Chevy Silverado Front Bumper Removal
by Chris Moore
If your Chevy Silverado's bumper was damaged in a collision, don't remove it unless you're prepared to install another one, and consider installing a body-kit bumper in place of the stock one. You bolt the bumper onto the frame, but you'll have to deal with other components on the truck's front end in order to remove it. You will also make adjustments in the process if the bumper is broken or otherwise damaged in any areas.
Preparation
Support the bumper from underneath. The floor jack from the truck can work, but raising it on the jack and then supporting it on jack stands will work even better. If the bumper comes equipped with fog lights, disconnect the electrical fittings. Disconnect the negative battery cable before doing this; loosen the clamp nut on the black cable to remove it from the terminal.
Radiator Grille
To remove the bumper properly, remove the radiator grille. Open up the hood and remove the plastic panel covering the radiator by removing the five plastic pushpins securing the panel and lifting it off. Remove the mounting screw that's at the hood latch, then turn each of the grille's fasteners by a quarter turn with a Phillips screwdriver to release them from the radiator support.
Remove the headlight housings by swinging the housing retaining rods forward and pulling them up, then pulling the housing forward and out of the body. Disconnect the electrical connectors.
Pull the grille forward sharply at the left and right ends to disengage the clips at each end, then lift the grille off.
Detaching the Bumper
At this point, the jack stand alone won't be enough to support the bumper, so ask an assistant to hold it. With the radiator grille removed, you can access the bolts holding the bumper on the frame. Two upper and two lower bolts are located at the top of the frame. After removing them, move down to the underside of the bumper and remove the bolts that are at each end of the bumper brace. As you and your assistant carefully lift the bumper off of the frame, disconnect any wiring harnesses and other components that get in the way of detaching the bumper.
References
- "Chilton General Motors Full Size Trucks"; Haynes Manuals; 2006
Writer Bio
Chris Moore has been contributing to eHow since 2007 and is a member of the DFW Writers' Workshop. He received a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from the University of Texas-Arlington.
