Alum. bumper supports

[311]

what cars and years do i look at for alum. bumper supports?? Thanks :

 

[MeanBuicks]

Look at every 1981-1987 Regal you come across in the boneyard. There doesn't seem to be much rhyme or reason as to when these Al. supports were used.

You'll see them on Turbo-T/T-types, base models, Limiteds, 307 or 231 powered, whatever.

Also, being from Conn., you may be able to find some of the light steel, export braces used on Canadian Regals. I found a front one of those on a Regal in a Mississippi junkyard on an Illinois car. It weighed just 8 lbs. vs. 24 lbs. for the stock steel brace.

 

[tom h]

Anyone know what the weight of an Aluminum bumper support is ??

 

[JASON]

Originally posted by 311
what cars and years do i look at for alum. bumper supports?? Thanks :

i have a front support for $75 shipped if you want

 

[UNGN]

Originally posted by tom h
Anyone know what the weight of an Aluminum bumper support is ??

An aluminum support and all the associated bolts and nuts to attach it to the bumper weighs 13lbs.

The cut down steel "export braces" and bolts and nuts to mount them weigh 6lbs less than this.

 

[gn1220]

I put the light steel brace on the front of my car. They seem to be a lot easier to find than the aluminum front braces. I also put the alum. on the rear. I could not believe how heavy the steel supports are. Very simple swap.

 

[tom h]

is the lightweight steel brace made of a thinner guage steel, or "swiss cheesed" with a hole saw, or ??

do these light weight braces pose any significant increased risk of damaged if you're "tapped" by another car in a parking lot?
ie, what might normally have been a chipped/ scratched outer bumper shell now becomes a dented and bent bumper shell ??

 

[gn1220]

It is a factory item. It does seem to be a little thinner. It has steel where it bolts to the supports on each side and a thin piece going across the front to connect them. I don't think it would hold up to a front end collision as well but like I said it is a factory piece.

 

[MeanBuicks]

The heavy steel & aluminum braces are designed to meet 5 mph collision standards whereas the lightened steel brace is a 2.5 mph component. Those were permited outside the U.S. on new cars.

When it comes down to it, I don't think either one makes a hill of beans difference in most 'unfortunate situations'.

 

[HI85WH1]

I've seen the lightweight steel ones here, unfortunately, the salt air kills them pretty quickly....if you wanted the weight savings, couldn't you cut the aluminum ones to the demensions of the light steel ones?

When it comes down to it, I don't think either one makes a hill of beans difference in most 'unfortunate situations'

As in reality, the weakest part is not the bumper, but the frame itself....

 

[311]

HI85WH1, do you have to rub it in??? Aloha from sunny Hawaii,.as i sit here and there is snow on the ground and 30 deg. out..glad someone can drive there car!!!!

 

[HI85WH1]

Sorry about that 311, but it rains too!, BTW I can't drive my T/R anyway, its been dead since last march, either no time or no money....and we all know how that goes Hey you guys are welcome amytime....we need to bolster our tourism #s anyway...

-Rob

 

[Geoff87]

Just wanted to add....

The difference in weight on the Aluminum vs Steel bumper reinforcements on my car.

Rear: 21 lb weight savings.

Front: 18.7 lb weight savings.

ALSO, the spare tire weighed in at 35.1 lbs. -I was too lazy to unmount & weigh the jack.