How to fix your bumper gap (easy way)

Dealer wasn't a choice for me with the tsp. I knew they will make it worst or damage something else. I took off to bumper and followed the DIY and didn't work out well. In the process of doing it I broke the Rear inner bumper tab under the deck lid. Thank God you can't even see it and it doesn't leave a gap or anything. The bumper and the brackets on these cars are so fragile.

Anyways,

What you need to do is take off the tail lights and you have to drill a small hole on the corner of the bumper under the the tail light.

You need 2 screw with a nice flat top and wide diameter head. ( I used whatever I had)
Also need 2 u nuts.

Push the bumper in as much as you can and close the gap. While holding it drill small hole on the corner through the bumper and the black color bracket under it. After, slide the u nut on the black bracket and while pushing/ holding the bumper to close the gap, put the screw in and tighten.

Again, is up to you if you want to do this but I guarantee you this is the best method to fix your gap and is the easiest way to do it just take off your tail light and shouldn't take more than 30 min.

That's cool I also have a gap in that location of been putting off for sometime now Thanx for the input !

Niz55 said:

Dealer wasn't a choice for me with the tsp. I knew they will make it worst or damage something else. I took off to bumper and followed the DIY and didn't work out well. In the process of doing it I broke the Rear inner bumper tab under the deck lid. Thank God you can't even see it and it doesn't leave a gap or anything. The bumper and the brackets on these cars are so fragile.

Anyways,

What you need to do is take off the tail lights and you have to drill a small hole on the corner of the bumper under the the tail light.

You need 2 screw with a nice flat top and wide diameter head. ( I used whatever I had)
Also need 2 u nuts.

Push the bumper in as much as you can and close the gap. While holding it drill small hole on the corner through the bumper and the black color bracket under it. After, slide the u nut on the black bracket and while pushing/ holding the bumper to close the gap, put the screw in and tighten.

Again, is up to you if you want to do this but I guarantee you this is the best method to fix your gap and is the easiest way to do it just take off your tail light and shouldn't take more than 30 min.

Click to expand...

I like it! Similar to what another member posted a while back just a different location. My only concern is edge distance. From the image it looks like the screw is really close to the edge of the bumper which at some point could fail as the plastic stretches or tears. finished product looks awesome!

You can use a longer u nut but it won't fail as long as you use a screw with a wide diameter head like a truss head screw. The actual head would be holding the bumper. You can even add a larger thin nylon washer for more reinforcement and you won't be able to see it at all when you install the tail lights.

Niz55 said:

You can use a longer u nut but it won't fail as long as you use a screw with a wide diameter head like a truss head screw. The actual head would be holding the bumper. You can even add a larger thin nylon washer for more reinforcement and you won't be able to see it at all when you install the tail lights.

Click to expand...

Good point.

Nice fix, you would think Ford could have done something similar.,..

rushca01 said:

Nice fix, you would think Ford could have done something similar.,..

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Sometimes I wonder if the actual engineers get involved in TSBs, especially the bumper TSB. :shrug:

DrumReaper said:

Sometimes I wonder if the actual engineers get involved in TSBs, especially the bumper TSB. :shrug:

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Well there do have to be some jobs for the summer interns. ;)

Niz55 said:

Dealer wasn't a choice for me with the tsp. I knew they will make it worst or damage something else. I took off to bumper and followed the DIY and didn't work out well. In the process of doing it I broke the Rear inner bumper tab under the deck lid. Thank God you can't even see it and it doesn't leave a gap or anything. The bumper and the brackets on these cars are so fragile.

Anyways,

What you need to do is take off the tail lights and you have to drill a small hole on the corner of the bumper under the the tail light.

You need 2 screw with a nice flat top and wide diameter head. ( I used whatever I had)
Also need 2 u nuts.

Push the bumper in as much as you can and close the gap. While holding it drill small hole on the corner through the bumper and the black color bracket under it. After, slide the u nut on the black bracket and while pushing/ holding the bumper to close the gap, put the screw in and tighten.

Again, is up to you if you want to do this but I guarantee you this is the best method to fix your gap and is the easiest way to do it just take off your tail light and shouldn't take more than 30 min.

Click to expand...

What is the third picture of? I am curious of the weight of the bumper will tear the plastic over time.

I may try this. If over time the plastic tears, I would imagine you would be no worse off than from where you started since the tear would hidden.

firestarter2 said:

What is the third picture off? I am curious of the weight of the bumper will tear the plastic over time.

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The weight of the bumper is not supported by only one screw. You be surprised how strong the screw is holding the bumper. But you have to use a u nut.

tjbrowder said:

I may try this. If over time the plastic tears, I would imagine you would be no worse off than from where you started since the tear would hidden.

Click to expand...

The black plastic under the bumper is a strong matrial. When you use a u nut and the correct screw with a wider nylon washer the bumper will not budge at all unless you purposely push the corner of bumper down extremely hard or get in a accident it will not move. Try it and you be amazed how strong the u nut and screw hold the bumper. I even tried pulling it down pretty hard and it wouldn't even move.

I will get better day time pictures today.

Maybe a way to reinforce the material where the screw attaches to the bumper? Looking forward to the pics

Niz55 said:

The black plastic under the bumper is a strong matrial. When you use a u nut and the correct screw with a wider nylon washer the bumper will not budge at all unless you purposely push the corner of bumper down extremely hard or get in a accident it will not move. Try it and you be amazed how strong the u nut and screw hold the bumper. I even tried pulling it down pretty hard and it wouldn't even move.

Click to expand...

Roger that