Dreaded Front Bumper Adjustment...

[ESD1711]

So..... the front bumpers been off and on my car more times than I care to remember, but each time it goes back on it sits different to how it sat before and each time I think I've got on top of finally understanding how the ****** thing works, I prove myself wrong haha!!

Absolute pain in the backside to get the thing sitting right.

So........ does anyone know the proper way to adjust the front bumper?!?

 

[ajax1976]

I wind the adjusters down, fire the bumper on, leave the top screws slack then poke a torx bit on an extension down through to the adjusters and wind them back up occasionally closing the bonnet to check the gaps then adjust to suit, easy peasy, job done

 

[ESD1711]

Haha it sounds so simple in words huh.....

When you say 'wind down the adjuster' - are you talking about the reverse threaded plastic bit? Or the bit which screws in to the top of that?

I had always thought that it was the reverse threaded bit which provided the adjustment up and down and that the bit on top essentially clamped the bumper in place?

It sounds even more confusing when I try to describe it from memory without it in front of me haha!!

 

[ESD1711]

Think I might have my head around it - think the mistake I've been making is thinking you can actually adjust the plastic reverse threaded part whilst the bumper is in place using the torx which screw in to the top of them..... seems that's not the case.

Still not entirely sure how the bumper can move further up to close the gap between grill and bonnet, when the bumper is already pretty tight against the underside of the headlight though.

German cars are normally really clever with their design for stuff like these - this seems to be an exception to that rule though!!

 

[ajax1976]

The bobbin part on the top of the adjuster slots into the rear of the bumper, when you turn the torx on the top it should turn the whole reverse threaded(bobbin) part which as the bumpers slotted into it will raise or lower the bumper to suit. Just make sure the top mounting screws are slack or the bumper will be fighting against itself.

o

 

[ajax1976]

Hard to describe but there's nothing on the adjuster that locks or clamps, it just sits in the recess of the bumper and winds it up and down, quite a simple thing once you get your head round it. Getting them located in the right place can be tricky when you initially put the bumper on, that's when I found it easier to wind them down then once it's on and fixed at the sides and bottom wind them up to get the perfect gap.

 

[ESD1711]

See the way you've described is what we've tried - but we've ended up just breaking the top parts of the whole mount (ie the plastic bit around the head of the torx....)

Have ordered up a couple new mounts which should arrive Friday so will give it another bash then.

Still a bit mystified by the whole thing no matter how much thought I give it though haha!!

 

[ajax1976]

The bobbin bits on mine have been broken for months now but as the bumper sits on the wider washer bit underneath and the bumper has to go upwards they still work fine. I always meant to get some from a breaker on eBay but never got round to it.

 

[ESD1711]

Yeah broke the first one of mine probably about 2 years ago now - the second finally died last night too.

See how I get on when the new ones arrive.

 

[umuk]

what i did was wind the plastic bit all the way down....marked the tops of each at the 12 o clock point and then truned them up 2 and half turns (so the marks id made were now at the 6 oclock position) i found that to be perfect fit with my bonnet/lights.

credit goes to whoever originally posted that bit of info on this or another forum i read it on.

give it a shot when you get your new ones.

 

[SootySport]

My way----- Remove bumper,
remove headlights,
refit bumper and you can adjust the spirals screws through the headlight aperture, either by hand or with flat nose pliers, glue or wedge up the spiral part so it stays in place,
remove bumper,
refit headlights,
refit bumper again, tighten torx screws but not so tight that the spiral adjusters turns again.

 

[ajax1976]

My way----- Remove bumper,
remove headlights,
refit bumper and you can adjust the spirals screws through the headlight aperture, either by hand or with flat nose pliers, glue or wedge up the spiral part so it stays in place,
remove bumper,
refit headlights,
refit bumper again, tighten torx screws but not so tight that the spiral adjusters turns again.

Is it not hard to get the bumper back on with the adjusters glued/wedged in place?

Seems a crazy amount of work for a simple job, even with broken adjusters they still turn through the holes in the bumper.

 

[SootySport]

It does seem a bit long winded but you only have to do it once to get the bumper aligned right. Bumper goes back ok but it is tight around the headlights, a bit of persuasion with your thumbs so you don't crack the bumper and it will pop in ok.

 

[ESD1711]

The bobbin bits on mine have been broken for months now but as the bumper sits on the wider washer bit underneath and the bumper has to go upwards they still work fine. I always meant to get some from a breaker on eBay but never got round to it.

Better just getting them from Audi mate, £8.78 for the pair

Got them on and sitting better now anyway!

 

[SDHA4SLine]

Am I correct in saying turn the torx screw clockwise to raise the bumper as the adjuster is left handed thread?

 

[ESD1711]

Yup the black plastic bit is reverse threaded.

 

[Shaun Osborne]

Does anybody have the part number for these? Or at least the actual name.

 

[Shaun Osborne]

Better just getting them from Audi mate, £8.78 for the pair

Got them on and sitting better now anyway!

What are these stupid things actually called? It's embarrassing ringing my parts guy and calling them rubber screwy bung kinda thing for the bumper.

 

[Charlie Farley]

Bumper support.
oem part number: 8E0 807 381 C

if changing complete assembly get the 4 pop rivetts to: N91093901

hope that helps.

 

[Shaun Osborne]

Bumper support.
oem part number: 8E0 807 381 C

if changing complete assembly get the 4 pop rivetts to: N91093901

hope that helps.

You beat me to it. But thankyou Rob you have came to the rescue again.

Bumper support.
oem part number: 8E0 807 381 C

if changing complete assembly get the 4 pop rivetts to: N91093901

hope that helps.

Thankyou Rob. Will those rivets fit a standard gun? I know that sounds like a crazy question but if audi have their own rivets then hey what's stopping them using a special Audi only rivet gun

 

[Shaun Osborne]

I'm confused how these can make the bumper sit higher and therefore flush with the bonnet? If anything their design only allows to adjust the bumper down, thus creating bigger gap

 

[Charlie Farley]

You beat me to it. But thankyou Rob you have came to the rescue again.

Thankyou Rob. Will those rivets fit a standard gun? I know that sounds like a crazy question but if audi have their own rivets then hey what's stopping them using a special Audi only rivet gun

they fitted my std gun.

 

[Charlie Farley]

I'm confused how these can make the bumper sit higher and therefore flush with the bonnet? If anything their design only allows to adjust the bumper down, thus creating bigger gap

don't worry about them Shaun, they work just fine , just get them fitted and then adjust the height accordingly.
Bumper sits in the grooved recess , the adjuster moves the bumper .
very easy .

 

[Shaun Osborne]

Does the marked part adjust upwards and then the whole thing adjusts?

 

[Shaun Osborne]

Mine are more like these

 

[Charlie Farley]

It is the same thing, just the bumper holding flange is wound right down and the adjuster is right up in your first image.
They only make one bumper support for the B7.
I replaced mine some years ago , very easy to use them .

 

[Charlie Farley]

If you move both parts around you'll see how they work .

 

[Shaun Osborne]

If you move both parts around you'll see how they work .

Yeah I realised that about 10 minutes after writing my response to you.. sorry guys I'm tired, I've practiced stripping front end today in preparation for cambelt, water pump, thermostat change.

On that subject, do you know a link to 1.9tdi BKE engine torque specs? Mainly the above work related torque specs. I have looked and THINK I have right specs. However the Cambelt tensioner shaft is my main concern, I'm nervous changing it, but nervous not changing it

 

[norad97]

Just want to clear up one point, when doing the bumper adjustments, the two nuts in the wing either side are not tightened until you
have got it sitting right?

 

[Pedrödelabongo]

Reverse thread - that's a new one to me!
Right hand thread - more popular, the righty-tighty, lefty-loosy thread - and left hand thread, but never heard of reverse thread.

Every day's a school day!

 

[Pie-eyedpiper]

Resurrection time.
My bumper is tight to the headlights and the wings, but has the bonnet gap.
How does that gap close, with upwards bumper adjustment, yet leave the other gaps untouched?

 

[norad97]

I still want to no about the 2 bolts each side in the wings, when installing the bumper do you adjust the hight first and then tighten them
or tighten them and then adjust the hight?.

 

[Ricky Burrows]

Resurrection time.
My bumper is tight to the headlights and the wings, but has the bonnet gap.
How does that gap close, with upwards bumper adjustment, yet leave the other gaps untouched?

You sure its your bumper mate have you tried adjusting the headlights? If you slacken off the bolts there’s generally a bit of movement, everyone says about this bumper adjuster thing my adjusters came off when i fit the airtec front mount as it comes with its own crash bar and it fits exactly the same as before, id be double checking the headlights.

 

[norad97]

That's very Interesting that you have no bumper adjusters, but your bumper still fits fine without them.

 

[Sidrick]

You sure its your bumper mate have you tried adjusting the headlights? If you slacken off the bolts there’s generally a bit of movement, everyone says about this bumper adjuster thing my adjusters came off when i fit the airtec front mount as it comes with its own crash bar and it fits exactly the same as before, id be double checking the headlights.

Same here.

 

[AvantMike]

I broke one of mine when I did the grill recently... plastic had died and I lost patience with it towards the end.
Bumper seems to be fine with them partially done up - I don't think they screw down tight to secure anything (correct me if i'm wrong).
@norad97 to address that question mate - when I did my bumper the two screws in the wings (so 4 in total, 2 each side - the difficult to-get-to ones inside the wheel arch) were the last thing i did back up after everything else (several times...)

 

[norad97]

Ok thanks Mike, just what I thought.

 

[Ricky Burrows]

That's very Interesting that you have no bumper adjusters, but your bumper still fits fine without them.

Because its a myth lol

 

[Charlie Farley]

Now i'm going to throw a spanner in the works here chaps and why you do need the adjusters.

They are fitted for a reason chaps, not just for the sake of it, yes you can omit them but its better to have them and use them correctly.

lets look at what they are called , "supports " which means they support something , the Bumper.
They are adjustable so that enables you to adjust the bumper position on the car.

 

[Ricky Burrows]

Now i'm going to throw a spanner in the works here chaps and why you do need the adjusters.

View attachment 205015
They are fitted for a reason chaps, not just for the sake of it, yes you can omit them but its better to have them and use them correctly.

lets look at what they are called , "supports " which means they support something , the Bumper.
They are adjustable so that enables you to adjust the bumper position on the car.

I hear what your saying but I've not noticed any support or fitment issues so there not big on my list of cares lol.