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How hard is it to swap out your front bumper . . . .

Discussion in '1st Gen. Tacomas (1995-2004)' started by Aron9000, Jul 4, 2017.

  1. Jul 4, 2017 at 1:13 AM
    #1
    Aron9000

    Aron9000 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Truck is a base model 2004 Tacoma, painted steel bumper, but hell all the paint has chipped off it and it looks like crap.

    Been thinking of swapping over a new chrome bumper, but how hard is this??? I know on old cars it was like undoing 4 bolts and swapping in a new bumper, but on a newer truck like mine, there is a lot more crap attached to it.

    Anyways, I guess my question is, do I need a buddy to swap the bumper??? I can figure out all the bolts and stuff, do I need another person to help me hold it while I bolt it on . . .


    Also if anybody has a good source for stock chrome front and rear bumpers for the 1st gen Tacoma, let me know . . .
     
  2. Jul 4, 2017 at 6:20 AM
    #2
    TooMuchToDo

    TooMuchToDo Well-Known Member

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    ...we'll get there.
    it's still just a couple of bolts. there are 4 on the body mount horns...i think that may be it actually. i had to pull mine off after an accident, so it wasn't really a standard job, but it was easy. no buddies needed unless you want someone to drink your beers while you do the work.

    check out rockauto.com, my father in law got his replacement bumper from Amazon, hes happy with it.
     
  3. Jul 4, 2017 at 6:55 AM
    #3
    ghs57

    ghs57 Well-Known Member

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    Catskill Mts. NY
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    Pretty much stock right now
    Bumpers are easy, just be careful with the plastic clips holding the grill in place. I replaced my rusted out OEM bumpers a few years ago with some aftermarket junk off eBay. I don't expect long life from these here in the rust belt, but the OEMs are not much better. The OEMs were chrome (what had not flaked off or rusted away) and the replacements are black. The rear is starting to show problems but the front still looks good.
     
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    Fuergrissa likes this.
  4. Jul 4, 2017 at 7:22 AM
    #4
    arctic04trd

    arctic04trd VA7XTE

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    Take a look underneath. I believe it's 4-6 bolts (can't remember). The it's just a matter of disconnecting the signal lights. Nothing else attached to the bumper.

    Should not take you long. Took me 4 hours by myself start to finish to install my Arb bumper. And the Arb requires more adjustments.

    GL:thumbsup:
     
    Hamer95USA likes this.
  5. Jul 4, 2017 at 7:29 AM
    #5
    mechanicjon

    mechanicjon They call me "Jonny Stubs"

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    Supercharged, AEM FIC/6, Meth Inj, ION Alloy's, Radio & Phone steering Wheel controls,Fabtech AAL, Billie's wrapped with 880's , Tundra big brake conversion, bully bars and Pioneer DDin Stereo/dvd with exterrnal usb ports. 290K and going strong.
    6 bolts. 4 on the frame horns and 1 at each corner. There's a hole in the plastic inner fender that will allow you to take off the nut. Its in front of the tire. If you just turn your tires you can access it with a short extension and 12mm deep socket. Really need 2 people because its awkward and cumbersome. I did it by myself with the bumper sitting on my lap. I had a hard time getting the corner mounts in the holes. Oh and twist the turn signal bulbs out of the sockets.
     
    Hamer95USA and Area51Runner like this.
  6. Jul 4, 2017 at 10:13 AM
    #6
    oogielaflick

    oogielaflick Well-Known Member

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    Quicksand with hood protector, color matching decals on tailgate latch, mudflaps, glovebox, and tailgate hitch cover.
    Go for it. I am on the THIRD bumper on my 1996 Tacoma! But in all fairness, I replaced them in the first couple of years. What happened to me, was that I would parallel park, and people would park in the space in front of me, and back up until they hit the front of my truck, and then they "knew" they had backed up too far! The original bumper was pretty much only for decoration. But the local dealer actually had the bumper in stock the first time, and the 2nd time I replaced it, he ordered it but it came within 24 hours. The 2nd time though, I was tired of replacing the bumper, so after looking around, I found that JC Whitney actually sold "bumper guards" that mounted on the front bumper. They look like they came with the truck. But after putting them on, with the 3rd bumper, I have not had any problems with people backing into the front of my truck anymore!
     
  7. Jul 5, 2017 at 10:18 AM
    #7
    Currygoat

    Currygoat Well-Known Member

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    I found an OEM chrome bumper (re-chromed) at a local chrome shop for $100. It was much cheaper then a new one from a dealer and better quality then the aftermarket versions. I then went ahead a bought a clip set on Amazon as many of them broke when I took the old one off. I needed help getting the whole clip in place as its a little awkward when your re-mounting. Here is set I bought: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MJU6K30/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
     
  8. Jul 5, 2017 at 12:48 PM
    #8
    Coolidge

    Coolidge Well-Known Member

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    Its E-Z peasy. A one man job
     
  9. Jul 29, 2017 at 1:26 AM
    #9
    Aron9000

    Aron9000 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Okay just ordered a new front and rear bumper off of Amazon. Stock ones were painted grey, got some nice chrome ones. Also bought some new clips for $5 as recommended by one of the posters. I don't know if there is a secret to those type of body/trim clips like those that attach the lower plastic part to the bumper, but I never have any luck removing them without tearing them up.

    Anyways got new chrome front and rear bumpers off of Amazon, they were cheaper than rock auto, front bumper, rear bumper, including the plastic rear step pad, and those clips was $256, pretty cheap IMO for chrome plated parts. I'm not that worried about them rusting, I live in Nashville TN, truck has been here its whole life, you could eat off the underside. My old beat to shit 1993 was the same way, hell it was cleaner underneath than up top lol.
     
  10. Aug 30, 2017 at 11:22 PM
    #10
    Aron9000

    Aron9000 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Well here are some pics of the bumper swap. I plasti-dipped the plastic parts on the front bumper, obviously that chrome part replaced the beat to hell painted part.

    ok7pg6_ef5071a6a112bb421ffe2a74762a85843f4a1cf0.jpg ok7pg6_ef5071a6a112bb421ffe2a74762a85843f4a1cf0.jpg
     
    muddog67 and mtb_taco like this.
  11. Aug 30, 2017 at 11:23 PM
    #11
    Aron9000

    Aron9000 [OP] Well-Known Member

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  12. Aug 30, 2017 at 11:30 PM
    #12
    Aron9000

    Aron9000 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    I must say this really made a hell of a difference in the truck's appearance, wish I had shot some before shots.

    The front bumper had peeling paint so bad that the primer had come off and it had surface rust. The rear bumper had a dent in the driver's side, rust around where the hitch mounts, a big rusty gash on that thin part where a trailer had hit the bumper, plus it was starting to bubble rust in a couple different spots(the current rear bumper was aftermarket, not OEM Toyota, this truck has been "slightly rear ended" twice in its life, requiring a whole bumper replacement once, then that big dent on the bumper I took off.

    This is a daily driven 182,000 mile Tacoma, but yet it has been looked after and not abused. Interior is just about mint, other than the floor mats, which for being light grey still look decent. Main thing is this truck doesn't have a spec of rust on it, its a Nashville truck. Getting those bumper bolts off was super easy, shit WAS NOT rusted shut. I must also say I reused every single one of the plastic clips on the front bumper and was able to reuse the front turn signals, the plastic part where the screw screwed in was made well enough that it didn't strip out(unlike every single GM plastic part I deal with, if you screw into it twice, it will strip out)
     
    TooMuchToDo likes this.
  13. Aug 31, 2017 at 12:16 PM
    #13
    TooMuchToDo

    TooMuchToDo Well-Known Member

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    ...we'll get there.
    nice work!
     
  14. Aug 31, 2017 at 12:26 PM
    #14
    mtb_taco

    mtb_taco Well-Known Member

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    Looks great. Next upgrade chrome grill and corner light to complete the look.
     
  15. Aug 31, 2017 at 8:07 PM
    #15
    Currygoat

    Currygoat Well-Known Member

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    My truck looked pretty good for being 15 years old but the black bumpers and some of the plastic trim showed its age. I swapped the following parts: chrome bumpers, chrome grill, chrome corner lights, window weather strip, window air visors and mud flaps. Made a huge difference and the truck looks brand new now.

    Screen Shot 2017-08-31 at 8.03.40 PM.jpg
     
  16. Sep 2, 2017 at 2:36 AM
    #16
    Aron9000

    Aron9000 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Man your truck looks NICE!!! I don't know about the bling wheels, as I like the stock styled painted 15" wheels with the chrome lugs. 15" tires do ride nice and wear well.
     
  17. Sep 2, 2017 at 2:38 AM
    #17
    Aron9000

    Aron9000 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    I've thought about replacing the grill with something custom, while I was at it replace the headlights and corner lights. Thing is, I'd much rather spend that $$$$ on some sound deadning and replacing those stock door speakers.
     
  18. Sep 2, 2017 at 2:42 AM
    #18
    Aron9000

    Aron9000 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Main thing I love about my little truck, is that with these new bumpers, you don't think it has 183,000 miles on the clock. It looks like a much newer truck, it runs and drives like a damn new truck. Being in the south it doesn't have a damn speck of rust on it. Truck is damn straight, no dents, no big scratches, no paint fade, it looks great, WAY NICER than most 14 year old trucks
     
  19. Sep 15, 2018 at 2:16 PM
    #19
    04tacoma trd

    04tacoma trd Well-Known Member

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    I just ordered a new chrome piece for the front bumper. Once you have the whole bumper assembly off the truck, how difficult is it to swap out the chrome center piece?
    Also, how many of the p/n 52161-02020 plastic clips should I order?
     
    Last edited: Sep 15, 2018
  20. Jun 24, 2020 at 8:41 AM
    #20
    Harryhood87

    Harryhood87 Well-Known Member

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    Sorry for the necro bump, but I'm also wondering this. I only need to replace the chrome part and that's half the price of a whole new bumper.
     

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