GolfGTIforum.co.uk
General => Cosmetic and bodywork matters => Topic started by: sesterfield on 16 April 2004, 22:05
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Hi there,
I recently bought a small-bumper Mk2 Golf, and am looking to buy a Big bumper kit and a wheelarch kit. However I have a couple of questions of you more experienced people about how to fit said items :)
1. I read somewhere that the front bumper is 'load bearing' and so is difficult to replace, could I just use a jack to hold up the engine while I swap the bumpers or would that be too much strain?
2. How exactly are the wheel arches and side trim held onto the sides? I'm assuming I'll need to drill holes for some sort of clip to attach into?
Many thanks for your time in reading this, and thanks in advance for any help ;D
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there are 3 bolts that go into the cross beam. you only need to undo the front and back ones of the 3. leave the middle one! i've never bother with a jack usually. just don't drive the car without a bumper on. If you're going from small bumpers to big bumpers you'll also need to buy new mounts for them to slide onto. only a couple of quid from VW. You'll also need to drill another hole in the wing as the bigger mounts have 2 mounting points instead of the small bumper mounts 1. :)
wheel arches are usually rivetted to the wings unless you roll the arches in which case you'll need to stick them on with silaflex
The early side strips were held on with double sided-tape. the later ones with the GTi badge had holes. Either way if you don't have holes I wouldn't fart about drilling any. reciepe for rust if you ask me. Just double sided tape them on. make sure you use a lot else you might loose the strip.
Hope that helps :)
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if you got a later model golf then the holes to hole the sides of the big bumpers on will already be there, you just pop off the old clip and fit the new bigger clip, you will see when its in bits, quite easy really!
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front bumper is held on by 4 17mm bolts 2 each side just undo and pull, the bumper will come off then unclip ur indicator wires and thats the bumper off, refitting is reversal.
if u get a kit with fog lights u will need to take the scuttle(? dunno if thats its name) off again this is just bolted on with i think its 5 10mm bolts(could be wrong)remember to replace the middle bolt as this is a support
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Thanks for the help guys ;D, definitely put my mind to rest on fitting the bumpers :)
Any recommendations on where is the best place to buy bumper kits?
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NOT gfs cos i brought some and they were not a good fit, the brackets were very difficult to line up. i would personally try and get some original ones from a scrappy and paint them etc, or the mounts at least
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try this site for further reference......
http://www.matey-matey.com/big_bumper_conversion.shtml
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Many thanks again, that article is very useful ;D perhaps I'll post some before and after pictures when I'm done :P
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if u get em from scrappys and u do get vw ones getting them colour coded to ur car will be cheaper than new ones to as they dont have to put plastic primer on which costs loads so i was told
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How much are they likely to be from a scrapyard?
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prob 40ish a pair, it depends were you got tho
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i paid 50 for mine i got done lol
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If u get a kit with fog lights u will need to take the scuttle(? dunno if thats its name) off again this is just bolted on with i think its 5 10mm bolts(could be wrong)remember to replace the middle bolt as this is a support
Please explain which bit you mean... i just put big bumpers on, but dont know which bit your talking about, and i'm not sure therefore if i've removed it?
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it the bit of metal that runs between the bottom of the wings at the front. big bumper models dont have it and you can take it off quite easily cos it isnt load bearing, its the bit that the front splitter is bolted to when you had little bumpers.
the scuttle is the bit underneath the windscreen that holds the ecu/wiper motors etc
the bit you wanna take off is called a valance
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Don't think i took that off, does that matter?! Incidentally Can you make the bumpoers fit using the old clips?
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yes, But you ill have a few problems, One of my wings didnt have the two holes in, So i cut one of the mounts in half and just let it clip on at the top, Looks sorta sh!tty and i really need to spend some time with the car during the summer tidying it up :-[
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Well, i have an old golf so it didn't have the extra hole. But i just slid it on using the small bumper clip to get a feel for how it looked, you know before i fitted it, and the clip held it fine. Not particularly wanting to drill a big hole, i fitted it using the small bumper clip. Its held on fine, can't push it down, pull it outwards etc... But, it can lift up. I don't really think this would matter, would it?! Also, i got pattern parts, and could only get one bolt in on each side. Does this sound like a recipe for disaster?!
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Na, Thats how mine is for now, But you do get fed up with having to push it back in now and then
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As of yet, i haven't had to push it back in! It dont look too bad, i dont think using the proper clips would make a difference except being able to lif it up. Probably won't bother now.
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ohmygod! :o you need to put all four front bolts in because they form the mount that supports the front of the engine! :o you are taking a serious risk if you dont! you need to support the engine under the sump or front mount when removing the front bumper.
sort those bolts out sharpish! :o
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the sumps a bit thin and weak to support it on i think ;)
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yeah alright granted but support it some how and sort those f****ing bolts! :o
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I might be being a bit dim, but i cant see what difference it makes??
I've heard conflicting ideas on this one. Are you saying that if i say, drove with no bumper my engine wouldn't be supported? I heard that i have to take the weight off to release the bumpr and fit it again, is it relevant that i didn't have to do this to remove the bumper, and theres no mention in the haynes manual?
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it is in the haynes manual! trust me on this you need all four bolts in proper or your engine isnt supported properly, and with time the bolts could fail. i used pattern parts on my last golf and the only way i could make them fit was to first detach the brackets from the bumper assembly then bolt these into the car, i had to hammer a bit flat to do this tho :o then by reaching thru the indicator apertures i bolted the bumper back onto the brackets. bit fiddly but it was the only way to get all four bolts in. it doesnt matter about the plastic side clips tho.
if i was you i would go to a scrappy or a vw dealer and get the vag brackets then put them on your pattern bumper
dont do things by half!
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Are you saying that if i say, drove with no bumper my engine wouldn't be supported?
that is correct. it would be supported by 2 small bolts that literally hold the crossmember on. the bumper bolts go thru the crossmember into the chassis rail so therefore form the supporting bar for the front of the engine as well as holding the 2 ends of the chassis rails together
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It aint in my manual, but then my manual is pre facelift edition... Do you need to support the engine to get the Bumpers out? Another problem i have now is i cant get my car on the ramps cos its too low!! Bit of a squeeze!
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hmmm not sure about that but its definatley in mine i just checked, you should support the engine to get them out it makes it easier and avoids undue strain on the crossmember bolts. try taking the front spoiler off the bottom or just jack it up and use axle stands
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Thats what i dont understand, there were no probs in getting the bumper off? Are you sure that the design wasn't changed after the facelift or something?
In your manual, does it say you have to support the engine, or just that the bolts are V important, or what?
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i will try scan it in later when i have time prob tonite, no the design wasnt changed only the style of the bumper
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the file corrupted when i was transfering it and you cant read all of it but you can read it enough to make it out
(http://homepage.ntlworld.com/john.combes2/golf%20front%20bumper.jpg)
the bit you want is under the heading 22 bumper removal and refitting
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and here is the book i got it out
(http://homepage.ntlworld.com/john.combes2/golf%20front%20bumper1.jpg)
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My book most certainly says different. I can't show you what it looks like, but i can pretty much quote:
- Undo battery -ve and disconnect indicators. Jack car nd support
- Working under the front of the car undo the four bolts that hold it to the longitudinal crossmember
- Bumper slides out and unclips from the guide
- Refitting is a reversal of removal. Check indicators
The picture of the guide is the same, but not the text. It also came from the haynes manual?
Leads me to believe it may have been changed post "face lift"?
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Here is what my Haynes manual says:
(http://se.thanez.net/haynes2.jpg)
(http://se.thanez.net/haynes1.jpg)
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saying all this the haynes manual doesnt tell you that the starter motor is part of the front engine mount either :-\
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I found that out when I was changing the starter and my engine dropped an inch or two :o
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lol me too ;D
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Ok, so i was pretty woriied about not having done this properly and was getting round to sorting it out. I decided to phone the VW dealers and my local VW/Audi garage for advice. Couldn't get through, thus gave in. Later VW dealer phone up, nd i'm like let me speak to someone whos been there for a few years please.... told him my problem. He said he'd done it to his Jetta, it certainly is an engine support... Told me that i have to jack the engine up slowly til the holes line up. Then he said it took him 2-3 hours in the workshop, with a proper engine lift, and his mechanic friends. F**k i thought. So i set aside today, this time with some assistance, not just on my own. M<easured the holes on the new bumper against the old, pretty much matched up ok?! Pushed it in again, used a torch this time, and got dad to push in the directions to line the holes up. Took me 10 damn minutes, not 2 hours!! The reason it didn't fit greatly before is because of the radiator rubbers, i trimmed them and it went in!! No jacking of engine or anything. Really don't understand the problem!! Anyway thank you all for your advice and help, well mainly Veedubgti8v !! Now i feel comfortable with my engine!! Thanks again.
Oh, if anyone is selling the fogs..... or if someone can tell me where to buy some, as i need/want some.
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would I need to keep the engine supported when only swapping small bumpers? I've had a change of heart and have decided to go small ;)