having a hard time removing my front bumper...

[krillin]

i am trying to remove my front bumper so i can bake my headlights. i read the tutorial and i unscrewed all the screws that were mentioned in it. it says to pull off gently but i dont see how the is even possible. i checked in the wheel well and i saw 2 screws holding the bumper in place but i am having the hardest time reaching* the 2nd one. how was ghost (along with others) able to remove the bumper when the bumper itself is still screwed in. this is really irritating me right now.

[Black Majik MSP]

WOW, haven't seen you on here in forever. Your car will look even better when you're done with this. I'll try to find out, but I'm sure someone else knows.

[Dexter]

you have to remove all screws...unless im not getting what you are saying...

[krillin]

if u read the tutorial it says to remove the 4 plastic holders in each wheel well, and 2 screws underneath. then it says to remove the plastic holders (2) where the grill is. then pull gently. pull "gently" my ass! anyway, it just shows the pic of him pulling the whole bumper off. i am looking and i dont see how it's even possible according to his tutorial. i didn't think the p5 would be any diff from the msp.

[PhatTrax]

i wanna bake my headlights before pf dang it.

[VegasMSP]

krillin - There is 1 screw close to the edge of the bumper on each side, then there is a screw that is located under the edge of the headlight connecting the bumper on each side. It's a pain but you have to reach way in there to unscrew it. Then there is a clip under each headlight that holds the bumper on. You have to use something very thin and long to push on the tab to release the bumper tab. In the engine area there should be poppers that pop out above the grill. And last but not least there are 3 bolts holding the bumper on underneath. I hope this helps.

[krillin]

thx vegas, imma try that now. i want to punch my bumper...

[PhatTrax]

how many screws are there? i wanna do this possibly by the end of the week.

[VegasMSP]

how many screws are there? i wanna do this possibly by the end of the week.
When I did my FMIC there where 4 screws, 3 poppers, 2 clips and 3 bolts total. I think you have to remove a couple of bolts from the liners underneath and thats about it. The most pain in the butt were the clips under the headlights, that break real easy if your not careful.

[krillin]

i did those 2 screws inside the wheel well along side the bumper and was able to get that done but i dont see those clips near the headlights, and i dont see those bolts underneath. it's hard working with crappy lighting. even if i had those i still dont see how i pull the damn thing out. there are those 2 plastic poppers on both sides of the top grill but then there are 2 spots on the outside of the poppers that are still holding it in place. i'd pull hard but i am afraid to break something. i dunno, i had ppl telling me that taking this bumper off would take 5 min and it's taking me over an hour. i give up...

[ylmazdaspeed]

bumper shouldn't take that long to take off. On each side of the bumper there will be 2 screws that you have to remove. It's easy to remove the first screw because it's right by the fender well then the second screw is further in but hard to see. You should be able to fell around the edge of the bumper for the second screw. To pop the clips of the grill off simple get a panel popper or flat head screw driver and use that to pop the clip out. Be careful not to scratch the paint. Also there may be bolts underneth the bumper holding it on. Those are easy to locate if you look underneth the car.

[VegasMSP]

The outside poppers you have to pull the middle out then it will come out. As for the tab clips under the headlight. Take a flash light and shine it directly in the crack close to the corner of the head light and you will notice a hole like tab on the bumper with a nub on the clip holding it on there. Thats what keeps the bumper snug onto the headlight. If your car is black its going to be hard to see. Actually I think it's 2 bolts underneath the bumper that keeps the bottom part of the bumper on (at least on a 3.5). Also look for the liners underneath that may be bolted to the bumper too.

[krillin]

thx guys but i just gave up. i was starting this at 9pm and it's already 11:20pm. i honestly didn't think it was gonna be such a damn hassle to do this. i'll try again later when i don't have to work the next morning. i just wish ghost had more info on the bumper removal. he made it sound so easy in his tutorial.

vegas, yes i have the black msp and i am using a living room lamp as a light source cuz i dont have a flashlight.

man, i really hate that bumper right now.

[TheJohnny]

watch those things under your headlights...I broke one on mine...VegasMSP's came off without breaking, thank god..that's why he had to take them off... I didn't want to break them...Look hard and you will see them...they should be on yours as well as ours. Anyway, good luck with it..

[TheJohnny]

http://www.msprotege.com/members/TheJohnny/bumper.JPG
sorry about my artistic talents ... but this is the best that it gets...hope it helps..Oh by the way, this is a side view...looking at bumper and corner of headlight...

[krillin]

thx for the drawing, i'll try this again later. right now i just dont even want to look at the thing.

[krillin]

http://www.msprotege.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=1994

i am looking at this diagram and trying to see how figure out this clip. how do i unclip this specifically? i see something but i dont know what i am looking at. i dont see any black nipple either.


EDIT:

well i managed to get one side of the bumper off but in doing so broke that stupid FUCKIN black nipple. i dont see why it was even there in the first place. the bumper holds in fine without it. i'm kinda pissed again cuz i wasted time on this.

[TheJohnny]

Don't worry, I broke mine as well, bumper been on for months, I don't think it's going to fall off either....don't worry about it.