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Help: Need to find chrome front bumper face bar...need suggestions (2003)

Discussion in '1st Gen. Tacomas (1995-2004)' started by MyDads03Tacoma, May 22, 2021.

  1. May 22, 2021 at 3:48 PM
    #1
    MyDads03Tacoma

    MyDads03Tacoma [OP] Active Member

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    Hi!
    Looking to replace rusted out chrome front bumper face bar on '03 Tacoma. Looking online and lots of options on ebay, Amazon and Toyota parts places. Prices range from $105-$285. Would like something with good quality but not pay Toyota prices. Any recommendations? And if they come with replacement brackets/bolts that is a plus. Thanks! (yes I searched forum)
     
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    #1
  2. May 22, 2021 at 4:25 PM
    #2
    MyDads03Tacoma

    MyDads03Tacoma [OP] Active Member

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    This piece...

    IMG_2638.jpg
     
  3. May 22, 2021 at 6:41 PM
    #3
    mtb_taco

    mtb_taco Well-Known Member

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    I bought mine on Amazon. Cleaned the backside and sprayed with expoxy paint to seal it then cover in bed liner. No issues 4 years later.
     
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  4. May 22, 2021 at 6:42 PM
    #4
    mtb_taco

    mtb_taco Well-Known Member

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    Here you can see the epoxy

    Painted Front Bumper.jpg
     
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  5. May 22, 2021 at 9:18 PM
    #5
    Currygoat

    Currygoat Well-Known Member

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    Bay Area, California
    Vehicle:
    2002 Tacoma 2.4 5 Speed
    Rims, 4600 Bilsteins, K&N filter
    I bought mine on Craigslist. I saw a post from a Chrome shop in the Bay Area with a list of all the bumpers they were selling. One of them was for 1st gens. It was OEM, had been re-chromed and looked brand new. It was only $125 and they delivered it same day! I read lots of reviews on Amazon and the majority of aftermarket ones had really bad reviews (they were paper thin, missing hardware etc). Might be worth while to ping your local Chrome shop to see if they have anything or what it cost to have one
    plated.

    Screen Shot 2018-10-19 at 8.12.19 PM.jpg
     
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  6. May 22, 2021 at 11:22 PM
    #6
    TWJLee

    TWJLee Well-Known Member

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    Midwest
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    2001 Tacoma 4X4 2.7 5spd access cab 2020 Tundra DC LmTD 2020 F150 5.0
    2020 Tundra GFC 33’s Borla Pro XS FOX 2.0 2020 F150 33’s Magnaflow FOX 2.0 2001 Tacoma 4x4 2.7 5spd access cab new frame 217k 2” lifted Always for sale.
    Ebay / USA shipped
    Only $150 or so for the aftermarket ones ..Its a pretty basic part, also read reviews for quality. The Toyota ones will rust and bend as well.
    https://youtu.be/0l4t2mdgV2Y

    if your fasteners are in relatively good shape you should be able to re-use them. If not, grab some before the swap
     
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  7. Jun 28, 2021 at 6:29 PM
    #7
    MyDads03Tacoma

    MyDads03Tacoma [OP] Active Member

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    Thanks everyone! I picked one up off Ebay $128 w/tax from "bumper-outlet" (made in Taiwan). Anyway, out of thousands of reviews they have a 99.8% positive rating and have ebay money back guarantee. It arrived today and seems pretty good quality although it is light. Dunno how it compairs to stock, but it isn't flimsy. I plan on sanding the backside, clean with super clean, wipe down and paint with VHT all weather Epoxy. ("no" primer needed) May even hit it with fluid film, but have to see if it will do anything to the Epoxy. Sound like a good plan?

    Local shop quoted $75 to put it on...plus any replacement rusted up parts. The brackets seem to a little rusty but ok. Guessing it should just be bolts, nuts and some clips.
     
    Last edited: Jun 28, 2021
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  8. Aug 16, 2021 at 9:05 AM
    #8
    MyDads03Tacoma

    MyDads03Tacoma [OP] Active Member

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    Project completed a couple weeks ago. Here are some pics.
    Step 1: Sanded off chrome interior side. (lots of sanding) Tape anything that will touch a surface to prevent scuffing from residue. (goof off to remove barcode sticker)
    Step 2: Cleaned bumper with SuperClean
    Step 3: Let dry
    Step 4: Blow off with blower
    Step 5: Tape off/cover any areas not to be painted (blow off with blower again)
    Step 6: 3 light coats VHT Black Gloss Epoxy (all weather) (followed wait time on can)
    https://www.vhtpaint.com/specialty/vht-epoxy-all-weather-paint
    Step 7: 2 medium/heavy coats (followed wait time on can. One can is enough)
    Step 8: Let dry 24+ hours before handling
    Steo 9: Assemble. Had a local shop do it. Just too big a project for me. And they ran into a lot of rusted up bolts and metal spacer brackets. ($280 parts+labor...@$425 total with bumper and paint)
    Step 10: Enjoy rust free bumper. The epoxy paint should yield a few more years of rust protection as we know these rust from inside out.
    And pics...
     
    Last edited: Aug 30, 2021
  9. Aug 16, 2021 at 9:06 AM
    #9
    MyDads03Tacoma

    MyDads03Tacoma [OP] Active Member

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  10. Aug 16, 2021 at 9:09 AM
    #10
    MyDads03Tacoma

    MyDads03Tacoma [OP] Active Member

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    Prep and Paint:

    IMG_2756.jpg
    IMG_2758.jpg
    IMG_2763.jpg
    IMG_2764.jpg
    IMG_2765.jpg
    IMG_2766.jpg
    IMG_2769.jpg
    IMG_2775.jpg
    IMG_2776.jpg
     
  11. Aug 16, 2021 at 9:15 AM
    #11
    MyDads03Tacoma

    MyDads03Tacoma [OP] Active Member

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    After: Happy with it, much better than the old rusted one. Shop did have some issues with rusted bolts that ended up braking two plastic areas of the bumper assembly. Luckily you can't tell. Otherwise it would mean replacing lower bumper. So word of warning trying yourself. Be careful and know stuff will be rusted and things could break.

    IMG_2908.jpg
    IMG_2909.jpg
     
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