Has Anyone Pulled Their Front Bumper?

[SEA Stinger]

I am getting ready to pull my front bumper to replace the grilles on my 2.0 with the better-looking GT grilles. Hoping that someone can give me a little how-to guidance for pulling the bumper without damaging it.

The bumper has the usual bolts at the edge of the front wheel well, and I presume that plastic clips hold other sections of the bumper. So far, so good.

However, I also suspect that there is another bolt somewhere behind the front of the bumper, accessible from underneath. But I don't know this for sure, and if there is such a bolt, I haven't located it yet.

The plastic bumpers on the Stinger are actually kind of flimsy, so I want to make sure I don't accidentally tear or crease mine when removing it.

Has anyone else already pulled the front bumper on a Stinger, and if so can you please help me out with some advice?

 

[DaJackson]

I think it was @ImportSharkMike that said they had and were going to write up a how to.

He did confirm it was the normal bolts on top, in the wheel well and underneath holding the belly pan. There shouldn’t be one that’s not on the edges of the bumper, only clips.

 

[ImportSharkMike]

Yea I just haven't had a chance to put together a DIY. The hardest part was getting the side triangle plastic pieces off. You gotta be real careful with those. Also don't let the bumper just drop either because there are snap-connectors for the front bumper sensors and whatnot. You can easily access them when all the bolts are removed and you're pulling the bumper down.

 

[Rufus]

Keep us posted, @SEA Stinger !

 

[SEA Stinger]

Yea I just haven't had a chance to put together a DIY. The hardest part was getting the side triangle plastic pieces off. You gotta be real careful with those. Also don't let the bumper just drop either because there are snap-connectors for the front bumper sensors and whatnot. You can easily access them when all the bolts are removed and you're pulling the bumper down.

Thanks, Mike!

 

[SEA Stinger]

I think it was @ImportSharkMike that said they had and were going to write up a how to.

He did confirm it was the normal bolts on top, in the wheel well and underneath holding the belly pan. There shouldn’t be one that’s not on the edges of the bumper, only clips.

The reason I suspect there may be a bolt up and behind the Stinger's front bumper is because I watched a youtube DIY that showed removal of the front bumper from a KIA Optima. It had a bolt hidden up and behind the middle of the bumper. If that's not the case on the Stinger, then great. I just don't want to find myself crying over a torn bumper!

 

[Killa200]

Lord yes please keep us updated! I'm going to have to embark on this endeavor shortly, as I've got to replace an upper grill on my GT1 (it met a deer this morning, and I'm excited that is all I'm going to have to deal with!)

 

[SEA Stinger]

Yea I just haven't had a chance to put together a DIY. The hardest part was getting the side triangle plastic pieces off. You gotta be real careful with those. Also don't let the bumper just drop either because there are snap-connectors for the front bumper sensors and whatnot. You can easily access them when all the bolts are removed and you're pulling the bumper down.

@ImportSharkMike, can you please describe what you mean by "side triangle pieces"? Looking at the bumper, it seems like the short section of edge that runs between the headlight and the wheel well could be a weak point. Is that what you're referencing?

After removing the bolts in the wheel well and across the top, where do you recommend starting to release the plastic clips? I would guess it's at the short edge by the headlights, but I'd rather not guess.

Thanks in advance for your advice!

 

[robz32]

I suspect he is referring to the bottom grill, on the sides (see image below)

 

[Killa200]

Alright, so I finally got my front upper grill in, so I snapped some pictures. The triangles that are being referring two are in the first four pictures. I did not capture a few steps (three clips in the fender wells + a screw. 6 pop up clips under the bumper that attach it to the skid pan.)

Right hand side triangle, this pulls straight up, and is held in by a single body clip and two plastic ears that mate with the bumper

Right hand side triangle removed

Left hand side triangle, this pulls straight up, and is held in by a single body clip and two plastic ears that mate with the bumper

Left hand side triangle removed

Top bumper cover. This stays attached to the bumper. Removed the 5 yellow circled clips. They are pop up clips and not Christmas trees.

Single bolt under the right and left fender lips that were covered by the triangle trim pieces, 10mm. Would be best to use a swivel if you have it for these.

Front view of car, bumper removed. Yellow boxed items are places the bumper clips into by pressure. Blue boxes indicate notches on the front plastic frame that the bumper sits onto. Red box is the harness connection (DO NOT remove bumper quickly once you get it off the car, this harness is short)

Inside view of bumper. Yellow boxed items are places the bumper clips into by pressure. Blue boxes indicate the spots that rest in the front frame notches. Red box is the harness connection.


Also attaching the disassembly instructions for the front bumper.

 

[SEA Stinger]

Alright, so I finally got my front upper grill in, so I snapped some pictures. The triangles that are being referring two are in the first four pictures. I did not capture a few steps (three clips in the fender wells + a screw. 6 pop up clips under the bumper that attach it to the skid pan.)

Mucho thanks, @Killa200! Your photos and DIY instructions are outstanding - they show and tell me exactly what I need to know.

Now I will be set to do mine once the replacement grilles arrive!

 

[DaJackson]

@Killa200 on the top side you mentioned just poping the 5 clips, however in another pic the outside rubber grommets with screws below them are removed. Do you need to remove the screws too?

 

[Killa200]

You do not need to remove the rubber grommets and screws on either side, they hold in the headlight bracket to the radiator support frame and don't run through the bumper cover

 

[Got_Stinger]

Great pics & write up! Thank you Killa200

 

[jdogonroad]

How much needs to be removed in order to be able to reach to the back of the upper grill to attach a badge?

 

[Killa200]

Honestly all of it minus disconnecting the harness. Unfortunately the top bumper cover does not detatch from the bumper without a full bumper removal as it's attached from the inside of the bumper as well, so no way to just reach straight down to access behind the grill without pulling the whole bumper forward.

 

[jdogonroad]

Thank you, Sir.

 

[Reignman98115]

Honestly all of it minus disconnecting the harness. Unfortunately the top bumper cover does not detatch from the bumper without a full bumper removal as it's attached from the inside of the bumper as well, so no way to just reach straight down to access behind the grill without pulling the whole bumper forward.

If i wanted to just replace the upper grill with GT version on my 2.0 youre basically saying i would have to pull the whole front bumper off? There is no alternative way to do it that you can see?

 

[SEA Stinger]

If i wanted to just replace the upper grill with GT version on my 2.0 youre basically saying i would have to pull the whole front bumper off? There is no alternative way to do it that you can see?

Yup, that's right. The grille is attached to the inside of the bumper.

 

[eflyguy]

Alright, so I finally got my front upper grill in, so I snapped some pictures.

Did you happen to get any close-ups of the way the various components are secured to the bumper cover?