Removing bumper to get access to inside of frame

jayB

Member
I am wondering if you can remove either the front or rear bumper on an NCV3 body to gain access to the interior of the frame rails. I am wondering if I can slide a 1/4 in thick metal strip, with nuts welded to it, inside the frame with some wire to guide it to where I want. Trying to bolt some seats in, but want to reinforce the floor under them.

Thanks!


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72chevy4x4

Well-known member
front bumper no-b/c the front of the frame rail is capped with the mounting bracket that the bumper mounts to.

I would suspect the rear bumper is the same design. bend down and check it out.
 

72chevy4x4

Well-known member
forget going through the frame rail, go through the body and sandwich a piece of plate steel on top and bottom. That's what was specified for roll bars when I installed one on a Z back in the day. Principal is that it's spreading the force throughout a greater surface area which equals strength. An engineer specified a similar fix in a construction project once where the plate distributed the point load across a piece of plate steel.

I would not recommend drilling any holes into the sides of a frame rail
 

jayB

Member
front bumper no-b/c the front of the frame rail is capped with the mounting bracket that the bumper mounts to.

I would suspect the rear bumper is the same design. bend down and check it out.


I know that the bracket it there, but I'm wondering If I were to remove the bumper mounting bracket could I get access to the inside?


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jayB

Member
forget going through the frame rail, go through the body and sandwich a piece of plate steel on top and bottom. That's what was specified for roll bars when I installed one on a Z back in the day. Principal is that it's spreading the force throughout a greater surface area which equals strength. An engineer specified a similar fix in a construction project once where the plate distributed the point load across a piece of plate steel.

I would not recommend drilling any holes into the sides of a frame rail


The issue with this is that the fuel tank gets in the way in the location where I want to mount the seat.


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72chevy4x4

Well-known member
I recall it being closed but think you could drill a hole in the center of the plate and try your fishing expedition.
 

sailquik

Well-known member
Easy.....Drop the fuel tank (it's only mounted with straps and bolts) install your seat mounts
"around" the frame member, with out compromising the strength and integrity of the frame,
using large washers under the bolt heads to spread the load (engineered brackets would be better/stronger/smarter).
Then reinstall the fuel tank.
Roger
 

jayB

Member
Easy.....Drop the fuel tank (it's only mounted with straps and bolts) install your seat mounts
"around" the frame member, with out compromising the strength and integrity of the frame,
using large washers under the bolt heads to spread the load (engineered brackets would be better/stronger/smarter).
Then reinstall the fuel tank.
Roger


If I were to go this route, I would need to permanently space the fuel tank down about the thickness of the metal plate and bolt head. I've thought about this route, but not sure if it's possible and or secure.


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J-DUB

New member
My sprinter NCV3 bumper was in a push down accident from the rear , now there is a rear door gap .
How do I repair this animal ? I tried cum-a-long and a pry bar nothing . the gap is around 3/4 inch. The plastic bumper cover has three star bolts, two of them are facing down so I can't get the star bit on. any suggestions ? Or suck it up and let the body shop have at .
 

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