Removing front bumper skin
03-27-2008 | 10:27 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 648
Likes: 1
From: Seattle
C-300, XC70, Wrangler
Removing front bumper skin
You know where this is going ... do it yourself replacement of the lower mesh grill.
Has anyone successfully taken apart the front bumper to get at the lower grill? Can you post the steps necessary to do it? Any helpful tips, location of screws/bolts, etc would be nice to see. Photos would also be nice.
I've taken apart the front of an S60R, so this isn't a complete weird thing to do, but I'd like tips before starting.
As you might expect, I'm unhappy with MB's decision to use cheap plastic, or at least BRITTLE plastic. I doubt that the reason is to "save costs" since there's a fair amount of labor involved and wouldn't they rather have their techs spending time on useful things? I wonder what the JD Power survey people would think about our lower mesh grills?
Anyway, I digress. How do you remove that skin?
thanks
Has anyone successfully taken apart the front bumper to get at the lower grill? Can you post the steps necessary to do it? Any helpful tips, location of screws/bolts, etc would be nice to see. Photos would also be nice.
I've taken apart the front of an S60R, so this isn't a complete weird thing to do, but I'd like tips before starting.
As you might expect, I'm unhappy with MB's decision to use cheap plastic, or at least BRITTLE plastic. I doubt that the reason is to "save costs" since there's a fair amount of labor involved and wouldn't they rather have their techs spending time on useful things? I wonder what the JD Power survey people would think about our lower mesh grills?
Anyway, I digress. How do you remove that skin?
thanks
03-27-2008 | 10:33 PM
#3
Super Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 616
Likes: 0
From: Kirkland, WA
c300
I got as far as pulling the lower pan off and gave up.
BTW, the lower pan is in two pieces, and it's locked in place by a funky block of rubbery plastic. I don't remember if it had a bolt attaching the block ... if it did I don't know why I wouldn't have unbolted it ... but I ended up busting the locking tabs.
And then there was a plastic shroud under the radiator holding a sensor of some sort. That's where I really threw in the towel because I couldn't figure out how to seperate that from the bumper.
Keep in mind it was on ramps and not a lift, so I was in no mood to ponder it for a few hours.
It's my long way of saying that it's put together really funky. If somebody comes up with the process I'd be happy. I'm sure in the next 30 months I'll end up going through a couple of more grills.
Oh, and the replacement grill I bought seemed like it was a little more flexible than the factory grill. But that could be me be wistful.
Barrier's body shop replaced it for me for $150 btw.
BTW, the lower pan is in two pieces, and it's locked in place by a funky block of rubbery plastic. I don't remember if it had a bolt attaching the block ... if it did I don't know why I wouldn't have unbolted it ... but I ended up busting the locking tabs.
And then there was a plastic shroud under the radiator holding a sensor of some sort. That's where I really threw in the towel because I couldn't figure out how to seperate that from the bumper.
Keep in mind it was on ramps and not a lift, so I was in no mood to ponder it for a few hours.
It's my long way of saying that it's put together really funky. If somebody comes up with the process I'd be happy. I'm sure in the next 30 months I'll end up going through a couple of more grills.
Oh, and the replacement grill I bought seemed like it was a little more flexible than the factory grill. But that could be me be wistful.
Barrier's body shop replaced it for me for $150 btw.
03-27-2008 | 11:19 PM
#4
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 4,433
Likes: 5
From: SFV CA
2008 Black Out C350 Saks Edition / 87 VW GTI
