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jwendorf Samba Member
Joined: July 14, 2009 Posts: 61 Location: Seattle
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Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 12:14 pm Post subject: Tips for removing rear fiberglass bumper cover |
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I have removed the four bolts that hold the rear fiberglass bumper cover onto my '89 carat (two behind wheel wells, two above the tow clips), however the thing won't budge.
Anything else I should be checking here? |
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D Clymer Samba Member
Joined: December 22, 2005 Posts: 2948 Location: Issaquah, WA
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Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 12:17 pm Post subject: |
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You have to remove the two bolts on each frame rail that hold the bumper bracket to the frame rail. That actually isn't a bumper cover - it's the whole bumper, so the brackets are bolted directly to it. Once those big bolts are out, the whole bumper will slide out. There are additional bolts on the inside of the bumper that you can't see when it is mounted.
Dave |
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K58 Samba Member
Joined: July 01, 2006 Posts: 1171 Location: Santa Barbara
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Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 12:32 pm Post subject: |
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bumper cover...lol
yeah, believe it or not that pos made it past DOT and NHSTA
were you able to remove it? _________________ Westy HID Projector Retrofit |
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j_dirge Samba Member

Joined: August 08, 2007 Posts: 4634 Location: Twain Harte, CA
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Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 12:38 pm Post subject: |
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Yep.
And just to clarify.
There are 4 large bolts (2 each side) in the frame members (can be seen from under side near the wheel well).
These attach to brackets that slide INTO the frame members (bolted to the from inside).. the brackets slide out with the bumper AFTER you detach the items below...
There are two bolts (one each) side that attach end caps to side brackets bolted up on the inside body panel..
AND, there are two smaller, kinda rinky-dink, brackets (one each side) that are visible from under the bumper just behind the rear wheels.. these are secondary side brackets that help align and stiffen the assembly when bolted to the van.. These two also manage to slice my knuckles up almost every time I have to deal with them.
If the bumper won't budge?
You've missed one of these. _________________ -89 GL Westy, SVX.. finally.
-57 pan f/g buggy with a 67 pancake Type 3 "S"
"Jimi Hendrix owned one. Richard Nixon did not"
-Grand Tour, Season 1, episodes 4 and 5
danfromsyr wrote: |
those are straight line runs with light weight race cars for only 1/4mile at a time..
not pushing a loaded brick up a mountain pass with a family of 4+ inside expecting to have an event free vacation..
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madspaniard Samba Member

Joined: August 18, 2008 Posts: 3795 Location: Alameda, CA
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Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 1:34 pm Post subject: |
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j_dirge wrote: |
Yep.
And just to clarify.
There are 4 large bolts (2 each side) in the frame members (can be seen from under side near the wheel well).
These attach to brackets that slide INTO the frame members (bolted to the from inside).. the brackets slide out with the bumper AFTER you detach the items below...
There are two bolts (one each) side that attach end caps to side brackets bolted up on the inside body panel..
AND, there are two smaller, kinda rinky-dink, brackets (one each side) that are visible from under the bumper just behind the rear wheels.. these are secondary side brackets that help align and stiffen the assembly when bolted to the van.. These two also manage to slice my knuckles up almost every time I have to deal with them.
If the bumper won't budge?
You've missed one of these. |
gosh I have done this so many times I think I can do it blindfolded _________________ 1991 Westy auto w/ Peloquin TBD
"The only difference between me and a madman is that I'm not mad” - Salvador Dali |
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j_dirge Samba Member

Joined: August 08, 2007 Posts: 4634 Location: Twain Harte, CA
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Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 1:53 pm Post subject: |
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madspaniard wrote: |
gosh I have done this so many times I think I can do it blindfolded |
No doubt, eh?
I've done it so many times I have left a few bolts off, figuring I'd just be doing it again, soon enough.  _________________ -89 GL Westy, SVX.. finally.
-57 pan f/g buggy with a 67 pancake Type 3 "S"
"Jimi Hendrix owned one. Richard Nixon did not"
-Grand Tour, Season 1, episodes 4 and 5
danfromsyr wrote: |
those are straight line runs with light weight race cars for only 1/4mile at a time..
not pushing a loaded brick up a mountain pass with a family of 4+ inside expecting to have an event free vacation..
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jAndrew Samba Member
Joined: October 11, 2020 Posts: 62 Location: Georgia
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Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2020 11:54 am Post subject: Re: Tips for removing rear fiberglass bumper cover |
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I know, it's an old thread. It would seem, from the lack of threads that came up in a search, that I am the only one ever to have trouble getting the bumper off.
Anyone have issues with getting the bumper off a Doka? I've taken the 2 bolts that hold it to the frame and it moves up and down a centimeter when I pull up and down on the hitch but that's about it.
I know there isn't anything else holding it that I can see and it looks like it should just pull back but nothing so far. I will attach it to a hand winch and see if I can't pull it off.
But nothing different on a Syncro Doka I might have missed?
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ALIKA T3 Samba Member

Joined: July 30, 2009 Posts: 4381 Location: Honolulu,Hawaii and France
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jAndrew Samba Member
Joined: October 11, 2020 Posts: 62 Location: Georgia
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Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2020 2:50 pm Post subject: Re: Tips for removing rear fiberglass bumper cover |
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ALIKA T3 wrote: |
The tow bars have a 3rd bolt further up on the frame  |
Doh! Came right out. I thought the bolts were just fillers for something else. Now getting that new plate steel bumper in is proving difficult. Those holes just do not want to line up. Will use a little force with the floor jack to hold it up. |
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