DIY: Rear Bumper Removal (with pictures)
fix please??
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 13,406
Likes: 130
From: MexiCali dodging potholes
if you have help you'll more than likely be able to reverse engineer it and see where the bolts are...
I used this thread to remove my bumper...
where exactly is it not giving from...
I used this thread to remove my bumper...
where exactly is it not giving from...
Stubborn plastic clips
IMPORTANT: There is no such thing as an "automatically unlocking" white clip. OP is exactly right, they do need to be turned 90 degrees to unlock. I removed my rear bumper last night and after removing all other screws and clips, tugged and pulled at those clips to no avail. When you do remove them, you will see why; unless the clip is aligned with the rectangular hole, there is no way it is coming out. Mathys, I think you got lucky there; perhaps they had both moved to an almost unlocked position from normal driving.
That said, they are hard to remove but not impossibly so. I missed OP's post about using a 10mm socket and did it an alternate way. Took a pair of pliers and stuck my whole hand into the hole left by the taillight (just enough room even for my giant hands). Then with the pliers facing up, I had just enough leverage to turn the clips. Good thing they don't require a lot of force. But yes, DO use a 10mm socket to turn them and you will have them out in a few seconds.
That said, they are hard to remove but not impossibly so. I missed OP's post about using a 10mm socket and did it an alternate way. Took a pair of pliers and stuck my whole hand into the hole left by the taillight (just enough room even for my giant hands). Then with the pliers facing up, I had just enough leverage to turn the clips. Good thing they don't require a lot of force. But yes, DO use a 10mm socket to turn them and you will have them out in a few seconds.
To me the easiest way was with plyers - took me 5 seconds per side.....no lie...
STICK YOUR HAND IN THE OPENING AND ORIENT SOME SMALL PLYERS AT AN ANGLE AS SHOWN:
KEEP GOING:
AND GOING:
YOUR THERE - TOP VIEW - TURN DAMMN IT!
EASY BREEZY!............anyone with average sized hands should be able to do this....
If you dont have small plyers like i do, then of course do the same thing with an 8mm wrench:
pic shown to prove its 8mm
-J
Since i Track my car,
I'm trashing those clips and replacing them with some universal mounting clips made to accept a course thread screw.
This kind - found anywhere:
I'm then mounting a Big Pan head screw (maybe using a washer under the head) so that it holds the bumper secure as intended but I'm drilling a hole IN LINE in my bumper to use a decent sized screw driver or a small hand drill with a jobber bit to remove it super quickly.
ill post pics when I have it done, my car is on jack stands getting a lot of work done to it right now...
-J
I'm trashing those clips and replacing them with some universal mounting clips made to accept a course thread screw.
This kind - found anywhere:
I'm then mounting a Big Pan head screw (maybe using a washer under the head) so that it holds the bumper secure as intended but I'm drilling a hole IN LINE in my bumper to use a decent sized screw driver or a small hand drill with a jobber bit to remove it super quickly.
ill post pics when I have it done, my car is on jack stands getting a lot of work done to it right now...
-J
Last edited by JasonZ-YA; Nov 10, 2009 at 05:41 AM.
Here we go...
See attached pics for the clip i used to replace the silly oem clip. Found it for a few bucks at any autostore. the square hole in the Z is a 10mm hole.
You can see the holes i drilled in my bumper here:
https://my350z.com/forum/7923685-post10294.html
-J
See attached pics for the clip i used to replace the silly oem clip. Found it for a few bucks at any autostore. the square hole in the Z is a 10mm hole.
You can see the holes i drilled in my bumper here:
https://my350z.com/forum/7923685-post10294.html
-J
Needed a question answered quick and this thread provided it. This is the second or third time I've checked this thread out for answers/guidance. Thank you much, OP - it is appreciated. 
