Installing Grill/brush guard

[sylert]

I just got lucky and someone gave me a new bumper with a grill/brush guard attached to it. I would like to take the guard off the other bumper and put it onto my truck. I have an 89 bronco XLT! im having problems getting the bolts off that are on the bumper. By this i mean the ones that are round on one side on the front of the bumper. When i try to losen it from behind the round part just keeps spinning!!! and it doesnt come out far enough for me to get and kind of wrench behind it either...any ideas? i might end up having to swao the whole bumper, but that calls for reliable friends! help in the whole process is appreciated!

 

[Yardape]

Can you get in there with a grinder? if so just cut the nuts off. A torch would be wonderful

 

[RBuffordTJ]

Can you get in there with a grinder? if so just cut the nuts off. A torch would be wonderful

Yep ^ or you could spot weld the head of the bolt on the front side to make it stay still.

 

[Seabronc]

Another possible approach is to carefully grind the heads off the bolts to do as little scratching damage to the bumper as possible. I had the same problem removing my front bumper, it now has standard #8 bolts holding it on so I can get a wrench on both sides. The problem is that the old bolts have the nuts rust welded on and when you put enough torque on them the bolt head rounds out the softer metal square hole in the bumper. Once that happens there is no easy way to get them off.

Good luck,

>-

 

[sylert]

well thats where im at now, i loosened it but its rusty so the square side is just spinning as i wrench behind it, i was able to slide a 1/2 in wrench behind the round piece onto the square piece but its not working well because i have no real leverage. Otherwise ill probably end up taking off the whole bumper because i do have the replacement bumper that has the grill on it already. Whats the best way to access the 4 bolts holding on the bumper? my wrench doesnt really fit in there, id probably need an impact wrench or something right? i think i need to step up my tool collection haha everyones always saying oh just weld this just do that but my basic hand tools arent getting me anywhere except the buying bandaids

 

[Yardape]

Ive been in your situation so I know exactly what you mean. If you take it to a scrapyard of welding shop they will buzz them off for you usually for about 20 bucks. Yes it sounds expensive but really the guy is throwing it in his pocket to buy beer later. And it saves you a big headache. if you put it on it will rattle like crazy by the sounds of it. And to take the bumper bolts out, I have never had an issue using a ratchet and a big breaker bar