Removing Front Bumper (wing clips)

[tomTVR]

I took my front bumper off the car last year (to test so see how an alternative bumper i'd found looked) and it went back on just fine and i thought nothing more of it. I have just taken the bumper off again to change my headlights and i have somehow shattered the two clips which join the bumper to the side wings. The first one seemed to break by itself and the other one i broke myself by using too much force after trying every technique i could think of to remove it.

Problem is these simple one-piece plastic clips are £25 EACH and i don't want to break them again when i replace them. When you remove the bumper are they supposed to stay connected to the wing or to the bumper?

Many thanks

 

[AlanJ]

Not sure if this helps.....

http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=1071

 

[tomTVR]

Thank you. This picture at least proves the clips stay on the wing unlike mine which came off on the bumper and snapped where they join the wing. But i still cant see how they are supposed to seperate, i still cant remove the clip from the bumper even when its off the car!

 

[tomTVR]

Anyone? :? I know you're out there!

 

[PawnSacrifice]

I've always just prised the edge of the bumper away from the car, it's always just popped out. Re-fitting is a bit of a sod, I wonder if they were snapped going back on?

ADD: According the BMW TIS you need a special tool!

See here > BMW TIS - 51 11 156 Removing and installing front bumper trim

Another ADD:
The special tool, 00 9 317, is a trim wedge.

One of the chaps over at bimmerfest has found a substitute, a hard plastic spatula!


:lol:

Joking aside I may get one of these for the door cards and the like.