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Urethane bumper restoration ?

2K views 10 replies 5 participants last post by  baddbob 
#1 ·
You know how the 70's urethane bumpers get warped and saggy ? Is there anything that can be done to bring one back to new condition if it isn't real bad ? And I'm not sure how bad "real" bad is........ Thanks.
 
#2 ·
I sure hope one of these guys has an answer for you, I want to know myself. I work with these bumpers everyday doing minor repairs, those "waves" are just impossible for me, I hope there is some magic out there.
 
#4 ·
If were talking about the same thing - loss of memory
Take the bumper off and send to a bumper recycler or repairer.

They will vat it for 30 minutes in boiling water dolly out anything that did not come out and vat it again for 30 minutes.

The neat thing they doly out dings just like you do metal, same tools.
 
#6 ·
BarryK said:
If were talking about the same thing - loss of memory
Take the bumper off and send to a bumper recycler or repairer.

They will vat it for 30 minutes in boiling water dolly out anything that did not come out and vat it again for 30 minutes.

The neat thing they doly out dings just like you do metal, same tools.
Cool, but I lucked out today and found one that was nice and straight, paid dearly for it but it's worth it to me. Thanks. :thumbup:
 
#7 ·
segge said:
Just wondering how that works. The water softens it up and it goes back to its original shape?
Sure does, its neat to see, the bumpers have memory.
I have seen them take a tangled up bumper and put in water for 30 minutes and they only had one spot that they had to dolly out.
Last I herd a few years ago it was about $25 to vat the bumper, this included no other repairs like splits or primering.
For small spots I have used heat lamps with a 50/50 success.
 
#9 ·
Barry,very cool. I know I have heated them with a heat gun or heat lamp and hammered and dollied dents out. With the "waves" I have not been very successful.

I do know that hot water is the "holy grail" when it comes to rubber parts. Rubber "gaskets" like around a fuel filler or windows, door seals, anything rubber. It makes it so pliable, you can do just about anything with it. Even if it s hard and ready to crack. Get a big bucket and put the hottest water you can in it and drop the rubber pieces in. I have never had something damaged, it always helps.

So with the bumpers, if you have a tank big enough filled with hot water, it would have to work miracles.
Brian
 
#10 ·
Another question, there are two small holes in the bumper (about 1/4 in across) how would i go about repairing those?

Also on the front there are these vent fin type things that cracked off on one side but are still held on by the other side. Is there a way to fix this as well, some sort of glue or something? Ill get a picture tomorrow, its hard to explain what im talking about exactly.
 
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