- Dec 4, 2011
- 276
Anybody have any suggestions for DIY repair of the rear bumper cover, mine is cracked around one of the reverse light?
Envoy Rear Bumper Cover Repair
- Thread starter freddyboy61
- Start date
- Dec 4, 2011
- 276
hockeyman
Member
- Aug 26, 2012
- 726
Are you planning to remove the rear bumper for the repair or are you going to do it while it's installed?
Any pics of the damage?
For minor to moderate cracks, I normally like to remove the bumper(s) for repairing since it gives me full access to the back, where I usually use a small amount of fiberglass and resin to bond the damage. Once dry, I go to the exterior and fill the remaining crack with spot putty and lightly sand to level it out. I'd then apply touchup paint and clearcoat to the exterior surface, wait until dry, then westand with 1,500 and 2,000 grit and buff with a good polish until the damage is as invisible as possible.
Then re-install the bumper...of course.
On my old '03 Envoy, my front bumper had a few cracks around the drivers side fog light and it did not firmly stay in place. It also made the fog light housing vibrate while driving. Annoying!
I did the same technique with the fiberglass and resin repair and it worked perfectly.
Any pics of the damage?
For minor to moderate cracks, I normally like to remove the bumper(s) for repairing since it gives me full access to the back, where I usually use a small amount of fiberglass and resin to bond the damage. Once dry, I go to the exterior and fill the remaining crack with spot putty and lightly sand to level it out. I'd then apply touchup paint and clearcoat to the exterior surface, wait until dry, then westand with 1,500 and 2,000 grit and buff with a good polish until the damage is as invisible as possible.
Then re-install the bumper...of course.
On my old '03 Envoy, my front bumper had a few cracks around the drivers side fog light and it did not firmly stay in place. It also made the fog light housing vibrate while driving. Annoying!
I did the same technique with the fiberglass and resin repair and it worked perfectly.
- Dec 4, 2011
- 276
I was hoping to not remove the bumper cover, but you are certainly right in order to make a lasting repair. Thanks for the info.
Maverick6587
Member
@hockeyman You don't need to use primer on top of the spot putty? Also, does flex need to be added to the clearcoat?
I love that fiberglass on the inside of the inside bumper cover idea! I have cracks in mine as well and was going to fix that this winter.
I love that fiberglass on the inside of the inside bumper cover idea! I have cracks in mine as well and was going to fix that this winter.
hockeyman
Member
- Aug 26, 2012
- 726
I did not use primer on top of the spot putty only because it was such a small/thin area. The putty was only to level out any low spots within the repair of a crack once it was bonded from the other side.
I did however cheat a bit by using touchup paint (then clearcoat) in an airbrush gun. And no, I did not use any flex additive in my clearcoat. No idea what it looks like nowadays since I traded in my envoy back in December of '16.
I've repainted a front bumper before on a friends black trailblazer and did not use a flex additive in the clear. Most quality clears will flex to a certain degree already. For a paint to stick, you really need to mainly focus on prep.
I did however cheat a bit by using touchup paint (then clearcoat) in an airbrush gun. And no, I did not use any flex additive in my clearcoat. No idea what it looks like nowadays since I traded in my envoy back in December of '16.
I've repainted a front bumper before on a friends black trailblazer and did not use a flex additive in the clear. Most quality clears will flex to a certain degree already. For a paint to stick, you really need to mainly focus on prep.
Maverick6587
Member
@freddyboy61 Could you post a pic of the crack?
You might be able to get away with not removing the cover and only removing the rear light.
You might be able to get away with not removing the cover and only removing the rear light.
- Dec 4, 2011
- 276
Pretty sure there is no repairing that. Looks like it may have been previously repaired, as it appears there is also BONDO in the crack. Replacement might be in order. You might get lucky and find a used white one on ebay (looks like there is one for 85 bucks plus shipping), or a new one that is painted to your paint code for 215 bucks shipped. Or to your local salvage yard and see what you can find.
Maverick6587
Member
I mean, you might be able to squeeze your hand in between the bumper and bumper cover and get the fiberglass in there.
If you can get a decent size piece of fiberglass on it while it's still bolted to the vehicle and then remove it after it cures. That might be easier to work with if you decide to take the bumper cover off.
That's probably the approach I would take. Fiberglass the back of it and then remove it after it cures. Not knowing how the top of that crack looks. You might run the risk of it cracking even more or even completing breaking apart and having an even bigger issue, if you don't fiberglass it first.
If you can get a decent size piece of fiberglass on it while it's still bolted to the vehicle and then remove it after it cures. That might be easier to work with if you decide to take the bumper cover off.
That's probably the approach I would take. Fiberglass the back of it and then remove it after it cures. Not knowing how the top of that crack looks. You might run the risk of it cracking even more or even completing breaking apart and having an even bigger issue, if you don't fiberglass it first.
hockeyman
Member
- Aug 26, 2012
- 726
- Dec 4, 2011
- 276
Thanks for all the insight and advice. I'm taking no immediate action right now, maybe somebody will rear end me and I will get a repair that way 
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