Bumper repair from plastic by own hands: soldering, welding, gluing. Instructions, recommendations

The times of massive metal car bumpers, and even with the characteristic "fangs", have long since become a thing of the past. Today, the vast majority of cars are equipped with plastic elements. On the one hand, this solution allows to significantly reduce the total weight of the car, while reducing the cost of the machine during its production. After all, body parts made of various metals and alloys are incomparably more expensive. In addition, the cost of the new plastic body kit is much lower than the metal counterparts.

On the other hand, plastic bumpers have much less strength. Even very durable plastic is much more vulnerable to impact, mechanical stress and other external factors. Nevertheless, the restoration of the bumper, albeit relatively cheap, is a rather expensive procedure. However, it can significantly save money if you know the basic principles of repairing modern plastic body parts.

How to repair a bumper with your own hands, and this article will be devoted.

Purpose and main functions

Initially, the car bumper performed a single function related to security. It was a rigid structure designed to absorb the impact energy, protecting the life and health of the passengers of the vehicle, and at the same time the body parts of the car. The provision of these requirements dictated the absence of alternatives for the implementation of this particular part. Approximately since the 20s of the last century, the front and rear bumpers were made in the form of a remote metal crossbeam. The more powerful and stronger the design and the farther it was carried out for the longitudinal dimensions of the car, the higher the safety characteristics were considered.

Evolution of the car bumper

Over time, a simple massive metal beam underwent some changes in its design. There were special shock absorbers, which made it possible to absorb the impact force even more effectively, the bumpers began to give a more aesthetic appearance due to chrome plating, design improvement and other decorative techniques.

But the real revolution occurred when many manufacturers abandoned the idea of "aggressive" protection with the help of bumpers. Although nowadays the protective function of this part still plays an important role, modern body elements are a complex high-tech design made of various materials and having a variety of possibilities.

Typical structure

Today the car bumper is made not of metal, but of plastic or polymeric materials. In addition, the device of a modern body element is a complex multilayer structure. In the overwhelming majority of cases, it consists of the following components:

• Actually the bumper. Or, what else is called the basis of the design, "amplifier" or "bumper bus."
• Cover. Plastic or polymeric material that improves the appearance aesthetics, completing the overall design design concept and protecting the basic design.
• Absorber. It is a material placed between the bumper base and decorative pads. Can be a foam filler, a material based on polyurethane, silicone, a variety of composite materials.

Additional functions of a modern bumper

In addition to its basic "duties", which consist in protecting and creating the exterior of the car, a modern plastic bumper provides opportunities for implementing a wide variety of additional functions. Examples include the following:

• Placement of a variety of sensors and electronic systems. Parktronic, rain analyzer, light sensor is often introduced into the design of the element.
• Installation of basic and additional lighting devices. The bumper is the most popular place for placing fog lamps, additional side lights, and sometimes headlights.
• It is in the bumper are the main sensors that activate, for example, airbags and other systems.
• Various systems for washing the headlights, front and rear view cameras, other service devices are also often mounted in bumper systems.

Bumper repair from plastic by own hands

Such complexity of the design, its multifunctionality and application of the most advanced technologies often lead to the fact that even a small damage to it leads to unjustifiably high expenses of finance, forces and time. Among motorists today there is a widespread opinion that it is almost impossible to even straighten a plastic bumper after minor damage without the help of a specialist. Nevertheless, we will try to explain in detail how to do it on our own.

When can I fix it myself?

Of course, the repair of the bumper made of plastic by one's own hands is not possible in all cases. Much depends on the nature of the damage and the amount of work to be done. It is obvious that after a serious accident that entailed a serious destruction of the entire structure as a whole, the help of highly qualified specialists will be required. However, some malfunctions and defects can be completely eliminated on their own, saving both time and quite serious money. Consider the most common situations.

Failure or incorrect operation of sensors or lighting devices

Often happens that due to vibration, temperature changes or even minor impact or mechanical effects, one of the sensors starts to work incorrectly or simply fails. Often there is a need to replace the light elements mounted in the front or rear bumper of the car. Accordingly, the question arises: how to remove the bumper without damaging it? Far not in all cases it is necessary to address immediately in a car-care center, as this operation can be made and most.

Of course, much depends on the model of the car, the manufacturer, the type of body and the year of production. But there are a number of universal recommendations that make it possible to get a general idea of the algorithm for producing similar works. Having become acquainted with them, it remains only to apply a certain amount of wit in each specific case.

Dismantling the rear bumper of the car

Before you remove the bumper in the back of the car, you need to open the trunk. In most cases, the rear element is bolted to the sides of the body. They can be accessed in various ways:

• In cars with a body type "sedan" it is often enough just to remove the carpet of the luggage compartment;
• Body "wagon" often requires the dismantling of the entire skin of the tailgate;
• In some models it will be necessary to dismantle also the lateral internal covering of the body, which is most often supported by clips "clips".

After the main bolts of fastening are unscrewed, it remains only to carefully remove the self-locking screws of the side of the element with the brackets of the wing liners. Then it will only be necessary to pull it a little back and down - he must quietly withdraw.

However, it will by no means be superfluous to read before the dismantling work the technical documentation for a specific brand of the car.

Removing the front bumper of the car

To ensure access to the front panel fasteners, in most cases it is necessary to dismantle the radiator grille. As a rule, it is not difficult - just open the hood and carefully unscrew the bolts securing the engine compartment. After this, the work involves the following approximate algorithm of actions:

• Unscrewing the central element of fastening of a bumper by means of the cross-type screwdriver;
• Dismantling of the inserts of the radiator grill and hexagonal bolts under them;
• Removing plastic dowels located on the inner lower side of the bumper.

After that, it remains only to press the edges of the part from the top down, while simultaneously pulling it forward in the course of the car.

Removal of cracks and chips

Often, repairing the bumper from plastic with your own hands allows you to easily get rid of cracks, chips and other minor mechanical damage. There are several ways of such minor repairs, depending on the nature of the damage, their physical size and location.

Bonding plastic bumper

Often, you can get rid of small cracks quite effectively by simply gluing the damaged areas. To do this, it is best to use a special two-component adhesive for plastic, which can be bought either in specialized auto parts stores, or in construction hypermarkets, or even in simple household chemicals. The technology of applying such a glue composition is quite simple:

• First you need to thoroughly clean the surface of dirt and dust;
• Then it must be degreased with a soap solution or a non-aggressive solvent;
• Then apply a two-component adhesive for plastic to the joints of the crack.

Typically, this adhesive is applied in two steps. First, the crack is filled with a special suspension, which needs some time to dry and grind. Then the result is fixed by the second component - a special fixer, which protects the main adhesive composition from moisture and other external influences.

Soldering plastic

In addition, with relatively small damages, the repair of the bumper from plastic can be carried out by hand using soldering. As a rule, this method gives a much more reliable result than the application of adhesive composition. In addition, the results look much more invisible and aesthetic.

Despite its name, soldering the bumper does not require the use of a traditional soldering iron, tin and rosin. The technology of production of this type of work is quite simple. To fill the crack or chip, a special polymer compound is used, which is heated with a thermo-gun, a construction hair dryer or some other device and cools quickly, firmly grasping. After the bumper soldering is done and the composition has hardened, it remains only to carefully remove the surplus of the composition with a spatula, a construction knife or fine-grained sandpaper.

One of the varieties of the method discussed above is the so-called welding of plastic bumpers. Again, it does not require the use of sophisticated special equipment. Welding of plastic is carried out with the help of hot air supplied under high pressure with the help of the same dryer, only a more powerful or so-called extruder melting special plastic granules. This method is used mainly to eliminate relatively large in size or area of damage.

Painting a plastic bumper

In the vast majority of cases, even after a small cosmetic repair, this bumper requires paintwork to give uniformity to its appearance. Today, for the painting of plastic surfaces, there is a wide variety of different compositions and adaptations. It's important to remember that neither oil nor acrylic paints are suitable for painting plastic .

However, it is not a problem to find special paint materials for plastic surfaces. And almost any colors, textures and textures. It is only necessary to remember the following nuances:

• To evenly coat layers of paint or varnish, it is best to use a spray or a composition in cans;
• If the unassembled bumper is painted, all other parts of the car at the site of work should be covered with paper, film, foil, tape or other protective material;
• Make the painting better in a closed, dry and warm room, at a temperature not lower than +12 degrees Celsius;
• It is necessary to observe safety precautions - use a hat, goggles, a respirator and gloves.

As you can easily see, repairing the bumper from plastic with your own hands in a number of cases, the operation is quite simple - with a certain amount of skill, almost any car owner can handle it. Saving a fair amount of time, nerve cells and money!