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Can the front bumper be bent back into shape?

Myasylum

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Hello,

The front bumper on my 72 Satellite must have hit something hit in the middle of the bumper at some point in its life (The long way across) and it is actually folded over like an inch. The chrome is good so I'd rather no pay $500.00 for a new bumper.
Do you know if these bumpers can be bent back into shape, or is the steel so thick it's pretty pointless to bother?

Thanks!
 
Yes.
Never worked at a bumper shop, but that's what they do.
 
The definitive answer to that is: ... it depends. I've straightened and repaired bumpers I thought was impossible, while others initially looked like a piece of cake became a royal pain in the ***. The type of damage will most times dictate success.
 
The big thing is; can it be bent back into shape without cracking the chrome?
 
Yes, during my restoration, 67Gtx, both bumpers were ugly , chrome shop in North Houston, had no problem, making them look like new ! Not cheap, but doable!
 
A gradual bend can be slowly... slowly and carefully, bent back.
Chrome plating is very hard and thinner than one hair, you can bend the steel underneath, but the chrome will not 'give' and will simply crack. Try and bend a razor blade, same thing; it will never take a sharp bend. This an example, of course.
 
Without a photo, it's harder to say, 'you can pull that out' or 'that needs to go to a shop'.

I once caught the end of a pickup bumper pulling into a garage. It pushed the outer end back about an 1 1/2"...the bend was where it mounted to the frame. The top of the bumper 'buckled up' just to the outside of where it mounted to the frame.
I hooked one end of a ratchet type come-along to the rear of my buddies Malibu frame, and the other end to the outer edge of my bumper. Ratcheted a little, then hammered on the top of the bumper (where my newly developed 'crown' was sticking up) with a small sledge, using a piece of 2x4 laying flat length wise with the bumper. Ratcheted a bit more, beat on it a bit more. After several iterations, let the tension off to check progress. Repeated the steps until it was straight. When we were done, you couldn't see it had ever been bent. Good luck with yours!
 
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From my past experience, by the time you send off the bumper to be straightened and rechromed, a new AMD piece will be cheaper. Unless of course you want an original part.
 
Chrome plating is very hard and thinner than one hair, you can bend the steel underneath, but the chrome will not 'give' and will simply crack. Try and bend a razor blade, same thing; it will never take a sharp bend. This an example, of course.
Have you ever done it ? Did you read what I said ? Please answer both questions.
 
Try and bend a razor blade, same thing; This an example, of course.

That is a very lame example, of course! I've bent many a razor blade without it breaking all the time. I guess I know the trick to it and you don't?
 
Without a photo, it's harder to say, 'you can pull that out' or 'that needs to go to a shop'.

I once caught the end of a pickup bumper pulling into a garage. It pushed the outer end back about an 1 1/2"...the bend was where it mounted to the frame. The top of the bumper 'buckled up' just to the outside of where it mounted to the frame.
I hooked one end of a ratchet type come-along to the rear of my buddies Malibu frame, and the other end to the outer edge of my bumper. Ratcheted a little, then hammered on the top of the bumper (where my newly developed 'crown' was sticking up) with a small sledge, using a piece of 2x4 laying flat length wise with the bumper. Ratcheted a bit more, beat on it a bit more. After several iterations, let the tension off to check progress. Repeated the steps until it was straight. When we were done, you couldn't see it had ever been bent. Good luck with yours!
Yup... that's the way in many cases... when you apply a pulling force, and use a soft piece of wood. Slowly and gradually. Been there, done that.
 
Did a front bumper on a 67 Dart. The chrome was already in bad shape so wasn't concerned with it and went to work on it. It was dented and bent but using a decent size sledge and the ground as a sand bag, it came out pretty good then painted it body color once the rest of the chrome was off. This was in the 70's when you didn't see many bumpers that were painted body color.

Another one was from a mid 70's Dodge pickup that wasn't bent all that bad and did what Dako did and the chrome stayed with it. Chrome is flexible but it'll only go so far....and a pic of what you have would help @Myasylum
 
I used my small hydraulic shop press to take a dent out of my Dakota bumper after my wife had a mishap. It worked well. If I was more concerned I would have used a small block of wood between the press and the bumper.

Springs.jpg
 
I've straightened a few dents with a vice, and well as using a BFH. Not perfect, but better than what I started with!
 
That is a very lame example, of course! I've bent many a razor blade without it breaking all the time. I guess I know the trick to it and you don't?
Well, I agree it ,was a bad example , at that tima I could not think of a better one.
That is a very lame example, of course! I've bent many a razor blade without it breaking all the time. I guess I know the trick to it and you don't?
I guessI could have found a better example, guys. The whole point is that if you try to fix a bend bumper you can with time and patience, but you will not be able to make the mess invisible to a close inspection. There are many variants in scratches, bends, other damages than can be made better, but I am talking about show quality plated surfaces,that is something else.
 
I put a very deep V in the middle of the rear bump of a ‘63 ChevyII bumper by backing it into a telephone pole hard.

Pops and I wrapped a chain around another television pole next to our garage while wrapping the other end around the V. He had me jerk the car forward, it was a three on the tree, until the bumper was straight again. Then a junkyard replacement trunk lid was bolted in, closed it & drove it.

Bought it for $35 sold it for $50 with a blown trans. Boy I wish I still had that 2-door.

Maybe sent the bumper company some photos for their opinion. Good luck :thumbsup:
 
Well, I agree it ,was a bad example , at that tima I could not think of a better one.

I guessI could have found a better example, guys. The whole point is that if you try to fix a bend bumper you can with time and patience, but you will not be able to make the mess invisible to a close inspection. There are many variants in scratches, bends, other damages than can be made better, but I am talking about show quality plated surfaces,that is something else.
Again, Robert, I disagree, I've straightened bumpers you'd never know were bent. Back in the days of chrome bumpers, a collision-body shop we would always try to straighten a mildly bent bumper.
 
Hello,

The front bumper on my 72 Satellite must have hit something hit in the middle of the bumper at some point in its life (The long way across) and it is actually folded over like an inch. The chrome is good so I'd rather no pay $500.00 for a new bumper.
Do you know if these bumpers can be bent back into shape, or is the steel so thick it's pretty pointless to bother?

Thanks!

Chrome shops that specialize in bumper straightening/repair can do amazing things. Most severely damage bumpers can be sectioned and welded during the repair. Some shops have hundreds of used bumpers on hand to select from so they may exchange your bumper with a re-chromed one. With that said, most repairs require the bumper to be re-chromed for show quality.
 
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