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Best glue for securing a loose bumper cover


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pctiger717
New User

Aug 11, 2015, 12:07 PM

Post #1 of 9 (6386 views)
Best glue for securing a loose bumper cover Sign In

I have a 2006 Honda Civic Coup and I am trying to sell it in the next month or so. The car is in very good condition with the exception of the front bumper cover being loose on the passenger side (remnants from hitting an animal a few years ago). I took it to a body shop and they recommended that I just try to secure it with an adhesive, as that is what they would probably do. Can anyone recommend a product for this fix? Her is a link to the picture of the bumper: http://imgur.com/gallery/9OUhJJx/new


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Aug 11, 2015, 12:51 PM

Post #2 of 9 (6381 views)
Re: Best glue for securing a loose bumper cover Sign In

? A real body shop? What is the extent of the real damage vs I'll call just gluing it "faking it" type repair? Looks like some broken plastic and more possible behind that unseen?


If that's all the shop would suggest I'd either try another for a specific product they like usually 3M makes an assortment for things specific for automotive use sold at auto body supply parts stores.


Quandry is to me if just glue instead of a better fix is will that make a real fix much harder if it doesn't work? Silicone adhesives are strong but then stuck as nothing stick well to that and it doesn't remove well.


Goop by name - hardware store and many auto places is tolerant of heat, cold, paintable, vibrations - also near impossible to easily remove for something later.


Can you get behind that and find area(s) that you can clamp? Assorted metal push clamps might be a nice choice.


Stuff is was costly last time used but a 3M double stick rubber tape for auto use was good and was removable with some effort.


A lot would depend to me on how well I could hold that in place with temporary clamping as all but the instant stick tapes will want it to you to leave it clamped for probably 24 hrs and dry,


T



pctiger717
New User

Aug 11, 2015, 1:04 PM

Post #3 of 9 (6375 views)
Re: Best glue for securing a loose bumper cover Sign In

It appears that the damage is all on the bumper cover itself, it looks like the plastic has snapped in places making it difficult to snap into place. I can fit the bumper back in, and it will stay for a while, but it always slips back out.

Behind the bumper picture: http://imgur.com/fSaQtmm
close up of the bumper cover: http://imgur.com/uoPH0bn
bumper cover in place: http://imgur.com/W0soT66

sorry for the links, I can't make hyper links work properly.


(This post was edited by Hammer Time on Aug 11, 2015, 1:19 PM)


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Aug 11, 2015, 1:20 PM

Post #4 of 9 (6369 views)
Re: Best glue for securing a loose bumper cover Sign In

I fixed them for you

Yes, we do this a lot here. The retainers are broken off on the bumper. We have a commercial 2 part epoxy that is injected from a gun through a special tip that mixes it as it comes out. You need something really strong.



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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



(This post was edited by Hammer Time on Aug 11, 2015, 1:22 PM)


Tom Greenleaf
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Aug 11, 2015, 1:35 PM

Post #5 of 9 (6364 views)
Re: Best glue for securing a loose bumper cover Sign In

Pics can be a pest here and always was. Image guru site was slow and only got first of those for now was enough. Like I thought the square holes pulled out in the bumper cover appears to push into metal clips still there and maybe missing a black plastic filler or section of it?


This isn't my trade but do fix this crap as it's so dang common and so easy to bust the cheap junk covers I would consider really nice looking "fakes" vs a whole new bumper skin then the paint job of it!


YOU have to decide. At the glance of how you have it out far enough for a pic I would probably use GOOP vs others. That must be held in place for 24 hours without moving and IMO make another repair there harder.


Guess if I wanted it super well faked I'd be looking for scraps of plastic to make/glue in bits to make the square holes again as strong as they were which wasn't that strong as we know.


To be nice to next person or perhaps YOU if it happened again just avoid stuff that prevents paint from ever sticking. The silicone adhesives do work, strong and flexible with wild heat tolerances too but try to paint it - NOT. Your fender is metal and painted just think not to harm it.


Where to find bits of plastic that would do? Ya know - I'd be out fishing around a junk yard full of assorted broken plastic from cars big enough to cut to size, grind to size - hot finish nails etc - whatever works.


Tons of assorted crap can break where you can't see inside doors, under dash things and places I do and did have to fix well and work totally but no real regard for the looks just function.........


T



Discretesignals
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Aug 11, 2015, 6:02 PM

Post #6 of 9 (6354 views)
Re: Best glue for securing a loose bumper cover Sign In

Why don't you just have it fixed right and then add the cost of repairing it to the asking price when you go to sell the vehicle? Your just going to make it hell for someone else when they have to remove the bumper cover to get to something behind it.





Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Aug 12, 2015, 4:14 AM

Post #7 of 9 (6342 views)
Re: Best glue for securing a loose bumper cover Sign In

Got to see last two pics - thanks HT. Now agree with DS - fix it right is best and lots nicer for anything else needed. Note: Pics are still imperfect but looks like the bumper skin as already been damaged and repainted - see slight wrinkled paint?
It does make it much harder to fix or get at things if needed for something else later. IMO worth more done right but probably not recover total cost of totally right vs what I've called "faking" it.
Morality says do what you want up to nothing at all might be best and let new owner decide or tell them with those pics that it happened to be fair. Would you want that surprise if you bought it not knowing?


BTW - the body shop that said they would just glue it: Did they say what it would cost to do right vs that or does that shop fix things that way for anyone type place that you wouldn't want to do biz with if you were concerned about the best work for the car and YOU had you decided to keep it,


T



pctiger717
New User

Aug 12, 2015, 6:07 AM

Post #8 of 9 (6337 views)
Re: Best glue for securing a loose bumper cover Sign In

They said it would cost about $700-$800 to order a new bumper, paint it, and install. I found a supplier on ebay (Link deleted ........... not allowed) who is very well reviewed who sells the painted bumpers for $213. I doubt its the same quality, but it seem like it would be better to order than and install it proper than glue it the current one. From what I understand, the bumper cover is mostly decorative, so a lesser quality one wouldn't be the end of the world would it?


(This post was edited by Hammer Time on Aug 12, 2015, 6:42 AM)


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Aug 12, 2015, 7:31 AM

Post #9 of 9 (6334 views)
Re: Best glue for securing a loose bumper cover Sign In

Brand new this plastic/rubber like bumper cover idea isn't strong and easy to damage a little or a lot. It's the reason I would even consider less than OE new and the full price and paint to just bump it or get bumped the same day and same issue.


The hidden crap like plastic inner fenders you do routinely need to move to get at things and dang clips don't even want to work twice even on some nicer vehicles.


If this entire vehicle was a nice fresh two or three year old I wouldn't want anything hacked as a buyer and ticked if found out later but would probably be from a dealer.


By 10ish years old for something such as yours I'd really think about making it just look real good and worry about it later if my own.


IDK - I'm not thrilled with painting a bumper at all if metal or plastic crap. It can be eaten up but smashed bugs or small stones way too easy without any real impact damage. Calling them a bumper at all is an oxymoron.


This like many things the choices of how to really make a decent fix being right there really helps despite your great pics. Guess where I live I would NOT go the most expensive route on this particular vehicle but it's your choice not mine,


T







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