how to remove front bumper? (CAI install)

[gta_driver]

Did a search, couldn't find any info on what bolts to remove to take off the front bumper cover...

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

How to remove front bumper?

Just call this guy or send him a PM. I did and I am really happy I didn't try and do it myself...He'll have your bumper off in about 5 minutes and will also do a bang-up job of installing your CAI too.

MacGuyver's Installation Service
MacGuyver_3 (Dan)
http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=201

[Gizzmo_jr]

1. Remove the 11 8mm (or phillips) screws on the bottom of the bumper.
http://www.sok07.trapzerohosting.net/Mazda3s/FrontBumper/Mz3_sok07_Fbprrmvl_sm02.jpg (http://www.sok07.trapzerohosting.net/Mazda3s/FrontBumper/Mz3_sok07_Fbprrmvl_02.jpg)
2. Remove the two big phillips screws by the hood latch
3. Remove the two big plastic with rubber bumpers (use a small flat head to pop up the collar, then pull the entire thing out)
http://www.sok07.trapzerohosting.net/Mazda3s/FrontBumper/Mz3_sok07_Fbprrmvl_sm04.jpg (http://www.sok07.trapzerohosting.net/Mazda3s/FrontBumper/Mz3_sok07_Fbprrmvl_04.jpg)
4. Take off the two plastic phillips clips holding the mud shield back in the wheel well towards the front. (per side)
http://www.sok07.trapzerohosting.net/Mazda3s/FrontBumper/Mz3_sok07_Fbprrmvl_sm01.jpg (http://www.sok07.trapzerohosting.net/Mazda3s/FrontBumper/Mz3_sok07_Fbprrmvl_01.jpg)
5. Pull back the shield alittle and you'll see another 8mm screw by the bumper seam, take it off. (per side)
http://www.sok07.trapzerohosting.net/Mazda3s/FrontBumper/Mz3_sok07_Fbprrmvl_sm03.jpg (http://www.sok07.trapzerohosting.net/Mazda3s/FrontBumper/Mz3_sok07_Fbprrmvl_03.jpg)
6. Bumper is now free but still hanging in place. By the hood latch will be two big hooks that clip onto the sub frame. After you slightly pull these up the bumper is now in your hands.
http://www.sok07.trapzerohosting.net/Mazda3s/FrontBumper/Mz3_sok07_Fbprrmvl_sm05.jpg (http://www.sok07.trapzerohosting.net/Mazda3s/FrontBumper/Mz3_sok07_Fbprrmvl_05.jpg) http://www.sok07.trapzerohosting.net/Mazda3s/FrontBumper/Mz3_sok07_Fbprrmvl_sm10.jpg (http://www.sok07.trapzerohosting.net/Mazda3s/FrontBumper/Mz3_sok07_Fbprrmvl_10.jpg)
7. Remove the wiring for fog lights if applicable. And all other wiring. Set bumper aside.

[nitsuji]

*n00b question*

Is there a possibility of setting off the airbags when doing this? Should I unhook my -ive from the battery in case?

[Fuman]

http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showpost.php?p=64032&postcount=1
hope this helps

[gta_driver]

Just call this guy or send him a PM. I did and I am really happy I didn't try and do it myself...He'll have your bumper off in about 5 minutes and will also do a bang-up job of installing your CAI too.

MacGuyver's Installation Service
MacGuyver_3 (Dan)
http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=201

That's great, and I wouldn't hesitate to use him for the job, however, I am a DIY kind of guy. If I have the time, I want to do it :)

Just trying to do my homework in case I need some special tools, or special access.

[gta_driver]

Thank you sir! That's exactly what I was looking for.

[gta_driver]

1. Remove the 11 8mm (or phillips) screws on the bottom of the bumper.

I guess this site doesn't allow post editing.

Anyway, thanks for your write-up, that's exactly what I was looking for.

[Thrizzl3]

I guess this site doesn't allow post editing.

Anyway, thanks for your write-up, that's exactly what I was looking for.

it does..you need 100 posts to do that though

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

That's great, and I wouldn't hesitate to use him for the job, however, I am a DIY kind of guy. If I have the time, I want to do it :)

Just trying to do my homework in case I need some special tools, or special access.

Yah, I understand. I am too to a degree, but I'm not great with wiring and I had Dan (MacGuyver) install aftermarket horns (Hella Supertones) on both my 3's. I was a little paranoid about the location I wanted the horns mounted in my MS3 as the bumper needed to be removed.

If your car is the same, note that there are black plastic ties holding the fog wiring in place that will make it a bitch to get the bumper completely off. It really is easier to remove the bumper with 2 people so that it doesn't drop on one side and scrape. Make sure you put some protection on the ground under the car when doing this...

And good luck too.

[gta_driver]

it does..you need 100 posts to do that though

I see... One hundred posts you say? Well then... 75 more to go :)

[gta_driver]

If your car is the same, note that there are black plastic ties holding the fog wiring in place that will make it a bitch to get the bumper completely off. It really is easier to remove the bumper with 2 people so that it doesn't drop on one side and scrape. Make sure you put some protection on the ground under the car when doing this...

And good luck too.

Good advice, thanks!

P.S. 74 posts to go

[dreadlock]

1. Remove the 11 8mm (or phillips) screws on the bottom of the bumper.
http://www.sok07.trapzerohosting.net/Mazda3s/FrontBumper/Mz3_sok07_Fbprrmvl_sm02.jpg (http://www.sok07.trapzerohosting.net/Mazda3s/FrontBumper/Mz3_sok07_Fbprrmvl_02.jpg)
2. Remove the two big phillips screws by the hood latch
3. Remove the two big plastic with rubber bumpers (use a small flat head to pop up the collar, then pull the entire thing out)
http://www.sok07.trapzerohosting.net/Mazda3s/FrontBumper/Mz3_sok07_Fbprrmvl_sm04.jpg (http://www.sok07.trapzerohosting.net/Mazda3s/FrontBumper/Mz3_sok07_Fbprrmvl_04.jpg)
4. Take off the two plastic phillips clips holding the mud shield back in the wheel well towards the front. (per side)
http://www.sok07.trapzerohosting.net/Mazda3s/FrontBumper/Mz3_sok07_Fbprrmvl_sm01.jpg (http://www.sok07.trapzerohosting.net/Mazda3s/FrontBumper/Mz3_sok07_Fbprrmvl_01.jpg)
5. Pull back the shield alittle and you'll see another 8mm screw by the bumper seam, take it off. (per side)
http://www.sok07.trapzerohosting.net/Mazda3s/FrontBumper/Mz3_sok07_Fbprrmvl_sm03.jpg (http://www.sok07.trapzerohosting.net/Mazda3s/FrontBumper/Mz3_sok07_Fbprrmvl_03.jpg)
6. Bumper is now free but still hanging in place. By the hood latch will be two big hooks that clip onto the sub frame. After you slightly pull these up the bumper is now in your hands.
http://www.sok07.trapzerohosting.net/Mazda3s/FrontBumper/Mz3_sok07_Fbprrmvl_sm05.jpg (http://www.sok07.trapzerohosting.net/Mazda3s/FrontBumper/Mz3_sok07_Fbprrmvl_05.jpg) http://www.sok07.trapzerohosting.net/Mazda3s/FrontBumper/Mz3_sok07_Fbprrmvl_sm10.jpg (http://www.sok07.trapzerohosting.net/Mazda3s/FrontBumper/Mz3_sok07_Fbprrmvl_10.jpg)
7. Remove the wiring for fog lights if applicable. And all other wiring. Set bumper aside.


Did this post once have pictures attached? I looked at it once but there were only the small box with a question mark indicating the original pictures had been taken down. Any chance they could be put up again to get a real play by play of where these bolts are??

Thanks in advance.

PS: not doing this for CAI install, just need to remove the front bumper.

[cwp_sedan]

Did this post once have pictures attached? I looked at it once but there were only the small box with a question mark indicating the original pictures had been taken down. Any chance they could be put up again to get a real play by play of where these bolts are??

Thanks in advance.

It looks like they were on someone else's site and these were just linked to that. Those must have gone down.

[dreadlock]

hmmm...any other nice walk throughs available? How difficult is this job/how much time would you recommend to alot?

I'm replacing the black plastic piece which sits above the honeycomb grill...
http://www.carthusiast.com/media/2009/07/FM3_Mazdaspeed3_1.jpg

[seelsy]

the first time i took my bumper off it took me about an hour, just because i had to do find all the screws and do a little tinkering myself but now i can take it off in like 15-20 minutes without trouble. Just as a little extra hint, once you get all the screws and the two screws behind the rubber in the wheel well, you still should pull the bumper off from the driver side to the passenger side as the bumper will still be held on by retaining clips, but just a slight pull at the corners will release them. Once you do this you can release the two clips holding it onto the bumper just inder the front grille and itll be free and clear beyond the fog light wiring attached at the bottom.

[cwp_sedan]

It's quite easy. Maybe takes 15min at the most to take it off. I would have an extra set of hands though to help with holding the cover during the removal. Just so you don't scratch anything up.

[dreadlock]

Thanks guys, those kinds of tips are perfect. I know its a fairly easy job, as I used to take apart my civic in 10 minutes or less...but as you said -- the first time is the hardest because you dont know where all the screws are. No luck with pics or a diagram of some kind for this?

[seelsy]

http://krystmsgarage.com/?p=15 this site has some of the pictures needed, however it doesnt show the clips on the bumper since it seems to be a GT they are removing so the clips look a bit differnt on the grille, but the bottom screws all run right along the line of bumper, and when u pull back the plastic and look up theres only one screw there so its not hard to see. Andf on the top of the grille there is only 4 screws so to be honest once you take a look it will be easy. And if youve taken off a civic bumper its basically the exact same process.

[cwp_sedan]

http://i45.tinypic.com/14cv1ib.jpg

This is just a quick one. All of the numbers on here correspond to the ones on the list above. The arrows don't necessarily correspond to the # of bolts/screws. They are just for reference.

#4 and #5 are on both sides of the car obviously. Also #5 is on the inside where the fender and bumper meet.

Be careful when pulling the bumper out of the clips on the side where the fender and bumper meet. If you don't you could break them off. Same goes for putting it back on.




EDIT:


http://krystmsgarage.com/?p=15 this site has some of the pictures needed, however it doesnt show the clips on the bumper since it seems to be a GT they are removing so the clips look a bit differnt on the grille, but the bottom screws all run right along the line of bumper, and when u pull back the plastic and look up theres only one screw there so its not hard to see. Andf on the top of the grille there is only 4 screws so to be honest once you take a look it will be easy. And if youve taken off a civic bumper its basically the exact same process.

Damn! That would have saved me some time lol. You should have posted that earlier. lol

[dreadlock]

hahaha I like your style CWP. Thanks so much for that! Same to seelsy for supplying that link. Should be a snap now!!

[JohnyGT]

http://www.mazda3forums.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=dd55a11d0723242c423ba5a79fbb40 f9&topic=54465.0

Here you go, boys :)

The link above works perfectly with pics.

[seelsy]

close, still doesnt show all the screws under the car and on the grille though :chuckle

[dreadlock]

Thanks guys, with all your help this job was a snap. Got the bumper off in no time and back together no problem. Only thing that took longer was the screw behind the wheel well, car is lowered so I had to take the tire off in order to fit a screw driver up in there...no big tho.

[cwp_sedan]

Thanks guys, with all your help this job was a snap. Got the bumper off in no time and back together no problem. Only thing that took longer was the screw behind the wheel well, car is lowered so I had to take the tire off in order to fit a screw driver up in there...no big tho.

Nice! :)