How to take off a '88 aluminum front bumper w/ an alternative method?

[Liquidvash]

The bolt on one side is stripped, all my efforts to unscrew it have been in vain.
Before I take a drill to the bolt, I was wondering if anyone knew of an alternative method to get the front bumper off? Something along the lines of shock+bumper together?
One thing I thought of is to cut the aluminum bumper on the bottom to get at the 2 bolts holding the shock to the car... are there any other possible solutions?

One more question: can I take the whole front valence off along with the bumper and the shock? (I'm not sure if the shock is bolted to the valence or the body... does anyone know?... and the valence is bent so I have to take it off anyway)

Any help appreciated! :roll:

[uflnuceng]

Mind experiment:

Clean the surface, sand it down, get some JB weld or Magnum Steel or some metal epoxy, get a nut from home depot and glue this nut to the head of the bolt. Allow the epoxy to cure (couple hours... over night... depends on what you use). You should be able to use a long wrench or maybe even an impact wrench to get the bolt off now. That magnum steel stuff sets fucking strong as hell in an hour, but you really need to scrub the surface, get it clean, sand it so that the epoxy will really bite and that nut will never come off.

Its worth a try and you would only be out about $3.50 if it doesn't work.

[BahnE30]

use a wrench and unbolt the shock from the body of the car, if i remember this isn't possible with a socket and ratchet, so try a wrench, shouldn't be on there too bad anyway...

[rs4pro3]

The bumper bolts to the shocks, then the shocks directly to the frame rail. One method is to remove the headlights, and then reach in with a box wrench to try and remove the 4 13mm bolts holding the shocks to the frame, or trying to remove the surrounds.

[bimmer2288]

You do realize that the bumper bolts aren't something you can remove with a socket... You need this attachment that has like 12 sides and it goes inside the bolt. Its like a star nut or something. Take your finger and feel the bolt. you'll understand what I'm talking about.

[e30Matt]

You do realize that the bumper bolts aren't something you can remove with a socket... You need this attachment that has like 12 sides and it goes inside the bolt. Its like a star nut or something. Take your finger and feel the bolt. you'll understand what I'm talking about.

Bumper bolts are a reverse Torx. It's a 6 point star.

[bimmer2288]

^^^^Ya, what he said.:up:

[fporro]

Bumper bolts are a reverse Torx. It's a 6 point star.

some of them are Hex bolts, size 10 ?
any bike shop tool like this should have it ...


edit: allem 10

[erik325i]

Some bumpers use a 10mm allem bolt, and some use a T55 torx bolt.

-Erik

[BMW BMXER]

I removed the 4 bolts holding the shock to the valance and just removed.

It was easy, and all just your run of the mill socket set.