Panel gap between bumper and bonnet

[dave_ph]

Hi all,

I've been looking around at A4's recently and one thing I've noticed on a few is a larger than normal gap between the bumper and bonnet (looks like the bonnet hasn't been closed properly).

In all cases the bonnet is flush with the wings, so I guess the bumper has been removed at some point and not fitted properly.

Is this something that is easy to fix or is it more of a tell tale sign that the bumper has been nudged at some point?

(See attached for example)

Cheers
Dave

 

[Jon13s]

Behind the bumper are some screw thread adjusters. These i believe determine the gap. Bumper off job.

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[dave_ph]

Thanks for a lightning quick reply!

Ah really, sounds like a pain in the ****

 

[Jon13s]

No worries. Mine hasn't sat quite right since the cambelt was last done. But I was waiting until I fit my FMIC before tacking it. It's not overly complicated. It's just getting some clear time.

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[norad97]

The biggest problem I found is the bumper hight adjusters fitted to the crash bar, mine seem very loose so when you set the bumper gap and screw down
the top Torx through the hole each side to of the bumper it moves the height adjuster down. I need to get my bumper off again to repair and will set the height then, but I think i will use thread lock to stop the bottom part moving. (unless there is a better way)

 

[Charlie Farley]

these are the offending parts.
You need to ensure the bumper slides into the adjuster properly .
It should sit on the bottom ring , when you then turn the adjuster from above the lower section will rise or lower with the bumper engaged into it , that's how the gap is adjusted, sometimes the adjuster dries out and breaks or just seizes up, they are cheap from TPS as aswell.
If the adjuster is not moving the bumper up or down there is an issue with the adjuster itself or the bumper is not engaged correctly with the lower adjuster ring.
Very simple design which does work normally but youn need to fine adjust both sides and the grill mounting aswell to get an equal shut line.

rob

 

[dave_ph]

Hi all,

Thanks very much for the replies and info - very helpful!

At least I know its something that is reasonably straight forward to fix and a small bargaining tool when purchasing

 

[norad97]

Rob,
I thought you adjust the bottom were the bumper sits on, up or down, then once the bumper is refitted on the car you screw the top down to clamp it.
this is were the hight adjuster moves, am I doing it wrong?

 

[Beardymat]

The adjusters on the crash bar are designed so that the part the bumper sits on adjusts up as you tighten the screw until it meets resistance as it contacts the bumper then the screw tightens down with the top part to clamp the bumper. It does this in reverse when undone so that the adjuster tends to wind right down. The bumper must be pulled upwards when tightening to get the desired gap or it will just clamp straight down where it sits, Its something mechanics quite often get wrong when the bumper is removed for service such as belts. My S4 front bumper was all over the place when I got it which was partly down to this but also down to them just chucking the front panel back on instead of lifting it back to its factory setting and they also left bolts out from the wing to the front panel which meant the headlights wobbled about which was nice. All sorted now though.

You will be able to adjust the bumper without removing it by slackening the adjuster bolts then lifting the bumper whilst tightening.

 

[Charlie Farley]

You explained that better than I did Beardy , but yes I agree that is what happens , the only difference I found was that I fitted new adjusters and I was able to winde the bumper up and down very easy , infact made the whole bumper alignment a doddle, maybe I was just lucky .

 

[Charlie Farley]

one of mine a few weeks back prettywell spot on , well for me.

 

[AvantAlexB7]

I replaced my adjusters when i removed the bumper for paint as it seemed to have had a small front end nudge and broke them. They aren't expensive to replace with new ones either and are much easier to use as Rob says.

 

[neil ratcliffe]

the height can also be adjusted by screwing up the 2 top bumper mounting points where the 2 top bolts go the captive nuts underneth are also height adjustiable.

 

[norad97]

Sorry, you lost me there?

 

[neil ratcliffe]

at the top of the bumper where the 2 mounting bolts are next to the headlights the 2 nuts that they screw into wind up and down to adjust the height of the bumper also.