Self smoothing a bumper...

[red6n2]

I don't see how hard it can be... Is there a guide or anything on how to do it I couldn't find one but there must be.

Surely it's not hard ?!?. Just gotta follow the curvature of the bumper I suppose.

Any views or opinions are appreciated .

[polo_mad]

I haven't done this myself. But it's definitely on my list. I should imagine the smoothing process isn't to hard. It's just the re-spray part, unless you get that done professionally!

[Gary Gee]

http://www.uk-polos.net/view ... 49#p217349


i was going to do it this way ... never got round to buyin a bumper to attempt it on so

[Jay_6n2]

needs to be plastic welded ideally as just filling will crack etc over time.

Jay

[red6n2]

hmmm step dad might have a plastic welding kit so ill have a look tomorrow... really want it smoothed again as my front is smothed and would look silly the rear smothed and the front not just means i gotta drive around with the car looking a state for a while !

[Tim_GTi]

If your going to DIY it, I'd go with Jay and say plastic weld it. As filling does crack, especially DIY jobs. I would not drive the car with a half done bumper either. Once it's finished leave two weeks to let the paint harden before driving it. A front bumper will just get chipped and ruined freshly done.

[red6n2]

i seriously cat go without a car for two weeks and i dont have a spare bumper to put on anymore... not ok to drive even if its placed in an oven room ???

[Tim_GTi]

When I first had my front bumper smoothed, I drove it from the day I picked it up. It was done professionally and was baked also.

But after a week or so, I had small dimples in the paint, and the odd stone chip.

Second time I had it done I drove it really slowly home, and left it on the drive for weeks without driving it. That was in September, and there's not a blemish on it.

Leaving paint to truly harden does really help, no matter how much it's baked previous to you picking it up.

[8080]

You're gonna have to get a spare bumper to put on. I've done a back bumper. The smoothing job alone will take weeks: sanding off paint, plastic welding over the recess, sanding down the high points of hard plastic, then endless filling, letting the filler settle, block sanding and guide coats of paint to get the contours right. You won't realise how difficult it to get the lines smooth til you do it. The contour from the top of the rub-strip recess to the bottom of the recess is different to the contour of the rest of the bumper, it won't be right if you just follow the recess

I won't be doing the front bumper

[red6n2]

rightafter reading your description mate.... foook that !!!!!

im lazy and am not that bothered i may just leave the front bumb strip on my rear is smoothed and so was my front but i had a slight accident that required a new front end !

so for now i think il leave the bumb strip on and just get it painted and get the sides and front smoothed at a later date !... im getting pretty sick of driving around like this...

... woof !

[Tim_GTi]

You shouldn't drive round with primered paint, it's really bad for it!

Now is the best time to do it, but situations are never perfect.

[red6n2]

had no choice i had to get to work as soon as possible !