Tricks for removing RMW front bumper chrome trim?

I am hoping to grab the front driver side chrome trim off a RMW at Pick n Pull this weekend and wondering if anybody here has done it before and has any suggestions?

I won't have room in the car for the whole bumper so I just want to grab the trim. I haven't had time unfortunately to pull mine and figure it out. And my wife has been kind enough to let me stop at this yard on out way back from a trip, so I need to move quick.

If it's a long process I will probably just skip it and buy it from someone parting a car.

Thanks!

The chrome is held on by 5 or so stamped nuts on the back side. I forget what size they are, but it is about 13mm. You may have to pull the cover off to get to them. I would also suggest some rust penetrant in case they are frozen. If the nuts are frozen, you risk twisting the stud out of the urethane backing on the chrome. It is possible to pull the nuts through the bumper cover with a panel tool, but it is difficult, and you can damage the stud. I have done it both ways. If you do not care about the bumper cover, you could cut it with a box cutter down to where the studs go through it. Take a couple of new blades.

If you choose to pull the cover, you need a 10mm and 7mm socket. Remove the wheelhouse extensions, and then there are two bolts on each side holding it to the fender from the bottom. There are also 4-5 push lock fasteners on the bottom, and 4 on the top across the bumper support. Removing the bumper cover should take about a half an hour maximum.

No room for the bumper?

You have a roof rack, good sir!

I do have a roof rack. But I am trying to snag a rear window for a fellow Longroofer here in Portland. That will be up on the roof wrapped in a blanket and bubble wrap.

The irony is that we are taking our little Subaru as the Roady is still in the middle of a few projects.

Fred , thanks for the detailed description!

You should have enough room on the rack for the cover and the glass (even on a Subaru) if you put them on with the length sideways. The cover is relatively soft as well.

Cover is soft. Put the glass, then put the cover on top of it. Wrap it in a blanket where it would be on top of the glass. It weighs nothing, so it wouldn't impact the glass.

Or put the cover on first and the glass halfway inside it, so that it takes up less width together.


Think creatively!

wait,... is the bumper longer than the subaru??

The trim can distort easily take the whole bumper cover or cut around the trim Fred gave you the details on the fastners for the cover. The small bolts for the bumper cover to fender are a PITA when getting them back on an 8" extension will help. Jeff

You guys are cracking me up. Now it turns out there is a 96 RMW that was t-boned for $1000 in Seattle. A buddy wants the engine, I could use a bunch of the rest. That might make more sense.

But it won't be nearly as interesting for you guys as watching me try to strap a bumper and glass to the roof of my wifes Subbie! :-)

Even if you get the parts from the T-boned car, you should still grab the front bumper cover from the other one, just to save the impossible to get parts.

We were hoping for pics.

I sent an email last night on the t-boned car with no word yet. So I'm still planning on hitting the yard.

I might just grab the whole bumper, both for cushioning plus mine might not spring back.

I did climb into the trunk of ours to figure out how to pop the glass, it should be easy if I can get the trim off.

There are two screws that hold the glass to the hinge. Other than that, you only have to remove the struts. If you are going to remove the hinges, you need a 10mm deep socket on the inside. You have to remove the headliner reveal to get to the two hinge screws on each hinge. Remove the glass from the hinges first, so that you can check for rotten/rusty inserts. About half of the hinges have rotten inserts. They are side specific, with an R on the right side. You can also remove the center push fastener for the headliner to gain better access. Removing the headliner reveal requires the removal of the Phillips locks, and then use a thin screw driver to slide under the trim and disengage the white fastener from the body while gently pulling down on the trim. The white fastener will probably shoot across the car when it lets go.

Must see pics....

stewzer55 wrote:

Must see pics....

Pics of what?

Of how he hauls the glass and bumper cover.

Very carefully?

I'm not sold on the bumper yet....

As Fred stated, the front cover comes off very easily, assuming the fasteners holding it to the car aren't rusted. Even if they are, they will just break off. The chrome on the front bumpers is very hard to find in undamaged condition, and expensive if you do, so I would definately make the effort to get the junk yard stuff if you can.

Front bumper covers aren't THAT hard to take off...


....not that I'd know anything about that, or anything.

Stingroo wrote:

Front bumper covers aren't THAT hard to take off...


....not that I'd know anything about that, or anything.

You just use other cars to do the removing!LOL

Pics as requested!

More details here: https://gmlongroof.4umer.com/t11261-transporting-a-glass-hatch#118667

But here are the pics for those that asked. I didn't get the glass, here's why:



Idiots.

And a couple photos of how I transported the green on gold bumper. You can see the rest of the trim I managed to shove into the trunk of the Outback.





I had to pull a couple bolts off the bumper to keep it from scraping the paint. And the rear glovebox wasn't going to fit, so it did just fine up on the roof.

See the other thread for the full list, overall a good Pick-n-Pull run!

The "what in the world" look on your wife's face is great, I take it you were still in WA and not OR yet due to self serve fuel?

Yup, filling up after Pick N Pull and checking the straps. She was just playing up for the camera, she was actually very cool about it since I didn't keep her or the girls waiting long.