DIY: Front Bumper Removal
 

Semtex Posted the instructions below from his Photobucket, and I will post my own with photographs. The steps were not in the same order since I figured it out on my own without any complications.

http://www.the370z.com/attachment.ph...1&d=1297214117
1) Remove single pop rivet to ease prying the fender protector to get access to rear harness and connectors. Do the same for the other side.
http://www.the370z.com/attachment.ph...1&d=1297214514

2) Pry fender protector edge to get access to 10mm bolt. Do the same for the other side.
http://www.the370z.com/attachment.ph...1&d=1297214514

3) Remove 10 bolts underneath the bumper.
http://www.the370z.com/attachment.ph...1&d=1297214514

4) Lift the hood and remove 7 pop rivets holding the bumper.
http://www.the370z.com/attachment.ph...1&d=1297214514

5) Organization of the pop rivets and bolts for the front bumper assembly.
http://www.the370z.com/attachment.ph...1&d=1297214514

6) Get your hand behind the side, pull down slightly to unhook the end of the bumper where you removed the 10mm bolt from step 2 (oval cutout). Then lightly and quickly tug away from the car to unsnap the bumper from 4 hooks (rectangle cutouts). There are additional hooks underneath the headlamps. Do the same for opposite side.
http://www.the370z.com/attachment.ph...1&d=1297214514

7) You should be able to lift and pull the bumper from the grill area (easy to balance without any help).
http://www.the370z.com/attachment.ph...1&d=1297214514

Very cool, thanks!

Great DIY. Thanks for posting. I'm not sure what you want me do :confused:

Nice work. +rep for you sir. :D

Very well done!

+rep

Hahah I copied and pasted Semtex's Photobucket link, so it is not my own.

Thanks for posting the front bumper removal process. Definetely a help when I have Stillen's CAI in hand.

+1 for the simplicity and photos.

Thanks for this, my G3 just got here!

Wow. Looks much easier than removing the bumper from the 300zx was, but then again, maybe I was going about it the wrong way!

after doing it a few times its really easy, i can do it in under 5 min with a small air ratchet i think.

no ****. Is it just as easy putting it back on? I remember the headache i got from replacing my 300zx bumper when i bought it.

any suggestions on easily removing those plastic pop rivets? I just used 2 flathead screwdrivers on either side and pulled like hell. I broke about 3 of them. Is there a pop rivet puller that anyone uses? This was prob the hardest part of removing the bumper lol

Removal:
Take a thin screwdriver or a dull awl and push in the center of the plastic pop rivet. This will allow the rivet to be removed easily.

Reinsertion:
Push the small center pin through the rivet to the top (don't remove it, but it should be sticking out of the head of the pop rivet). Push the rivet back in the hole and then press the center pin into the rivet to lock it back in place

Thanks so much for this! I did a stillen gen 3 long tube on my car tonight and got everything I needed to know about getting the bumper off from this site. You guys rock!

little confused where is the pictures step by step?

Sorry, the links were broken when I fixed the photo album.

Thanks
 

Thanks for the photos -- I have the manual but actual pictures are worth 1,000 words as they say. I am doing tis for the first time in a few days for oil cooler installation and these help. Good job.

Thanks so much! It really helped me to take of the bumper in order to clean the cooler and get all the dead bugs out! also painted the ugly white front licensee plate hooks that the previous owned put on.

Great DIY:tup::tup: thnx alot

So unlike the 350Z, there is only one bolt on the top outter corners holding the bumper in? I see two in the pictures, but I think only one mentioned. I know the inside bolt was a bit of a paint to get to on the 350Z without completely removing the fender liner.

Thanks.

Yea, there's only 1 bolt holding the bumper to the fender corner. The fender lining is softer than the 350Z, so it was easy to flex it and get to the bolt.

would it b the same with da NISMO???

Pretty sure it would be the same. When you feel you got all the screws and rivits just go slow with it.

Only missed point is that you want the black plastic fender liner completely outside of the fender from the bottom to the point that the fenderwell bolt is accessed. Otherwise, it restricts removal. Having just completed installation of a Stillen SC kit on my 2009 370Z, the procedure is fresh in my mind. Is that the reason for your fascia R&R? If you haven't installed the SC yet, or are in the process, check out:Stillen 370Z supercharger installation instr - MY350Z.COM Forums

Just used this DIY - excellent! +1 Rep

Me too!

Excellent DIY, man. I'm installing an Escort Qi45 radar detector tomorrow, and was sweating the front bumper removal. Feeling good, now. +1 REP

Thanks... no problem. Once you work on it the first time, it's not that bad at all. I'd recommend spraying some soapy water to the pop rivets before prying them. It might make them less likely to break.

do a lot of favor for me to remove the bumper fascia...

Thanks for posting. I will be removing front bumper to replace busted reservoir tank due to puncture on fascia while hitting and evading, slalom style at 70 mph, several pieces of furniture on the freeway, L.A. freeways suck!!! I always find debris on the freeways; I even witnessed a driver hit a mattress and go airborne nearly hitting other drivers, it was at night but nevertheless... WTF??? no joke, glad I wasn't on that lane ;)

Geez! Glad you did alright. I sold my reservoir about a month ago. Check out my OEM parts thread to see if you need anything else.

Do you recommend having a second person there to help with bumper removal or is it pretty easy to hold and handle/pull off without scraping anything? I don't expect it to be heavy, but large things can be awkward to hold and result in drops/ground scraping. Did everyone here pull it off easily by themselves?

I did it myself and it was really easy, its not heavy at all.

One tip is I would place a towel or cardboard under where the bumper is so you can rest it when positioning it, otherwise you might scrape it when laying it on the ground.

Thanks, good tip. I have some foam core lying around I think.

Just wondering...is there a video of this DIY out there?

You shouldn't need one. I've taken mine off a few times now, and I can get it off in about 20 minutes.

ok.. theres no such thing as a stupid question, i know its common sense, but i have to ask this. everyone is saying its simple to take off, and maybe you guys are car experts or have done work with cars. i know not much about cars, so if taking it off is simple, how about a video, and for putting it back on

OK so I took mine off for the first time and the one thing I screwed up is something I saw others post questions about so after I broke one clip I figured it out and took a couple pics to help other noobs like me.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7206/6...eab073c0_m.jpg
IMG_0089 by DufDaddy17, on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7180/6...3c191f81_m.jpg
IMG_0090 by DufDaddy17, on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7200/6...63539409_m.jpg
IMG_0091 by DufDaddy17, on Flickr

PIC #1 - WRONG! Do not pry under the outer part of clip or you will break something
PIC #2 - CORRECT! Get screwdriver under the button looking part.
PIC #3 - Then twist. Now the clip comes out easily and more importantly UNBROKEN.

I don't think you'll find too many people who are going to take their bumper off/on just to film a video for you. Even the guy above just took his off. I think you need some self-confidence reinforcement that you can do this; quit telling yourself that you can't. None of us needed a video to remove the bumper; just follow the instructions that are in this thread and you'll be fine. However, have you checked YouTube for a video yet? AND I'll even send you the service manual for the bumper removal.

Haha it is nerve wracking, especially if this is the first AWESOME car that you ever owned. But he is right it was pretty easy.