Front bumper (M) central grill removal

Hedward · 02-05-2017, 01:36 PM

I've been gingerly trying to remove the central grill (not the kidneys) in order to refinish the bumper.
Hopefully someone has a workable tip. I'm afraid I'm going to break the tabs - quite a tight fit.

The HACK · 02-06-2017, 05:28 PM

You mean that black plastic lower grill? I had to do it last year and it was a real pain.

http://www.zpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1195873

It is straight forward. The tabs push in one direction and it comes out, but not without some real elbow grease. The tabs don't stay disengaged and you have to get most of them released on one side before the whole thing will even budge. One trick I learned is to take a bunch of toothpick, and as you push each tab in to release them, shove the toothpick in between the bumper and the tab to lock them in place. Start working the bottom first, get all the tabs locked in the release position, then push the grill out and it comes out relatively easy.

But the hardest part is still to get the tabs released. Either a flat-blade screw driver, or if you don't want to mar the tabs and bumper, one of those plastic flat trim removal tools helps.

Hedward · 02-06-2017, 06:48 PM

thanks a lot, Hack. I'll give it a try this weekend. I was afraid of breaking the tabs.

The HACK · 02-06-2017, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hedward

thanks a lot, Hack. I'll give it a try this weekend. I was afraid of breaking the tabs.

So was I initially, but the plastic that lower grill is made of is very flexible...And thus part of the reason why it was such a b*tch to get off, no matter how far or hard you bend it, it just snaps right back into place once you let it go.

Plus the second you get one off, it pops right back in when you move to work on its neighbor.

inTgr8r · 02-10-2017, 05:19 PM

I found that one of the best things to hold the tabs 'open' are the thin stir sticks that Starbucks use.
If you cut them up you get several out of one stir stick
....grab a handful with your next coffee

Hedward · 02-11-2017, 09:23 AM

perfect. Thanks a lot.
I was sitting here about to give up. What a Pain in the Arse.

02-05-2017, 01:36 PM	#1
Hedward Private First Class 60 Rep 115 Posts Drives: 2007 BMW M Roadster Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Pennsylvania iTrader: (0)	Front bumper (M) central grill removal I've been gingerly trying to remove the central grill (not the kidneys) in order to refinish the bumper. Hopefully someone has a workable tip. I'm afraid I'm going to break the tabs - quite a tight fit.
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02-06-2017, 05:28 PM	#2
The HACK Midlife Crises Racing Silent but Deadly Class 1820 Rep 5,337 Posts Drives: 2006 MZ4C, 2021 Tesla Model 3 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Welcome to Jamaica have a nice day iTrader: (1)	You mean that black plastic lower grill? I had to do it last year and it was a real pain. http://www.zpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1195873 It is straight forward. The tabs push in one direction and it comes out, but not without some real elbow grease. The tabs don't stay disengaged and you have to get most of them released on one side before the whole thing will even budge. One trick I learned is to take a bunch of toothpick, and as you push each tab in to release them, shove the toothpick in between the bumper and the tab to lock them in place. Start working the bottom first, get all the tabs locked in the release position, then push the grill out and it comes out relatively easy. But the hardest part is still to get the tabs released. Either a flat-blade screw driver, or if you don't want to mar the tabs and bumper, one of those plastic flat trim removal tools helps. __________________ Sitting on a beat-up office chair in front of a 5 year old computer in a basement floor, sipping on stale coffee watching a bunch of meaningless numbers scrolling aimlessly on a dimly lit 19” monitor.
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02-06-2017, 06:48 PM	#3
Hedward Private First Class 60 Rep 115 Posts Drives: 2007 BMW M Roadster Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Pennsylvania iTrader: (0)	thanks a lot, Hack. I'll give it a try this weekend. I was afraid of breaking the tabs.
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02-10-2017, 05:19 PM	#5
inTgr8r Lieutenant General 2426 Rep 11,667 Posts Drives: M2 Comp Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Toronto iTrader: (10)	I found that one of the best things to hold the tabs 'open' are the thin stir sticks that Starbucks use. If you cut them up you get several out of one stir stick ....grab a handful with your next coffee __________________ '21 M2C Hockenheim Silver '18 718 Cayman S Lava Orange (sold) '13 E92 M3 Santorini Blue (sold) '07 Z4 M Coupe Alpine White (sold)
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02-11-2017, 09:23 AM	#6
Hedward Private First Class 60 Rep 115 Posts Drives: 2007 BMW M Roadster Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Pennsylvania iTrader: (0)	perfect. Thanks a lot. I was sitting here about to give up. What a Pain in the Arse.
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