Can I Fix a Bent Chrome Van Bumper?

[OCBlue88]

It's an old school steel chrome bumper. The bumper looks fantastic and the chrome is intact with no scratches. Some a-hole side swiped the van and pushed the bumper out, then ran off (of course). So the bumper is slightly bent, and so is the bracket holding it. Bumper bolts still in place.

Can I just find a convenient tree or metal post and push this bumper back in place? Carefully? I mean it got bent, so I assume it can be bent back some.
Untitled by Jordan Christopher, on Flickr

Untitled by Jordan Christopher, on Flickr

 

[boatbuilder1]

A good solid post with a flat surface and some padding should push it back. I would check underneath to make sure nothing is torn. Have done that a few times to oil delivery trucks.

 

[Kirk]

It probably will need to be pushed farther than the point where it was originally to bend it back, so you would be in danger of pushing it into the sheet metal of your fender. I think that you would be better off to remove it before you try and bend it back. And look at the bent mounting as well.

 

[Arch Hoagland]

I'd leave it alone. It gives your RV character.

Anybody can have a perfect RV but your's stands out.

 

[TheBar]

Another problem is when metal is bent it also stretches. If you bend it too far back into shape expect to find a wrinkle near the middle of the bumper. Since it is chrome plated the chrome may peel off the wrinkle.

It looks to me like the bumper bracket got stretched. The bumper is pretty straight. Take the driver's side bracket off and pound it back into shape and/or shorten it and drill new holes a couple inches back pulling the bumper back in. Its off about 3". Nobody will notice if its only an inch off.

 

[Rene T]

I would remove it and place it on the chrome side up and put a couple of 2 X 4’s under the ends then drive up to it and use a bottle jack to jack it back down into place using the van as a anchor point. Place the jack under the trailer hitch if you have one. You could also place some blocking under the bumper just below the jack. Doing this you can control how much you bend it.

 

[CharlesinGA]

Bumper brackets to the frame may be slotted, and may have slipped in the bolts. Bumper does have a forward bend right at the bracket bolts but something about the bracket has moved. Get it back in the right place and you may not need to do anything to the bumper itself.

 

[John From Detroit]

Yes to "Unbend" you need to push past the "Straight" point
I do not know about today but there used to be "Re-chrome" shops that coudl strighten a bumper and restore the chrome if it was damaged in the process.


I would chat with a body shop. A shop run by someone like 50-70 years old.
Not the modern "replace a panel" kids.

The old body man can tell you much more than I. Me All I got is a phone number in Redford, Michigan (For an old body man)

 

[OCBlue88]

Bumper brackets to the frame may be slotted, and may have slipped in the bolts. Bumper does have a forward bend right at the bracket bolts but something about the bracket has moved. Get it back in the right place and you may not need to do anything to the bumper itself.

Yes the driver's side brackets are indeed bent (stretched out) and the bolts holding the bumper are slightly loose in their slots. Yes the brackets are slotted. I bought new brackets. I'll speak to a competent body shop/bumper guy. That in and of itself will be a challenge nowadays.

 

[OCBlue88]

Yes to "Unbend" you need to push past the "Straight" point
I do not know about today but there used to be "Re-chrome" shops that coudl strighten a bumper and restore the chrome if it was damaged in the process.


I would chat with a body shop. A shop run by someone like 50-70 years old.
Not the modern "replace a panel" kids.

The old body man can tell you much more than I. Me All I got is a phone number in Redford, Michigan (For an old body man)

I absolutely agree with you on the Replace-A-panel shops. Everything is just plastic now.

I honestly LOVE chrome. They're so easy to restore and they look great when used in the right places. Aluminum foil and water does wonders! On plastic chrome I use SOS pads. Amazing! The SOS pads works on Aluminum finishes too. All of these so called polishers you get off the shelf are hit and miss.

 

[bigbAZ]

I've been successful as straightening minor bends and dings in chrome plated steel bumpers working them on carpeting using strategically placed wood blocks and hammer on the inside. Do not be tempted to hammer directly on either side of the steel as you will get dimples that will stand out glaringly. Like someone mentioned if it has stretched much you won't get it perfect but done carefully you can get it to the point where it won't be noticeable. Besides wood blocks and hammer also consider hydraulic jacking with blocks and ratchet straps or home made jigs/rigs.

 

[oldwildman]

I used to use the closest telephone pole. Start off easy and then get more aggressive as needed.