Gap in Front Bumper - any reliable fix?

If someone ever has their bumper off and posts pics of the corner mounting points... maybe we could crowdsource a solution here.

 

Plenty have removed their front bumper cover to replace the valance, hopefully one of those might snap a few photos. I'm mostly interested in a nice closeup photo of what the back of the bumper cover looks like at that corner below the headlight. And, of course, the area with the clip on the body it mounts to under the headlight.

There are several YT videos documenting removing the bumper cover, but none of them show the back side of the cover once it's removed.

 

Just to document it, I am having this on the drivers side. I just noticed it a couple days ago, thought it was odd, gave it a whack and popped it back in. Thought about how it could have happened for about 3 minutes and forgot about it.

Then I stumbled onto this thread yesterday and just went out to recheck it and sure enough its popped out again. Guess I'll be following this thread.

 

Here's a couple of photos from Ebay selling used bumpers, showing the offending spot (passenger side):

 

Yes “they” do

https://metaltech4x4.com/metal-tech-5th-gen-4runner-2014-2019-fortress-front-bumper/

 

Well, there you go. For a mere $2,850.00 and an additional 114+ lbs.you can eliminate the protruding bumper cover corner. IF you have a 2019 or older 5th gen.

 

Caulk...... lol

 

I forgot I had this file. I believe I pulled it from a thread on this forum.

 

This "fix" has been tried by several members, with mixed results. Mostly no permanent fix.

Their "dual-lock fasteners" are strips of velcro.

 

I think if there was a way to epoxy an industrial strength magnet to the bumper cover and a metal plate to the bracket, or vice versa, that might just do the trick, at least in my case.

I purchased one of those screwdriver type doodads for removing the oil drain plug from the side, with a magnetic end for holding the plug - that magnet is impressive. You really have to yank on the plug once it's out to free it from the tool.

 

Loosen the top most 10mm bolt on the attachment moulding, the black piece that grabs the clips on the bumper corner. I have found that with that bolt tightened all the way it pulled that piece to far into the truck to allow the bumper cover clips to grab.

Then run a piece of gorilla double sided tap in the area.

In addition, those two perpendicular clips that grab the bumper become very pliable and lose rigidity.

I never had issues with the factory bumper cover, even after removing it several times to do certain things. I then hit a turkey and the genuine replacement never fit right. I tried the Toyota TSB fix and several other ways, nothing worked.

 

Would you happen to have any photos of the area you're describing (bolded above)? I'm having a hard time envisioning where this is...

 

Thread revival. Any luck finding a way to stiffen that portion of the bumper cover or find another solution?

 

i cut some plastic shims and put behind the bumper bracket to tighten the grip on the bumper corners just pry a gap with a knife blade and slide 1 or two shims right at th corner bumper lock area

 

Reading this on a small tablet, so it's hard to really see what you're describing, but later on a pc maybe I can see the photos better. I can't quite see how this helps, but am really interested whether this will work for my passenger side bumper corner under the headlight. If so, you are a genius...

Do the plastic shims push the bracket forward a bit, and that helps grab the cover better? Also, do you have before and after photos of the driver's side you were working on in the first 5 photos?

What year is your 4R may I ask? Sorry for all the questions, but I get excited every time this thread reappears, hoping someone has finally found a real fix for this...

Edit: I think I get it now after looking at the photos on a bigger screen. Tell me if this is the idea - you put shims on the right side of that bracket circled in yellow below, which closed up the clip a bit, and that gave it more 'bite' to hold in that part of the bumper cover...

 

yes thats right and also i put a small washer in between the bumper cover bracket and the bumper cover to pull the cover back a tiny bit to add pressure at the gap.right where the phillips screw goes. it pulls rearword on the cover.trying to creat a better bite on the cover i had to put two washer on one sid cause it was so bad dont have any before pics

 

hers wher to put washers

 

it is a 2018

 

Omg this is me too!! I thought I was crazy every now and then when stepping out and seeing tbe slight misalignment and wham! That sucker back into place lol

 

Thanks for the confirmation of the shim idea and the washers tip. I don't get where those go, though, or the reason for them, sorry.

 

Well, I've joined this club.
2023 Limited. 23, 000 miles.
Minor fender bender in January. Totally not my fault, and their insurance paid for everything, including my rental and deductible.
A week after I picked it up from the body shop, a work buddy mentioned the gap. I whacked them (both sides) drove 21 miles home, and they were popped out again. The body shop looked into it and gave me the TSB, which only covers 2014 to 2020.
I don't like the fix (industrial velcro like on an EZ Pass).
Pissed about the whole thing......

 

Got any 'after' photos? Was it fixed with Toyota parts?

 

This is almost unbelievable. I've looked at that stupid bumper gap under the passenger side headlight (see post #1, mine was just like that) for years, and finally decided to address it today. I was going to see about putting some shims behind that mounting clip as described in post #44 above and proceeded to take out the bolts/screws in the wheel well and the one under the front of the bumper cover (spoiler alert - this one doesn't need loosening) that hold on the passenger side of the bumper cover. I then pulled the cover loose in the wheel well. At that point, I thought why not try a washer or two as described in post #s 46 & 47. I found a washer, and ground one side flat, just so it would fit better. Slipped that washer in, pushed the bumper cover back into the retaining clips, And replaced all the retaining screws and presto!! No more gap. No taking off the bumper cover, no shims, just one washer. I can't believe it was such a simple fix. A few after photos:

Driver side, which never had a gap:


Passenger side, no more gap:


Apparently, that one washer pulled the cover rearward just enough to keep it clipped into that mounting clip under the headlight.

 

Read this last night and went into the garage and did the same. The washer closed the gap at my headlight but opened a gap at the fender flare. I need to loosen up the supports for the C4 bumper and fit the cover more diligently. I forgot this thread, thank you for posting.

 

I put this thread on my 'watched' list, hoping I would eventually figure something out and be able to post a fix, which seemed to happen yesterday. On the first try, I had a bit of a gap at the flare as you describe, and the cover was not flush there, so that's why I ground one side of the washer flat. I also used a washer that had a large enough hole to fit over the plastic nub that that mounting screw went into.

Fingers crossed that this will be a permanent fix.

 

Seeing your response last night @glwood54 reminded me to go make a spacer. Took a couple minutes in CAD to design and 15 minutes to print.

Just got home from a 45 minute drive. Some slow driving and some highway driving (where it usually popped back out). The gap tried to come back but still looks way better than it did

 

I'm glad I bumped this thread, and you were able to make that spacer. Who knew all this time such a simple fix would work for some? I haven't driven around since adding the washer, but will later today and will report back.

FWIW, my gap was more prominent in warmer temperatures, and less when it was colder out. It's going to be almost 80 degrees today, so...

 

Mine was backed into in a car park, didn't see the damage until i got home, was unable to prove it.

My research tells me the TSB does not fix it or at least not for long.

I remember it was on CCN episode once, after that i just left it. Figured there will always be people who hit another car and run off, so would just happen again.

Plus, don't want anyone trying to fix this and make it worse, that will just annoy me more.