this time. Also steel doesn't really like being bent. You could pull the damage out and the steel may creep back towards the damage.
Seeing as how it's a V6, the cost of a proper repair is probably going to exceed the car's value.
Considering those are the ends of the front subframe, you probably should dig around a bit more and examine the rest of the frame rails for damage. Specifically I'd be looking all along the frame rails back to the firewall, along the inner fenders, etc for signs of collapsed crush zones. You exceeded the shock absorbing capability of the front bumper, so it's possible you have more serious damage.
Got an old tree? Plenty of backyard mechanics have pulled damage like that far enough back out to bolt a salvaged replacement part in place. You'd be surprised what you can pull by chaining a frame rail to a tree and hitting the gas lightly in reverse. Trouble is the integrity of the structure is compromised. The next accident like that may not absorb the hit as well as it did this time. Also steel doesn't really like being bent. You could pull the damage out and the steel may creep back towards the damage.
Seeing as how it's a V6, the cost of a proper repair is probably going to exceed the car's value.
I looked around, I don't see anything else that looks crushed or bent, but I'm clearly no expert.
The weather is so terrible right now. I'm going to try the chain around a tree eventually when it stops raining. Heat would help the steel keep its shape, right?
Yeah, I'm sure it will cost to much for a proper repair. Do shops usually do free inspections though? I'm probably going to have to sell the car. Of course I'll tell the buyer what happened and that I fixed it myself, but an inspection might help.
Originally Posted by no new tires
Why didn't you swerve around him, that what I do when I encounter dumb asses.
Let me know how that goes when there's other cars all around you.
Depending on the damage you may have to section it back together from a donor car, these cars don't take hard impact well. That's why you don't see much of them on the road anymore... I had a guy cut the whole front end all the way up to the shock towers on a wrecked gta I was parting out years ago to fix his formula. I thought it was crazy but it worked.
Pulled the bumper out a bit with a chain around a tree. The problem is that it needs to go more up than out. I tried jacking it up, but just lifted the whole car.
I just realized my little sister is in shop class (I wish I took that opportunity when I had it) and they are learning how to weld, so we can take it there and work on it
Is there a better way other than a hack saw to get new brackets from pick-n-pull? (I'm pretty sure they don't allow power tools)
OR would it be easier or cheaper to just make a new bumper, like this: Source:
OR would it be easier or cheaper to just make a new bumper, like this: Source:
Making your own bumper can be a bad idea as no aftermarket tubular bumper I know of has been approved by the NHTSB. There will always loom the possibility that insurance companies could, after a front end collision, try to deny payout of damages to your vehicle stating that they were increased because you installed some off-road racing purposes only aftermarket tubular bumper. When I was researching this there was even debate on what insurance companies would do about the bumper on the Lagunna Secca Mustangs that came with tubular bumpers. You can buy them from Ford Motor Sports but it says for off-road competition use only, but it comes stock on some of the Mustangs so what is the real verdict??
It would also help to know if your local police would immediately deem them illegal and a ticketable offense. In my area (Southwest) every other truck and jeep has an off road bumper in place of the stock bumper along with the trailer hitch mounted 24/7. So police here do not care.
I would definitely recommend a minimum of 1/8" wall thickness as that is what the stock bumper is made out off. I would also use two bars/tubes or one FAT and thick tube. The metal portion of the bumper is to prevent or catch something from going past the bumper. The eggshell portion in front of the bumper is for support at highway speed as well as low speed impacts like at a parking lot.
Making your own bumper can be a bad idea as no aftermarket tubular bumper I know of has been approved by the NHTSB. There will always loom the possibility that insurance companies could, after a front end collision, try to deny payout of damages to your vehicle stating that they were increased because you installed some off-road racing purposes only aftermarket tubular bumper. When I was researching this there was even debate on what insurance companies would do about the bumper on the Lagunna Secca Mustangs that came with tubular bumpers. You can buy them from Ford Motor Sports but it says for off-road competition use only, but it comes stock on some of the Mustangs so what is the real verdict??
It would also help to know if your local police would immediately deem them illegal and a ticketable offense. In my area (Southwest) every other truck and jeep has an off road bumper in place of the stock bumper along with the trailer hitch mounted 24/7. So police here do not care.
I would definitely recommend a minimum of 1/8" wall thickness as that is what the stock bumper is made out off. I would also use two bars/tubes or one FAT and thick tube. The metal portion of the bumper is to prevent or catch something from going past the bumper. The eggshell portion in front of the bumper is for support at highway speed as well as low speed impacts like at a parking lot.
Thanks for the info, and your thread also has lots of extremely helpful pictures of the bumper mounts. I searched and searched and couldn't find any.
Car needs to go to a frame bench to have the sag pulled out of that rail. Until that happens it will never be right regardless of what bumper is installed.
Car needs to go to a frame bench to have the sag pulled out of that rail. Until that happens it will never be right regardless of what bumper is installed. If not repaired correctly it will fold up like a cheap tent in the next collision.
01-25-2017, 07:33 PM
) and fender. I was going to go to pick-n-pull and replace them. 
Let me know how that goes when there's other cars all around you. 
