Metal bumper inserts

[Bobbieslandy]

Has anyone removed the metal bumper inserts (or modified them) to make things a little bit lighter?

Is it that noticable and is it worth doing? i do appreciate the safety aspects............

Rob.

[nick]

Remove the bumper. Remove enough of the bumper cover fasteners to allow the peeling back of the cover on the bumper ends. I think it takes and allen wrench to remove the two bolts. They are about 10 lbs each.
I have not noticed anything adverse after the removal. I took them out to save the weight and to help with the bumper sag.


nick
'79 TR7

[Beans]

FHC doesn't have the cast iron balance weights [;)]

If you are not going to hit anything head on [}:)] you might remove the steel bar and replace it with some alloy brackets.
Have a look at Bryce's weblog on the CT site, he did quite a neat job.

Probably safer to drill the the bumper bar to shed some weight.

<center>
<font color="blue"><i>1980 TR7 DHC (my first car, now restored and back on the road)
1981 TR7 FHC Sprint (better known as 't Kreng)</font id="blue">
<b>[url="http://www.tr7beans.blogspot.com/"]<u><b><font size="2"><font color="red">My Weblog</font id="red"></font id="size2"></b></u>[/url]</b></i></center>

[manwithtool]

removed mine.....never did quite inderstand the purpose of the stupid things other than to make the rubber mounts sag ?



If it isn't broken, I can still fix it

[Beans]

FHC's don't have the rubber mounts or balance weights [:p]

<center>
<font color="blue"><i>1980 TR7 DHC (my first car, now restored and back on the road)
1981 TR7 FHC Sprint (better known as 't Kreng)</font id="blue">
<b>[url="http://www.tr7beans.blogspot.com/"]<u><b><font size="2"><font color="red">My Weblog</font id="red"></font id="size2"></b></u>[/url]</b></i></center>

[FI Spyder]

I took out my bumper weights when I had the bumper off just to see as I didn't have any bumper droop. Didn't notice any difference in scuttle shake or acceleration. Not worth the trouble to do it unless you're planning to enter F1 as 13th team where every gram counts.

Less trouble to leave the wife at home and leave the weights in. [:D]


TR7 Spider - 1978 Spifire - 1976 Spitfire - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra

[V8Wedgehead]

I am going to be cutting holes in my bumper frames to lose some wieght. I also will have a hole in the front bumper frame to let more air to the radiator.

Michael
1980 TR8 FHC #0020 Rally Conversion

[Johnluss]

I have removed mine a few years back. Did not notice any difference.

[Hasbeen]

We removed our weights some time back, with no obvious change.

Interestingly, I have driven a number of newer, more modern
convertibles recently, & found almost all of them suffer much more
scuttle shake than the 8 DHC.

It really is hard to get anything better than our old things at any
where near an affordable price.

Perhaps that motto should be "the shape things better than things to
come" in more areas than one.

Hasbeen

[Bobbieslandy]

Some interesting info there, i think i'll be leaving mine in if only for the safety aspect than anything else.

Thanks for the input chaps,

Rob.

[prlee]

Just removed the weights from my DHC front bumper (car mostly original), fitted solid mounts as one was disintegrating. Not got it back on the road yet though.

Beans is right, they were only fitted to the DHC to reduce scuttle shake.

Pete
81 DHC (Undergoing minor body repair)
79 Spitfire (Current Main drive)

[bmcecosse]

Where's the 'safety aspect' ?????? These weights were 'supposedly' computer designed harmonic balancers intended (with the rubber mounts) to reduce scuttle shake on the open top cars - hence reason the FHC doesn't have/need them. I took mine out last year - to reduce the dreaded 'droop' - and yes -I would say there IS now a bit more 'scuttle shake' - but not the slightest reduction in safety! I won't be refitting mine.

[Bobbieslandy]

I think we're talking about two different things. i bought a second hand bumper a few years back and noticed how heavy it was when i was putting it up into the garage loft. the idea was to remove the whole metal "girder" behind the plastic outers and refit the plastic outers by using some fabbed up brackets. I'm not aware of the "weights" as i haven't looked at them that closely. When i was reffering to safety i was talking about driving into another car. or wall. As if some "weights" would make a difference[:D] Sorry if it caused any confusion.