One of the rear impact strips on the rear bumper of the 951 is starting to lift away. I think it was slightly damaged from a minor bump from a previous owner, but in the last year it has started to lift away from the bumper even further. It looks like the clip on the right side might be broken. How is it mounted to the rear bumper? Can it be easily repaired or will I need a whole new impact strip?

 

You mean one of the black rubber blocks on the rear bumper? That has metal studs coming out the back, and nuts on the back side of the bumper. Likely it's starting to rust and come apart.

 

Yes, that would be it. I don't see the metal stud so maybe it has broken off. Looks like I'll have to get another one.

 

I've got the same thing (Mine came halfway off and I just pulled it the rest of the way off.

The rubber pad has a metal plate running the length of it along the inside to which bolt heads are welded. the bolts protrude from the rubber. These bolts are threaded through the holes in the bumper, and bolted on.

As water and time get into the rubber pad, the bolt heads rust inside the rubber pad and flake apart, getting smaller as bits flake off. Eventually, they lose enough volume that they can't hold the pad on. Odds are, if you give your rubber pad a few good yanks, the bolts heads will break up and the pad will end up in your hand. (that's where I'm at now.)

There are a few threads here on repairing the problem. I don't have any bookmarked:

There is the cheap-o liquid nails solution (yes, you just use liquid nails to glue the pad back on to the bumper, neglecting the bolts and their corrosion.)

-or-

The recommended approach seems to be to remove the bolts, get all the rust out from inside the pad, and then epoxy new bolts into the holes on the rubber pad. Then bolt the pad back onto the bumper.


Good luck.