# Forum Home Renovation General Odds & Sods  car bumper reinforcement bent a bit, bend back or replace??

## wozzzzza

the Mrs has bent the Mazda's bumper reinforcement bar behind the bumper a little bit after running into a concrete pole at moderate speed, just wondering what impact this would have on the safety of the vehicle if it was just bent back out?? would it weaken significantly the structure in the event of another incident you think?? or should I replace the reinforcement bar to maintain rigidity??

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## OBBob

I'm not an expert, so don't want to offer advice as such. But some things to consider ... 
- How much do they cost? 
- These parts are made to crumple to protect the occupants, pedestrians and random concrete poles. 
- Do you think the amount of force it will absorb will be significantly different (in the scheme of things) between a new one and a repaired one?
- Do you think a panel beater would replace it or just straighten it?

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## commodorenut

Most bumper reo bars are bolted in place.  I'd find another one from a wrecker (say from a car with a rear end shunt) and replace it. 
Bending it back out without collapsing it through another (designed in) weak point is the trick - not always easily achieved.
You can try bending it back gently, but you'll need to be creative with where you pull from, and spread that pulling force with blocks, so it's not all on one point. 
But still easier to replace it.    
There shouldn't be any real damage to the mounts on each side (that transfer the load to the longitudinal rails of the car) but give them a good inspection when you remove the reo.

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## commodorenut

Just found this on eBay:  Mazda 6 Front Bumper Main Reinforcement 06 05 08 07 05 06 07 | eBay
For $120 (+ $15 post) I'd be replacing it.

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## woodbe

I'd replace it. 
Also, you are delving into an area with crushcans to activate airbags. Be very careful. If it were me, I'd hand it over to a repairer.

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## Uncle Bob

> Also, you are delving into an area with crushcans to activate airbags. Be very careful. If it were me, I'd hand it over to a repairer.

  +1

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## Marc

If you deploy the air bag in the process you will be sorry. If your insurance gets wind that you did your own repair in that area, you may have a problem in case of a claim. Panel beater would be my choice. if you really want to do it yourself, replace with part from the wrecker.

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## Moondog55

Damage? What damage?
If the airbag didn't go off personally I would leave the repair until it did, wait until someone reverses into you and then make a claim but otherwise isn't it only cosmetic and therefore relatively unimportant?

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## OBBob

Bahaha... this one was always going to attract varied opinions... for real entertainment you could try an automotive forum.  :Biggrin:

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## CraigandKate

In my opinion there is some overthinking going on here, airbags are not bombs ready to go off at anytime! That cross member adds minimal stiffness to the crumple zone, it is primarily for the bonnet latch/plastic bumper support. I would say a panel beater would repair it if it was a cash job and replace it if it was an insurance job. If it was my car or my wife's I would be perfectly comfortable bending it back to shape myself, if you feel comfortable doing that sort of work go for it.

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## commodorenut

Sheesh, reading these comments it's like people think there's this magical little spring loaded sensor behind the front bumper that if you so much as touch it the airbags go off. 
The airbag sensing modules in modern cars are often located in the cabin (a much friendlier environment for electronics) and are only triggered by larger impacts that generate significant G-forces.
You'd have  to be doing something pretty stupid to set off an airbag - like  locating the sensing module & hitting it with a hammer - and even then, you'd have to hit it in the right direction for something to happen (notice how front airbags don't go off when you're hit in the side or rear?  Likewise side airbags don't go off in a straight line hit up the ass of the car in front, but he fronts do?)  
Only the required airbag is deployed dependant on the direction of impact - this is what the sensing module controls.  
Wielding a ratchet or a few spanners on the reo simply will not set off the airbags.  Any mechanical "impact" from doing so is way below the threshold to trigger the system.  Hell, the airbags wouldn't have even gone off when she hit the pole in the first place!   This reo replacement is no harder, and no more dangerous than changing a tyre, or fitting a towbar tongue - and both those have more risk of you don't do them up tight.   
As with working on anything electrical in the car, simply disconnect the negative battery terminal.  
If you are paranoid about "stored energy" in capacitors & the like, then wait 20 minutes before doing anything.
The airbag will not go off if there's no battery power.  This is also the recommended practice that has been printed in factory service manuals for the last 20+ years, by nearly all manufacturers. 
Replacing a reo is a mechanical job.  It's only a matter of removing the bumper skin (usually only a few plastic scrivets and a couple of threaded fasteners) and in the case of this reo, possibly unbolting the horn, the bonnet catch bracket, and maybe a power steering cooler.  It is well within the scope of a competent DIY person, and really is a basic job.

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## David.Elliott

For me, I'd pay the excess and get it fixed now.  If, and it's a reasonable size if, there is a bigger incident in the future, not her fault, and the old damage is discovered your payout from the others ins co will be reduced by an amount THEY deem fair, which I guarantee you will not find fair. Had something a bit similar with the daughters Mazda recently where the quote to repair the big door damage caused by parking incident was $700 ~ the same as her excess, so she deferred. Then someone backed into her hard, pushing the fenders onto the doors. Another case of "I hit the brakes" (read accelerator). The other ins co took 1500 off the quoted repair due to the pre existing damage... 
Note to self: don't buy a Mazda, they get into prangs....

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## woodbe

> isn't it only cosmetic and therefore relatively unimportant?

  No, the structural member behind the plastic is damaged. Definitely not cosmetic. Look at the photo.

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## notvery

> I would say a panel beater would repair it if it was a cash job and replace it if it was an insurance job.

  if its a cash job yes it gets repaired. if its an insurance job then the $200 bit will be bought for $500, the original bit will get repaired if it can be or replaced if there is a spare around thats ok and the purchased new item will get returned but the invoiced amount can be shown to the insurance if required. if it can be repaired it will be repaired, insurance, cash or barter being used as payment. new bits only used if absolutely required...unless new spares in the automotive industry have suddenly become cheap.....im guessing they havent.

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## Teriwrist

Wozzzzza, 
Mechanic here, my 2 cents, just leave it. It's only minor based off the photos (but a few more may assist). 
If in a bigger prang (touch wood you're not) this won't affect airbag operation in any way.

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## Marc

> Damage? What damage?
> If the airbag didn't go off personally I would leave the repair until it did, wait until someone reverses into you and then make a claim but otherwise isn't it only cosmetic and therefore relatively unimportant?

  There is a video on youtube of an old lady slowly walking on a crossing and whacking a car that is partly obstructing the crossing with her bag and deploying the airbag, I't soo funny.

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## justonething

It wouldn't look good if you replace/do it yourself. You have a newish car so get it repaired by a panel beater. Ask for a cash job. It is not a big job, they will replace the bumper bar and straighten out the front member. I'm pretty sure there is no structural damage to your car. It is just a bit of sheetmetal out of shape. I'd say 300 - 500 bucks. 
Or you can just leave it. 
Leave it or get someone to do it properly, but don't do it yourself is my advice.

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## Moondog55

> No, the structural member behind the plastic is damaged. Definitely not cosmetic. Look at the photo.

  I actually did look at the photo really well; I still say it's only cosmetic. I assume  the radiator fan is still working . 
As Cecile says  "It's only a car"
So long as things still open and close it's roadworthy

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## notvery

looking at the bumper(?) itself is there any damage there? its tricky to tell from the photo. the number plate has got a crumple but the mouldings in the bumper make it look ok. i assume it must be split and will need replacing, think i can see a split but the light isnt falling good on the picture so i could be wrong. thats the cost there replacing the bumper not the replacing the bent "structural" bits.

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## Marc

It's only cosmetic  :Smilie:  Google Image Result for http://www.voont.com/files/images/guide/tornado-survival/car.jpg

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## wozzzzza

> I'm pretty sure there is no structural damage to your car. It is just a bit of sheetmetal out of shape. I'd say 300 - 500 bucks.

  im pretty sure there aint no other damage either, ive been under there, looked at it all many times, looks good, just a bent bar. it has pushed the bonnet catch up a bit as its connected to that bar so cant close the bonnet very easily. just bending it back will fix that though.
but prices I have so far for parts.
front bumper genuine $750, after market $245
paint front bumper $295
reinforcement bar $135 after market, don't ask genuine price, you don't wanna know.
new number plate mounting bit, $99 (what a rip) its the size of your hand. 
no labour bits that require replacement = $675
not going to bother replacing the bumper until it gets sold as the Mrs cant drive for @@@@ and will only scratch it again.
im surprised how well the bumper took it, not broken, no clips broken, very flexible for the amount it was flexed, not even the paint cracked. just a small crack near the numberplate where the number plate mount broke and split the bumper a couple of cm's but cant really see that.

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## phild01

> Mrs cant drive for @@@@ and will only scratch it again.

  "Mrs" has no interest in this forum then!  :Biggrin:

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## wozzzzza

> "Mrs" has no interest in this forum then!

  none whatsoever.

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## Marc

Why don't you put it through the insurance?

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## wozzzzza

> Why don't you put it through the insurance?

   she is a @@@@ driver, if we put every little thing like this through insurance no one would insure her.

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## Marc

I see ... my wife's car gets regularly vandalised. We don't know if it is the local druggies she refuses "prescriptions" to or just bad luck.
What I do is go to the panel beater and work out what is it going to be if insurance or private. Most of the time it goes like this ... if we do it through insurance it is going to be $2000... but I can do it for $500

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## Farmer Geoff

A couple of thoughts: 
What does your wife think should be done Wozzzzza? That counts more than our thoughts. 
What's the opportunity cost of getting it fixed? Probably not homeless starvation. 
What's the worst case scenario of not getting it fixed?  Maybe a pedestrian who is hit would claim that their clothing got caught on a jagged broken or cracked part and they got dragged along rather than being thrown clear. That would be aggravated if their lawyer read on this forum that you'd asked for advice then rejected it whilst admitting that you knew the car would be driven by a @@@@ driver. 
If you are in doubt, maybe you can get a written roadworthy certificate.

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## Marc

Now we are getting into uahuuhahu wowoowoo territory ...  :Smilie:    http://www.google.com.au/imgres?imgu...FWQcpgodoscAng

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## phild01

> Now we are getting into uahuuhahu wowoowoo territory ...    Google Image Result for http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--w-rUwyNz--/aguix0qupskg1uhham9v.jpg

  That has to be the best solution :Rofl:

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## Moondog55

Actually I prefer old railway line but I couldn't find any pictures

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## notvery

i like the way they bothered t make sure the grill went over the bumper / sleeper??? 
i guess its a twist ont he old wooden paneled cars

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## wozzzzza

going to replace that reinforcement bar, picked one up from wreckers for $88

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## Marc

Is it a 6"x 2" or an 8x 2"  :Smilie:

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## wozzzzza

> Is it a 6"x 2" or an 8x 2"

  no idea, whats the difference?

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## phild01

Maybe 140x45 or 190x45 makes more sense :Biggrin:

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## wozzzzza

yeah I mean is there any differences in sized between them ?? like do they put a different size on one version than the other of the same years?

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## Marc

It all depends ... I would go to a demolition place and find a piece of recycled hardwood 8x2, but that's just me. You can of course buy a bit of oregon or even pine 190x45 ... or you can just buy the part from a wrecker and it will be just the one size. Sorry wozza just pulling your leg.

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## joynz

> going to replace that reinforcement bar, picked one up from wreckers for $88

  A small cost for peace of mind and reassuring for your wife.

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