Front Grill Support / Bracket?

3002 tii · 11-19-2010, 12:21 PM

While washing the car the other day I noticed one of my grills is not secure, you can easily push it back, basically wont stay in place. Does anyone know what part locks the grill in place? Going to pull the bumper off anyway for other work so figured I might as well fix this while I'm at it..

Couldn't identify any part here (unless I'm looking at the wrong diagram):

http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?...47&hg=51&fg=15

Flying Scotsman · 11-19-2010, 01:28 PM

Grills are one piece, little tabs on them can break off over time. Old car had this problem, exactly like you have described, right down to when washing the car they would pop out. Grills never fell out in the time i had the car so i never renewed them.
You could use it as an excuse to replace them with all black or carbon grills lol.

3002 tii · 11-19-2010, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flying Scotsman

Grills are one piece, little tabs on them can break off over time. Old car had this problem, exactly like you have described, right down to when washing the car they would pop out. Grills never fell out in the time i had the car so i never renewed them.
You could use it as an excuse to replace them with all black or carbon grills lol.

That's weird b/c both my aftermarket and oem grills have the same problem. This is for the left grill only, and both of them push through. I'll try to take a closer look but I'm pretty sure the oem one has no broken tabs...

Flying Scotsman · 11-19-2010, 02:15 PM

Only thing i can suggest is IF there is no broken tabs, then wrap some electrical tape round these tabs where they meet the bodywork to hold them in place with a better "bite" if you know what i mean.

3002 tii · 11-19-2010, 10:28 PM

So I popped out the grill, inspected the grills and tabs are all fine. What the problem is (as I suspected) is that there's plastic frame that sits behind the bumper that "accepts" the grill. That is the piece that's NOT secure. I inspected the other side and that side is secure and tight, but this side almost slips off or disconnects from the bumper.

I checked realoem but I couldn't find this piece... is this part of the bumper and cannot be bought separately? It would seem that you can or should be able to purchase this piece separately since I see how it slips on and off (there are these plastic "prongs" that the frame slides over)...

3002 tii · 11-20-2010, 11:28 AM

bump for update, figured out what's wrong... anyone know if this piece can be purchased separately?

Ron Stygar · 11-20-2010, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dubbedown

So I popped out the grill, inspected the grills and tabs are all fine. What the problem is (as I suspected) is that there's plastic frame that sits behind the bumper that "accepts" the grill. That is the piece that's NOT secure. I inspected the other side and that side is secure and tight, but this side almost slips off or disconnects from the bumper.

I checked realoem but I couldn't find this piece... is this part of the bumper and cannot be bought separately? It would seem that you can or should be able to purchase this piece separately since I see how it slips on and off (there are these plastic "prongs" that the frame slides over)...

The part is part of the bumper. When you push the grille and it's not lined up it pushes it out. I glued mine all around between it and the bumper.

When you install now put your fingers behind the part that came apart and squeeze it in with the grilled assuming you have it in line.

3002 tii · 11-20-2010, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron Stygar

The part is part of the bumper. When you push the grille and it's not lined up it pushes it out. I glued mine all around between it and the bumper.

When you glued that piece to the bumper, was it because yours also got damaged? Are you saying at one point if the grill was installed (or attempted to be installed) incorrectly where it didn't line up correctly, the result would be that piece becoming damaged / disconnected?

That might sound right because I recall when I first purchased RPI scoops way back, I had trouble lining it up. So I later brought it to a shop while getting other work done and I recall the tech having difficulty with the grill, and I think he might have just used brute force to get it in...

Quote:

When you install now put your fingers behind the part that came apart and squeeze it in with the grilled assuming you have it in line.

But even without the grill in place, I can push that "frame" back effortlessly with my index finger. Or are you saying once I glue the frame to the bumper, then ensure the grill is lined up and that should solve my problems...

Ron Stygar · 11-20-2010, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dubbedown

When you glued that piece to the bumper, was it because yours also got damaged? Are you saying at one point if the grill was installed (or attempted to be installed) incorrectly where it didn't line up correctly, the result would be that piece becoming damaged / disconnected?

That might sound right because I recall when I first purchased RPI scoops way back, I had trouble lining it up. So I later brought it to a shop while getting other work done and I recall the tech having difficulty with the grill, and I think he might have just used brute force to get it in...

But even without the grill in place, I can push that "frame" back effortlessly with my index finger. Or are you saying once I glue the frame to the bumper, then ensure the grill is lined up and that should solve my problems...

I had some body shop stuff and when I pushed it in the piece moved.
There are some pins coming from the bumper that the black piece goes onto.
And the metal pushes down the pins to hold it on. When I gued it where the pins were it still came apart. So I glued the front of the black piece to the bumper. From that with the squeeze no problem.

3002 tii · 11-20-2010, 08:41 PM

Ahh gotcha, same problem I have nothing keeping the frame from sliding off those pins. I will glue them down, thanks Ron!

Z4-VILLA · 06-18-2012, 08:54 AM

Well I am having the exact same problems except I believe I am screWed because the mounting bracket thing is broken my grills are new because I got them in the mail but the mount is broken on 1 of the sides

3002 tii · 06-18-2012, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Z4-VILLA

Well I am having the exact same problems except I believe I am screWed because the mounting bracket thing is broken my grills are new because I got them in the mail but the mount is broken on 1 of the sides

Just glue the bracket back to the bumper, that's what I did. Works fine...

Z4-VILLA · 06-18-2012, 09:09 AM

epoxy?

3002 tii · 06-18-2012, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Z4-VILLA

epoxy?

that's what i used...

11-19-2010, 12:21 PM	#1
3002 tii Lieutenant General 2286 Rep 12,565 Posts Drives: Z4 M, X5, GX460 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: CT iTrader: (99) Garage List F15 X5 xDrive35i [8.75] E86 Z4 M [10.00] F10 550i (Retired) [9.17] F25 X3 xDrive35i (R ... [9.43] E82 135is (Retired) [9.50] E85 Z4 M (Retired) [9.41] E90 328i xDrive (Re ... [9.25] E86 Z4 3.0si (Retired) [9.24]	Front Grill Support / Bracket? While washing the car the other day I noticed one of my grills is not secure, you can easily push it back, basically wont stay in place. Does anyone know what part locks the grill in place? Going to pull the bumper off anyway for other work so figured I might as well fix this while I'm at it.. Couldn't identify any part here (unless I'm looking at the wrong diagram): http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?...47&hg=51&fg=15 __________________ Follow for latest mods Last edited by 3002 tii; 11-19-2010 at 12:32 PM..
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11-19-2010, 01:28 PM	#2
Flying Scotsman Private First Class 3 Rep 146 Posts Drives: BMW Z4 2.5L Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Long Island N.Y. iTrader: (0)	Grills are one piece, little tabs on them can break off over time. Old car had this problem, exactly like you have described, right down to when washing the car they would pop out. Grills never fell out in the time i had the car so i never renewed them. You could use it as an excuse to replace them with all black or carbon grills lol.
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11-19-2010, 02:15 PM	#4
Flying Scotsman Private First Class 3 Rep 146 Posts Drives: BMW Z4 2.5L Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Long Island N.Y. iTrader: (0)	Only thing i can suggest is IF there is no broken tabs, then wrap some electrical tape round these tabs where they meet the bodywork to hold them in place with a better "bite" if you know what i mean.
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11-19-2010, 10:28 PM	#5
3002 tii Lieutenant General 2286 Rep 12,565 Posts Drives: Z4 M, X5, GX460 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: CT iTrader: (99) Garage List F15 X5 xDrive35i [8.75] E86 Z4 M [10.00] F10 550i (Retired) [9.17] F25 X3 xDrive35i (R ... [9.43] E82 135is (Retired) [9.50] E85 Z4 M (Retired) [9.41] E90 328i xDrive (Re ... [9.25] E86 Z4 3.0si (Retired) [9.24]	So I popped out the grill, inspected the grills and tabs are all fine. What the problem is (as I suspected) is that there's plastic frame that sits behind the bumper that "accepts" the grill. That is the piece that's NOT secure. I inspected the other side and that side is secure and tight, but this side almost slips off or disconnects from the bumper. I checked realoem but I couldn't find this piece... is this part of the bumper and cannot be bought separately? It would seem that you can or should be able to purchase this piece separately since I see how it slips on and off (there are these plastic "prongs" that the frame slides over)... Attached Images __________________ Follow for latest mods Last edited by 3002 tii; 11-20-2010 at 11:01 AM..
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11-20-2010, 11:28 AM	#6
3002 tii Lieutenant General 2286 Rep 12,565 Posts Drives: Z4 M, X5, GX460 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: CT iTrader: (99) Garage List F15 X5 xDrive35i [8.75] E86 Z4 M [10.00] F10 550i (Retired) [9.17] F25 X3 xDrive35i (R ... [9.43] E82 135is (Retired) [9.50] E85 Z4 M (Retired) [9.41] E90 328i xDrive (Re ... [9.25] E86 Z4 3.0si (Retired) [9.24]	bump for update, figured out what's wrong... anyone know if this piece can be purchased separately? __________________ Follow for latest mods
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11-20-2010, 08:41 PM	#10
3002 tii Lieutenant General 2286 Rep 12,565 Posts Drives: Z4 M, X5, GX460 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: CT iTrader: (99) Garage List F15 X5 xDrive35i [8.75] E86 Z4 M [10.00] F10 550i (Retired) [9.17] F25 X3 xDrive35i (R ... [9.43] E82 135is (Retired) [9.50] E85 Z4 M (Retired) [9.41] E90 328i xDrive (Re ... [9.25] E86 Z4 3.0si (Retired) [9.24]	Ahh gotcha, same problem I have nothing keeping the frame from sliding off those pins. I will glue them down, thanks Ron! __________________ Follow for latest mods
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06-18-2012, 08:54 AM	#11
Z4-VILLA Banned 111 Rep 2,460 Posts Drives: Z4M Hardtop Roadster Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Classified iTrader: (0)	Well I am having the exact same problems except I believe I am screWed because the mounting bracket thing is broken my grills are new because I got them in the mail but the mount is broken on 1 of the sides
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06-18-2012, 09:09 AM	#13
Z4-VILLA Banned 111 Rep 2,460 Posts Drives: Z4M Hardtop Roadster Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Classified iTrader: (0)	epoxy?
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