how to fix my back bumper

[95eXplorerXLT]

this is maybe one of the more stupid questions i'll post but this is just buggin me...my last trip out wheelin, i fell into a deep rut and bent the back bumper up a lil bit which really didnt bother me b/c it didnt look that bad, but the other day my mailbox got torn apart by some bored kids and a trashcan, and well me bein the semi lazy person i am, didnt wanna dig the rest of the post up b/c it was cemented into the ground decided to tie a towstrap around it and pull it up....well lets just say it didnt come up that way and i just ended up bendin the bumper out even more, so can i just realignt the bumper or am i goin to have to go to the parts desk and get some new bumper brackets??? thanks and well laugh at me if u wish b/c i even had to laugh at myself...

 

[espnfreak]

i'd try to get a newer bumper like the 99+ ones if you could. i think they look better. i am sure there is a differnece. someone correct me if i am wrong

 

[KaBoom]

thats funny, i just had my bumper fixed the other day because it was sinking down. Apparently my sister ran into something backing my X up. and it pulled the brackets in and made it sink about 3-4 inches.

I brought it to a body shop where it took them 1hr to fix it and it's back to normal (all except a slight ding in the chrome part). They told me the brackets are there to protect the bumper from going into the X. All that was involved in fixing the problem was a slight realignment and rebending of the brackets. The replacement of the brackets were unnecessary.

hope this helps.

 

[Yomie]

If he goes with the newer model bumper, then he won't have anywhere to put his tags

 

[espnfreak]

what tags are you talking about?

 

[jimbo74]

he is talking about the license plates... the newer Xs have plate mounts integrated into the liftgate.... not in the bumper like the early model Xs

 

[espnfreak]

jim doesnt make sense. my plate isnt on the liftgate

 

[ok89]

Originally posted by jas84
jim doesnt make sense. my plate isnt on the liftgate

Jim makes alot of sense in this case. You see the older explorers have their license plates mounted in the bumper. The newer explorers have their license plates mounted in the liftgate. Thus if you put bumper from a newer explorer on an older explorer you have no place for a license plate
However if you put an older bumper on a newer explorer you have 2 places to put license plates
Am I making any sense ?

 

[espnfreak]

i guess i see now. its kinda hard to understand. i get it. i just thought they were in the same spot. anyways in that case he should probably not buy a newer bumper

 

[Robert]

'98 model year is when Ford started putting the plates on the back hatch and off of the rear bumper.

 

[95eXplorerXLT]

thanks yall...i'll be tackling this tomorrow along w/ tryin to rebend the brackets on my safari bar, i'll let yall know how it comes out...hopefully it will be a sucess
chris

 

[espnfreak]

robert so was i right?
so technically this doesnt change until the 98 model year when it is on the lift gate. if i add that new bumper i will not have a spot for a plate. its 91-97's who dont have it

 

[jimbo74]

no jason, it is 90s-97 that do have a tag mount on the bumpers.....

 

[Robert]

And, you could probably mount the plate to a '98 and up bumper, although you would have to design a way. They left the indentation in the center of the bumper for the ball mount. I think it is more curved and probably has less area so it may not fit a plate. Up through '97 the bumper is made to fit the plate and has the holes already.

 

[Kris Guilbeaux]

When did they make a 1990 Explorer ??? we got or 1991 Explorer out of the first run of Explorers ever built... They made the last Bronco II in 1990 Explorers took over in 1991.

Originally posted by jimabena74
no jason, it is 90s-97 that do have a tag mount on the bumpers.....

 

[jimbo74]

if a 1991 explorer debuted as a 1991 model than it was probably built in late 1990.... this is what i meant....