Front bumper removal help

[HoosierDaddy]

I've read every thread and watched several videos but the passenger side of the front bumper will not pull out. Drive side almost falls out, passenger side won't budge.

If I pulled more next to the wheel opening I'm pretty sure something would break. I can get my hand up behind and try to push but can't get enough leverage. I found one old thread where someone mentioned a shop broke his bumper trying to pull the sides out (https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/front-bumper-removal-any-gotchas.26127/).

I watched a bunch of videos but used this short but complete one from LMR: .

I can't figure out what could be holding it but pressing from the back, it seems to be hanging up about midway between the wheel opening and headlight.

HELP! (please)

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[Nagare]

Did you get out that tiny screw holding it in in there or no? I'm assuming yes because you got the driver side out just fine, but doesn't hurt to ask.

 

[lizardrko]

There is a 7mm or 9mm bolt on top of the fender well tucked up if you missed that side. Also, check to see if u got all the clips/bolts on the top of the side. They are both symmetrical, one side shouldnt have more to take off than the other

 

[HoosierDaddy]

There is a 7mm or 9mm bolt on top of the fender well tucked up if you missed that side. Also, check to see if u got all the clips/bolts on the top of the side. They are both symmetrical, one side shouldnt have more to take off than the other

Did you get out that tiny screw holding it in in there or no? I'm assuming yes because you got the driver side out just fine, but doesn't hurt to ask.

Yeah, got the one behind the wheel well liner near where the bumper joins the fender next to the head light. Also the partially hidden ones under the rubber strip on the radiator cover.

I have gone over them, counted them, etc. multiple times. I removed every fastener in that video and since the bumper can be lifted up while still hung up in that one place, I can see there is nothing else attaching the bumper anywhere. One of the bolts you mentioned is a 7/32 which I find strange. maybe there is a fraction MM socket that would fit but the 7/32 fits perfect and that's what the video calls for. But something inside the fender is grabbing it somehow or maybe the plate that the hidden screw goes thru is just slightly off and the part of the bumper that bolt went thru is getting pinched too tightly for me to push it out from the inside. And as I said, pulling on it from the outside feels like something is going to snap if I give it one more ounce of force. I guess I can't rule out the bumper itself having some defect that's hanging up on something in that area.

 

[lizardrko]

If I recall, you also have to lift the front of the bumper over 2 notches on the top, 1 on each side near the middle of the car. Did you also check that? I had to give mine a little force to actually get the bumper off, I was so afraid of breaking something.

Yeah these bumpers seem so sensitive with any little mistake and those tiny clips are toast. I replaced my grill with the RTR grill and I vowed to never take the bumper off again lol

 

[WalterArch]

This is not "help"... but it may be a consolation. I snapped my clips off on the passenger side, same spot where you're having the problem, last weekend when I took my bumper off. I immediately feared the worst that my bumper would be flapping in the wind. However, between all the fasteners it sits in just about the same spot. Once we have a dry day here in the Northeast, I am going to put some 3M tape by the clip and it should look good as new.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

If I recall, you also have to lift the front of the bumper over 2 notches on the top, 1 on each side near the middle of the car. Did you also check that? I had to give mine a little force to actually get the bumper off, I was so afraid of breaking something.

Yeah these bumpers seem so sensitive with any little mistake and those tiny clips are toast. I replaced my grill with the RTR grill and I vowed to never take the bumper off again lol

I figured these aren't something you want to take on and off much. That's why I waited until I was ready for TWO mods that needed the bumper off at the same time: over the top stripes painted on AND a 50th anniversary grill.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

This is not "help"... but it may be a consolation. I snapped my clips off on the passenger side, same spot where you're having the problem, last weekend when I took my bumper off. I immediately feared the worst that my bumper would be flapping in the wind. However, between all the fasteners it sits in just about the same spot. Once we have a dry day here in the Northeast, I am going to put some 3M tape by the clip and it should look good as new.

Below is a pic of the driver side after pulled from fender. Notice the very solid and unyielding tab/hooks that slots in the bumper cover snap over when the bumper cover is installed. Those tabs are far stronger than the bumper cover material so don't understand how you are supposed to get the cover off those tabs without tearing the slots in the bumper cover those tabs are grabbing.

I found the service manual page for removing the bumper and someone has a great sense of humor telling the tech they have to examine that black plastic part with the tabs to make sure the tabs weren't damage by the bumper cover and explaining how to replace the black part if it was damaged.

I'm going to throw something out. Obviously if that black part with the tabs was unbolted, problem solved. But you can't get to those two screw heads in the picture until the bumper cover is already off. BUT what those screw into appear to be between two sheet metal ears. I wonder if I could bend those away from the threads or alternately cut the screws before they contact those arms so the black part comes with the bumper cover?

When and if I get this bumper cover off, I am definitely going to take the edges off those tabs on the black part so the slots in the bumper cover have a fighting chance to ride up over them in the future.

 

[WalterArch]

Below is a pic of the driver side after pulled from fender. Notice the very solid and unyielding tab/hooks that slots in the bumper cover snap over when the bumper cover is installed. Those tabs are far stronger than the bumper cover material so don't understand how you are supposed to get the cover off those tabs without tearing the slots in the bumper cover those tabs are grabbing.

I found the service manual page for removing the bumper and someone has a great sense of humor telling the tech they have to examine that black plastic part with the tabs to make sure the tabs weren't damage by the bumper cover and explaining how to replace the black part if it was damaged.

I'm going to throw something out. Obviously if that black part with the tabs was unbolted, problem solved. But you can't get to those two screw heads in the picture until the bumper cover is already off. BUT what those screw into appear to be between two sheet metal ears. I wonder if I could bend those away from the threads or alternately cut the screws before they contact those arms so the black part comes with the bumper cover?

When and if I get this bumper cover off, I am definitely going to take the edges off those tabs on the black part so the slots in the bumper cover have a fighting chance to ride up over them in the future.

Cheers to getting yours off in one piece!

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Its off and in one piece. I did pry those arms away from the screws that hold the part that the bumper cover slides between it and the fender, before pulling. For some reason, that part did not come out with the bumper cover but I think it let it move enough for the slots to ride over the tabs in that part. Was still a lot harder to pull off than the driver side. I'm going to smooth the edges of the bumper cover slots and round off the edges of the tabs on that other part before reassembling.

Since the cover is off for the over the top stripe painting, I'm having the shop repaint the bumper cover before the stripes. Bumper covers never are an exact match to the fenders or hood from the factory because they have to be painted at a different time and with a different paint mixture due to flex agents, etc. Most people don't notice. White sees to be the worst but even the whites most people don't notice unless its pointed out. I'm pretty sure I could twist a dealer's arm into repainting mine under warranty but dealers are an unknown quantity and I don't want just a little closer or have their paint peel later on taking my custom stripes with it. The shop that's doing the stripes has top ratings, I'm familiar with their work, they give a lifetime guarantee and can get the bumper to match the fenders lots better than the dealer could/would. Was fairly cheap because they were already going to paint my spoiler OW and it calls for the same type of paint mixture as bumpers. So no extra mixing, matching and cleanup to paint the bumper cover.

I'm also thinking the MUCH thicker clear coat compared to factory will reduce rock chips to the color coat on the bumper.

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