installing a used bumper on Impreza Outback?

[runcyclexcski]

I had a minor accident (my fault) where the front bumper of my Impreza
Outback got partially ripped from the car (I was going slowly in
traffic and moved into a faster moving lane, cutting a guy off).
I have replaced the lights w/o much trouble, but the bumper looks
emrabassing. I am planning to drive the car into the ground, so, my
embarassment is not worth $1,5K or whatever a body shop will charge to
intall a new bumper. How realistic do you think is instaling a used
bumper in a do-it-yourself manner? I see many Impreza Outbacks in my
area, so, perhaps, junk yards have them? When I was instlaling the
light assembly I noticed that the bumper is attached to the body just
by several lame plastic clips - looked simple.

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

I had a minor accident (my fault) where the front bumper of my Impreza
Outback got partially ripped from the car (I was going slowly in
traffic and moved into a faster moving lane, cutting a guy off).
I have replaced the lights w/o much trouble, but the bumper looks
emrabassing. I am planning to drive the car into the ground, so, my
embarassment is not worth $1,5K or whatever a body shop will charge to
intall a new bumper. How realistic do you think is instaling a used
bumper in a do-it-yourself manner? I see many Impreza Outbacks in my
area, so, perhaps, junk yards have them? When I was instlaling the
light assembly I noticed that the bumper is attached to the body just
by several lame plastic clips - looked simple.

Fist thing, disable the airbags!

Then, yeah - if its the bumper cover - probably an OK diy job.
Um - how badly torn/deformed is the bumper? Some folks use a hair dryoer
- or the somewhat hotter, hot air paint remover-type blowers and can
work dents and maybe creases out.

Carl

 

[runcyclexcski]

Um - how badly torn/deformed is the bumper? Some folks use a hair dryoer

- or the somewhat hotter, hot air paint remover-type blowers and can
work dents and maybe creases out.

The holes in the bumper (I guess I should say - bumper cover? the beige
plastic thing) by which the plastic clips attach the bumper to the
frame got ripped when the bumper got pulled off the car on one side
(like, the bumper was going 40 mph while I was going 25 mph for a
fraction of a second). So there is a ~1 inch gap between the bumper and
the frame on the side where the bumper got ripped. The other side of
the bumper is still attached. Otherwise... yeah it's scratched, and if
it had been just the scratches I wouldn't have given a damn about it.

Hm, I guess I should find out how to disable the airbags. Do they
automatically infalte when the bumper gets removed? I did try to yank
the bumper back to its place (no success) and did not trigger the
airbags.

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

The holes in the bumper (I guess I should say - bumper cover? the beige
plastic thing) by which the plastic clips attach the bumper to the
frame got ripped when the bumper got pulled off the car on one side
(like, the bumper was going 40 mph while I was going 25 mph for a
fraction of a second). So there is a ~1 inch gap between the bumper and
the frame on the side where the bumper got ripped. The other side of
the bumper is still attached. Otherwise... yeah it's scratched, and if
it had been just the scratches I wouldn't have given a damn about it.

Hm, I guess I should find out how to disable the airbags. Do they
automatically infalte when the bumper gets removed? I did try to yank
the bumper back to its place (no success) and did not trigger the
airbags.

Its a precaution. If one goes off and no one is in the car - its - like
- $800 to replace. If some one IS in the car......

Should be a fuse somewhere that will disable them - maybe someone here
knows or possibly in the manual.

Carl

 

[runcyclexcski]

Should be a fuse somewhere that will disable them - maybe someone here
knows or possibly in the manual.

Carl

Thanks!!

Are there do it yourself books for Subarus? I remember having one for
my old Sentra - it was very helpful. But I remember having trouble
finding diy books for subarus.

 

[johninKY]

My advice is to just replace the entire bumper assembly with another used
one.

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

Thanks!!

Are there do it yourself books for Subarus? I remember having one for
my old Sentra - it was very helpful. But I remember having trouble
finding diy books for subarus.

Chilton and haynes - though they lag current models in releasing new
books -for your bumper issue, they may not be very helpful anyway. I'd
offer more detail, but others here have more experience with the work
than I do. I just wanted to caution you about the airbags.
You might enjoy searching and posting over at www.ultimatesubaru.org or
at www.nasioc.com too.

Carl

 

[runcyclexcski]

Chilton and haynes - though they lag current models in releasing new
books -for your bumper issue, they may not be very helpful anyway. I'd
offer more detail, but others here have more experience with the work
than I do. I just wanted to caution you about the airbags.
You might enjoy searching and posting over at www.ultimatesubaru.org or
at www.nasioc.com too.

Carl

Thank you, Carl. At this point the biggest issue is finidng that used
bumper assembly. As was pointed ou elewhere in thes group, e-stores
don't ship bumpers UPS.

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

Thank you, Carl. At this point the biggest issue is finidng that used
bumper assembly. As was pointed ou elewhere in thes group, e-stores
don't ship bumpers UPS.

Well, www.nasioc.com and www.ultimatesubaru.org both have large
readerships and maybe a WTB (want to buy) ad placed in the
marketplace/whatever forums would find someone near you with a parts car
or someo e familiar with the junkyards enough to point you to the right
place. Most junkyards (ahem; auto recyclers) have a searchable parts
database. have you tried one?

Carl