Bumper removal...front won’t come out?

[Stookie]

Just looking for some advice. I’m trying to remove my front bumper, started with the rear since it’s so much more difficult....or so I thought.

I have the retaining bolts removed, even loosened the rubber supporting bracket around the bumper posts, but try as I might, the thing will barely budge even with all my eight and strength almost rocking the car off the wheels just trying to get any movement. The passenger side has moved probably a half inch out, driver side not at all. This is way more force than I think should be required.

Am I missing something simple? All other explanations I have found say that these should just slide out.

[SteinOnkel]

Douse them in penetrating oil. And then use brute force and ignorance to beat them out.

[spider2081]

The passenger side has moved probably a half inch out, driver side not at all.

Probably not the safest thought but I were sure everything was diisconnected that needs to be:
I would use a load strap or heavy rope and tie off the bumper to a telephone pole Leave some slack. Then back up when the slack is taken up the bumper might pop free.

[toyfiats]

I'm confused. Are they rusted in place? By my count there are only five nuts/bolts on each side holding the bumper shocks and brackets - once those are loosened or removed there shouldn't be anything holding it from coming out.

[Stookie]

I'm confused. Are they rusted in place? By my count there are only five nuts/bolts on each side holding the bumper shocks and brackets - once those are loosened or removed there shouldn't be anything holding it from coming out.

Thanks for the responses guys. It may just be a case of rust, although they don’t looks particularly terrible in that way. I can basically move the bumper in its place up and down by probably 5 inches or so while I full force pull and shake, which I felt like would surely break up any surface rust.

But as to this, I’ve left the brackets in place. I have the large bolt that goes through the mount removed on both sides. I’ve also removed the top bolt that holds down the bracket mount itself, where the bracket kind of wraps around the bumper post, just in case that would loosen the connection between the two. Then as a last result, I also loosened the c clamp with rubber grommet that wraps around the bumper post in front of the bracket.

I honestly can’t see any other spot that this could be holding at all. But clearly it is!

[SteinOnkel]

I suspect DPO malarky. Probably a set screw in the way that somebody used when trying to push the bumpers in further.

[Stookie]

Well brute force and ignorance won out. Soaked both mounts in penetrating fluid and just went from side to side, inching it out while throwing out my back.

At least figured out the issue. In front of the actual mounts are a secondary c clamp type mount lined with a very thick rubber grommet that is actually molded with a lip on either side so it can’t come out of place from the clamp bracket. I believe with those tight, or only slightly loose, you’re still basically trying to unseat those as you pull, which is adding 1000% effort to the process. I believe the penetrating fluid provided some lubricant for the bumper post to slide through the rubber to some degree rather than just trying to force a 1/2” thick rubber grommet to deform.

Anyway, now to figure out a turn signal solution.