ALERT! Your front bumper gap fix is here!
 

Hey guys,

This is Ryan, also known as "g0ast" to you, my build here: http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34772

I also work for Vivid Racing in Gilbert, I'm here to tell everyone in Arizona that has that dreaded "bumper gap", see pic below:

http://s17.postimg.org/yrfaekw1r/q_Mt36w_B.jpg

YOU NOW HAVE AN ACTUAL FIX FOR IT. THAT YOU CAN HAVE DONE. NOW.

My wonderful friends at ALLARD COLLISION in Chandler, coincidentally also friends of Vivid Racing, have used my car as a test car, and they now have a fix for it!

Allard takes out the faulty plastic clip that the front bumper connects to since it doesn't work anyway, and instead uses some pop rivets and fasteners, drilling into the bumper and into the front quarter panel and securing them together,. The fix is reversible and permanent as it uses metal to secure the bumper instead of plastic.

http://s18.postimg.org/xum54a321/0408150906.jpg

http://s1.postimg.org/xjiub6pjj/0408150906a.jpg

- Q/A -
How much does it cost?
$200, including labor and parts. It's worth the cost if you never want to worry about the bumper gap again.

How long does it take to fix?
About 6-8 hours, taking off wheels, removing wheel well liner, taking off plastic clip piece, drilling holes, installing rivets and putting it all back together.

What if I have plans to install intake tube, or bake headlights and need to take off the bumper?
The pop rivets can be removed with the right tools and person doing it using a drill, without drilling the holes any bigger. Doing so however destroys the rivets and need to be replaced. If undone, the plastic clip piece can't be put back on. Removing the bumper takes several hours longer because of the rivets and likewise replacing them. If you have plans for headlights or such, do it before you get this fix. In my case, I have no such plans in the present.

Is the fix reliable?
The same day I got the fix done, I lightly scraped the bottom of the bumper twice and bumped into a parking lot wheel stopper, all events more than capable of popping the bumper off the plastic clips. The pics of my car were taken the day after those events and no change! I was ecstatic!

Where is Allard Collision?
Allard Collision
230 E Highland St
Chandler, AZ 85225

Just a side note, I receive no compensation nor does Vivid. I am more than happy to post this for Allard Collision to help my fellow AZ86'ers who have this problem get it fixed once and for all.

-RyanG/g0ast

So if you were to get a body kit that included a new front fascia do you have to drill out the rivets to remove it?

If you got the fix for the stock bumper and you got a new bumper for it and it fit the same way on the same plastic clip piece, then yes. To remove the bumper after getting the fix you do have to remove the rivets. But you can probably do the same fix to that bumper too for the same reason. Right now it's only been applied to my car with the stock bumper. Using a different bumper may have different requirements for fitment.

-RyanG

Drilling out pop rivets really isn't that big a deal. You use a small drill bit that fits in the hole of the rivet and basically drill the flat part of the rivet out. I would recommend buying some pop rivets and practicing it first a few times to get used to it though.

I know this because I am in the process of building a kit plane that uses dome-shaped pop rivets (dome adds strength) rather than bucked rivets, and well, lets say you don't always get it right the first time.

Nice option to have at a reasonable price. I think I'll wait for the less cosmeticly appealing option that the STIs use, where it's a metal clip bracket.

Love Allard Collision.

I was willing to buy that idea too but reading the thread for it, it's really slow progress, unknown when it'll be brought to market. Plus I think the price would be pretty high and without installing, and you'd have to drill a hole in your bumper and of course it would stick out. I was really desperate just to fix the bumper I was willing to take that appearance cut to get it flush.

I got it done this way and I am soo happy now.

-RyanG

New clips from Toyota cost 40 and ive taken bumper off 3 times sense then

So the bumper is permanently attached to the fender? That also means if you get into a front end collision instead of the bumper popping off the clips, the bumper is going to pull the lower front part of the fenders out with it.

How many of you experience this "gap" issue?

Took my bumper on and off 3 times in the last week and I have never seen it.

Im curious as to how many are being affected, and why this is occurring for some.

Not me thankfully :)

Some people do and some people don't apparently, I know a few that do and a few that don't and I don't for the life of me know why it does or doesn't. I've had my bumper off 3 times too and every time it was put back, new clips and all, and after a week it popped off again.

I've heard FRS's don't do it as often as BRZ's.

-RyanG

It's securely fastened to the bumper but not permanently. I can have the rivets removed if necessary to take off the bumper.

As far as an accident goes, the fenders will bend anyway, more damage than just exterior damage would happen so really what's the problem? My insurance covers it very nicely. $100 deductible collision.

-RyanG

I had the issue, bought a new clip and it was solved.

I have to agree while this solution ensures a nice tight fit the fact that when something happens when you don't plan for the bumper to come off (aka Accident) is when it's going to cause more damage and well that could mean the repair might not be covered by insurance or they could claim a preexisting condition.