Adjusting bumpers

[stickybones]

I just installed an aluminum front bumper support on my 87 GN. However, the drivers side of the bumper now sits about 1/2 inch further out than the passenger side. The P side also has 2 shims on it now to push it out. I don't want to push the P side out any more as it sits in the "correct" position, but I want to bring the drivers side in about 1/2 inch. How do you do this? Right now, the D side sits out so far I can almost see the forward edge of the bumper filler.

Any tips or tricks would be appreciated. Do I have to remove the support and pound/bend it to bring the D side in?

Thanks
Mike

 

[stickybones]

ttt

 

[QuickWrench]

Have you tried swapping the bumper/frame mounts? Are they the same length?

The real question is 'Where is the misalignment?'. Is your frame somehow diamonded? Is the bumper support messed up? Is the bumper bent? Are the bumper struts different lengths?

These are all things you can measure, so I'd find the root problem before shimming the thing to get it semi-correct.

g'luck...

 

[stickybones]

Thanks for the tip Quicky

I measured from some reference points and looked the car over tonight. Sure enough, the drivers side bumper shock absorber mounting flange was bowed out. I removed the bumper and the absorber (what a PITA it was to get the shock absorber out of the front of the frame), bent the flange back into shape and reinstalled everything. It all sits pretty even now. I'm happy with the results now.


When I bought this GN over 11 years ago, I knew it was in an accident with one of the previous owners. I guess the bowed absorber flange was one result.