I decided to swap out the stock HE with a PLM XL (also put in a Bosch 010 pump) on my 05 E55. Read many a post that the PLM XL HE will go in, and bumper will go back on without problems. Install went smooth, but now find that I can’t get the 2 lower 10mm bumper attach bolts back in the crash bar because of the increased width of the new IC. The HE extends over the bolt holes about 1/8” as shown in pics from below (looking up at HE & crash bar). What to do??? I’d prefer not to buy the regular PLM HE which is 1/2” narrower and would seemingly solve the problem, but…



Driver side lower bumper attach point


Passenger side lower bumper attach point

 

I just installed the same cooler and had the same issue. First, you need to put some spacers/shims to lower the cooler. I didn't try slotting the holes to allow the cooler to move further back, but should have tried that.

I also needed to clearance the bumper tabs that mount there to clear the cooler. It was a bit of a pain. If I knew this going in, I may not have installed it. The last thing was to use allen head bolts and turn them down on a lathe to get as much clearance as possible between the bolt head and cooler. Even with all that, the bolt head still touches the cooler on one side.

 

I thought about spacers to lower the IC as well, tho for me, that would’ve created another problem where the nuts on bottom of crash bar, which serve to hold IC in place would not have had enough thread to grab. The mounting holes on my IC tabs were plenty big to provide fwd/aft movement - so much so that aft movement was limited by the a/c receiver/dryer (long skinny tube shaped thing behind IC) and even then didn’t provide enough relief past the face of the IC to insert and thread a bold for the lower bumper tab. I admire your ingenuity by machining down an allen bolt and making it work - I hadn’t come close to considering that…

I literally just walked in to house and got done mounting the thing after making the decision to cut off, and sacrifice, the lower mounting tabs in the sake of getting the bumper cover on with no more headaches (for now at least). And it seems to fit just fine…. No play or looseness whatsoever. With the pinch clips on the cover/fender interface, four bolts near the headlights, and small amount of security from the bottom cover, I’ve justified the butchery. Now, to do it all over, I would not buy the XL (overkill for my appl), but the standard PLM IC instead as it’s 1/2” narrower, which would’ve been sufficient to then use the lower tabs on bumper. Deciding to hack my bumper cover wouldn’t have been this easy, but I happen to have a brand new factory one (big $$$) standing by ready to go to the paint shop, to replace the current cover which is broken in half beneath the the IC opening (it came that way when I bought it, but missed seeing on auction pics…).

Also, I started an email correspondence with PLM design guys about the difficulty I’ve had mounting an XL IC without doing serious mods to the IC and/or car. I’ll report back any nuggets they send my way. I’ve got to believe other folks have had difficulty as well. Or not - and the pics on forums and in videos, as can be expected, only tell part of the story. I know AMG Meister commented in his YT video about having to trim and fuss with fitment on his E55 when he installed an upgraded IC, and that was the standard one.

 

The bolts holding on the crash bar are in double-shear. I was able to space them down enough to allow the bumper tabs to fit (some trimming necessary) and still have some thread engagement. Others have just used longer bolts.

I was worried about the bumper sagging over time if I eliminated the tabs, so I wanted to make sure to use them.

If you hear anything useful from PLM please share.

 

You bet - will post any reply PLM sends. They haven’t replied back yet.I too considered the possibility of the bumper sagging without the tabs, and also will consult my body shop guy for his opinion when I take the car in for paint in about a week and a half. Regarding installing longer bolts, I was looking at that, but then realized I’d have to take out the headlights to get to one bolt, and didn’t want to do that, so this is where I ended up…..