855 rear bumper question

echosierra · Post by **echosierra** » 21 May 2020, 12:07

How do i fix this alignment

Should this bumper be level?

Its currently pointing slightly downward

[/img]

Post by **scot850** » 21 May 2020, 13:50

If it has not been dinged, it is likely the rear mounting brackets that are rotted through. I believe they are still available new, but in Texas yo may still be able to find good used ones. The later 98-00 if I recall correctly are the same.

The other thing that can happen is the aluminum of the bumper itself can corrode and leave a hole with no support onto the hanger.

Neil.

Post by **erikv11** » 21 May 2020, 16:31

Should be level yes.

Get under the bumper and look straight up at the two black mounting plates scot850 is talking about. You'll know right away if they are bad, as is super common. Looks like they are shot.

Post by **abscate** » 21 May 2020, 19:33

Pictures here...

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=57809

And here

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=85762

Bravo Zulu, Echo Sierra

Post by **jreed** » 22 May 2020, 05:35

My bumper looked like that after a small hit. There was lots of corrosion on the brackets.

: 1) Bumper after getting hit.jpg (106.86 KiB) Viewed 905 times

I wrote up a step-by-step here:
viewtopic.php?t=49802

Post by **abscate** » 22 May 2020, 07:07

YEs, but when we write our thread and then link to jreed's awesome thread in it, we get all the MVS points.

It looks like the same guy hit you, echsierra. And you are both in TX.

Hmmmmmm

Post by **Chuck W** » 22 May 2020, 09:17

Had to take care of this a couple months ago on the wife's '97 GLT. The DS bracket was basically non-existent, due to corrosion.

Post by **abscate** » 22 May 2020, 17:51

Long term maintenance .....it might be worth dropping those long bolts once A year and anti seizing them.

Post by **Chuck W** » 23 May 2020, 06:30

abscate wrote: ↑22 May 2020, 17:51 Long term maintenance .....it might be worth dropping those long bolts once A year and anti seizing them.

One of mine was seized in the threaded insert (DS), so I just wound up sourcing (non-original) bolts.They got a judicious coating of anti-seize going back in.

We've got to find a new rear bumper cover, though, as the bad mount caused it to rest on the exhaust tip...and melted it a bit. Still having no luck finding a replacement.

Post by **abscate** » 23 May 2020, 11:10

abscate wrote: ↑22 May 2020, 17:51 Long term maintenance .....it might be worth dropping those long bolts once A year and anti seizing them.

Well practiced my preaching this morning

Right one fine, lubed it heavily, reinstalled

Left one over the exhaust the head was horribly rusted removed muffler hanger rubbers, moved muffler, impacted screw out with a 13mm M8. I had a new bolt in my stash so lubed and replaced. Thought about putting two fiber washers above head to allow space to burn out then Dremel off.

On both side, about 150 ml of rusty water came out of the bolt a holes, ugh

Added a exhaust hanger clamp to my FCP cart for next order