Fixing a split rear bumper?

qposner · #1 (**permalink**) 08-18-2004, 07:55 PM

I removed my rear bumper as it was in awful condition. The replacement is in better shape, but is starting to split apart at the silver trim in a few places. Any tips on holding it together?

Quinn

bill_bain · #2 (**permalink**) 08-22-2004, 01:18 PM

Year and type of car would be nice -- Series 3 and the black bumpered series 2 cars can often be fixed and repainted using flexible bumper filler from SEM, but it's hard to make any recommendation without more information.

qposner · #3 (**permalink**) 08-22-2004, 01:36 PM

Sorry. '79 Spider.

JoeCab · #4 (**permalink**) 08-22-2004, 02:47 PM

The reason the Series 2 rear bumpers split is rust - there is a metal support surrounded by a layer of rubber. When the metal inside rusts, it creates outward pressure and splits the rubber.

This can be fixed by getting inside the split and scraping or grinding off all of the rust, then treating it with a rust stabilizer and expoxying the split back together.

I did this many years ago on my '81 Spider and the repair lasted very well, but obviously any new rust that starts will create new splits. After the repair I repainted the bumper with a SEM flexible bumper paint in a semi-gloss black and it looked perfect.

Joe