I'm changing out my 1995 bumper that is broken for a 2001 bumper. I have all the neccessary parts and everything. However, my project has been stalled by frozen / stuck bolts! Joy! I am referring to the bolts that hold the top of the front end on. There are 8 or so identical bolts across the top of the bumper piece. I removed half of them no problem, but the other half simply will not come off. I have used brute force, I have used a variable speed power drill with screwdriver bit and put all my weight on it to make it not strip/skip (still did), I have used the PB Blaster thread unlocker stuff, I have hit them with a hammer... nothing works.

Someone suggested that either Acura or a body shop in the car's lifetime might have either overtorqued the bolts on there with air tools or might have glued / threadlocked the bolts in. This person said either drill the bolts out or torch the bolts out.

Any suggestions, comments, questions?

Thx,
Ben

 

i got all mine off with elbow grease.... though i did break a screwdriver head in the process.

 

cut the bumper around the bolts...rip off the bumper...try to remove all plastic from under the bolts and if you still cant get em off the a screwdriver then get a big monkey wrench and try to twist em off....

 

breaker bar for extra leverage, wd40, white vinegar, tourque wrench, if worst comes to worst get a dremel power tool or some kinda drill and putt one of those lil cutter things on it and cut through the bolt, with the remaining threaded part of the screw still holding the bumber on you will need to go rent a tap and die set from autozone tommorow, that will get the rest of the screw out. i know how u feel, got a flat on the highway and those dumb ***** from tires plus torqued the lugnuts on so hard that it wouldnt even come off with a torque wrench. i got two off with my 4way, my dad brought my battery powered torque wrench up to me and got two more off and the fifth wouldnt budge for any thing, had to pay the tow charge

 

yes I know its repetitive.. but try it..

spray and soak the bolts in PB Blaster get the appropriate sized screwdriver now get a rubber mallot or hammer and w/ the screwdriver on the screw.. tap the screwdriver a couple times... then press down REALLY hard WHILE your turn... my front end strip piece screws were on really tight also... this is how I got them all off... hammering the screwdriver on the screw then pressing down REALLY hard (palm/hand on top of screwdriver/handle..while pressing down really hard) WHILE turning..

haha theres always the impact screwdriver.. haven't personally tried that method myself as my above method worked.. but worked on my brake rotor screws...

 

Exactly one of the things I have already done. Am going to rent or buy a bolt drill bit thingie tomorrow morn. And then I can start sporting the black front on the green car!

Ben

 

Impact driver dude... it's an impossible task without one. Shouldn't be more than 30 bucks at sears hardware.

 

oh haha sorry didn't know you tried that already.. but that worked for me (tapping the screws) and turning real hard... I have no other suggestions then since thats what worked for mine..

 

yeha i tried to take the bumper off, why the **** are teh bolts on so tight!?

 

torch?

I say just:
pb blaster and
breaker bar with 6-point socket

 

Problem is, these are Philips head screws/bolts... they are not built to accept socket wrenches/hex wrenches.

Ben

 

IMPACT DRIVER!

 

liquid wrench

 

Eek! Please don't hurt me!

Ben

 

oh gotcha...

impact driver is an excellent idea. definately try that.

if not, go to Sears (sale tomorrow!) and grab some of their screw extractors.

 

guess you dont wanna damage your *already damaged* bumper...

all you need is a sharp flat head screw driver and a hammer to cut through the plastic...

 

i think using a torch would probably melt the bumper material, can anyone verify this?