how to lighten plastic bumpers

[Eric]

I pulled my bumpers out of the black hole that is my old garage and realized they are damn heavy!

how do i get some freebie weight removal out of these bishes?

(car is a track car, not street drivin)

[straight6pwr]

I pulled my bumpers out of the black hole that is my old garage and realized they are damn heavy!

how do i get some freebie weight removal out of these bishes?

(car is a track car, not street drivin)

how heavy is the core support? maybe it can be reduced/removed and replaced with something lighter? never dealt with plastics.

if the shocks are still attached, thats probably the main problem. replacing those with a light aluminim bracket would take many lbs off.

[Stephen]

I guess the lightest way would be to lighten the cores as much as possible, or even find a way to just mount the skins. The core is where all the weight is anyway.

But it wouldnt be safe at all :p

[Eric]

how heavy is the core support? maybe it can be reduced/removed and replaced with something lighter? never dealt with plastics.

if the shocks are still attached, thats probably the main problem. replacing those with a light aluminim bracket would take many lbs off.

my guess is each bumper was a good 10-15lbs.

I remember seeing those aluminum brackets, but where???? hmm, anybody have a link?

I guess the lightest way would be to lighten the cores as much as possible, or even find a way to just mount the skins. The core is where all the weight is anyway.

But it wouldnt be safe at all :p

yeah i know it's not safe, that's what roll cages are for :)

[IRON-E]

how heavy is the core support? maybe it can be reduced/removed and replaced with something lighter? never dealt with plastics.

if the shocks are still attached, thats probably the main problem. replacing those with a light aluminim bracket would take many lbs off.

I think that's the only way!

[Stephen]

Mount the skin with brackets, seems to be the best of both worlds?

[Beej '86 325es]

I noticed this also - not much lighter than my old aluminum bumper!

I looked at lightening it as well and the core is held in by a bunch of plastic rivet-type fasteners that are easy to pull out. I think that by removing the core though, you may get a droopy bumper skin.

[kamotors]

Besides what was said above, All Above Motorwerks sells a pretty nice after market front bumper that is cool and flexible so you don't have to worry about cracking it. Its the bumper I've been using since I rebuilt my car.

[AndrewBird]

Get a hole saw and start drilling. Swiss cheese that motherfucker and it will loose some weight.

[Jand3rson]

Besides what was said above, All Above Motorwerks sells a pretty nice after market front bumper that is cool and flexible so you don't have to worry about cracking it. Its the bumper I've been using since I rebuilt my car.

Damn, only $151. I might have to get one of those to replace my damaged one.

[norcalE30]

make some alum. mounting brackets, then just bolt the skins to the brackets with some round faced bolts