can't get front bumper off

32sbct · Post by **32sbct** » Thu Jun 16, 2011 7:00 pm

So, my M38's front bumper is bent up in quite a few spots so I want to replace it. There are no bolts that I can see that are holding it on. Were these welded on? Even some encouragement from a three pound hammer failed to budge it. Any thoughts? Thanks!

RimfireJim · Post by **RimfireJim** » Thu Jun 16, 2011 7:15 pm

Bolted on:
Six 3/8-24x3/4 bolts and nuts (two from below and one from the front on each side), plus a 1/2-20x1-1/4 bolt on each side sandwiching the bumper between the lifting bracket and the frame, which are threaded into weldnuts on the frame.

That's "stock", anyway. The bolts should all be visible and obvious. If the bolts aren't there, the holes should be. Images on page 3 of RickG's photo gallery show what the frame looks like without the bumper on it, giving you a good idea of what an original looks like. If there are no bolts, it sure sounds like somebody welded it on there. Ugh . . .

Post by **wesk** » Thu Jun 16, 2011 8:56 pm

Six 3/8" bolts with nuts and two 1/2" bolts. The 3/8" bolts are two at bottom of bumper at each frame rail and one in center of bumper face at the end of each frame rail. The lifting shackle bracket's front two bolts are at the top of the bumper on the end of each frame rail.

32sbct · Post by **32sbct** » Sat Jun 18, 2011 8:14 pm

Its off. I stripped the jeep down to the bare frame today and not having the wheels/axles on gave me room for a better swing with the three pound hammer. It took a number of hits before it gave way. I think it was just stuck on because of how it had been bent over the years. In any event, its off.

RimfireJim · Post by **RimfireJim** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 3:51 pm

So, just curious: were the eight original bolts Wes and I described on there at the beginning and you had already removed them before resorting to a hammer, or were they missing and nothing else was holding it on except being bent up? (You had written, "There are no bolts that I can see that are holding it on.")

32sbct · Post by **32sbct** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 10:10 am

Rimfire Jim, in answer to your question, yes all the bolts were off. In fact they were all off before I got the Jeep. Looking at it after it came off it looked like one of the front bumper holes holes was pushed back into the cage nut on the bumper support. There were also some other hits that bent the bumper slightly up on one side and down in others basically pinching the bumper in place. I was able to bang it off by hitting it on the driver's side end. It took several full swing hits just to get it to move and three more to get it off.

I stripped everything off the frame that day, trans, transfer case, axles, springs, steering etc. I have to tell you, many of those parts put up quite a fight but I won in the end. The frame was cleaned and blasted this weekend and is ready for paint. It was more work then I thought but the frame is in excellent condition.

Balvar24 · Post by **Balvar24** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 10:41 am

Some wise guy tacked my bumper on. All the bolts seemed to line up fine. I beat the holy living you know what out of it before I figured out what was going on. Couple licks with the air chisel and all was well again.