The most common impact zones on vehicles today are the front and rear bumpers. Most bumpers today are constructed of a painted plastic. When plastic bumpers are damaged and taken to a traditional body shop, normal procedure is to replace the bumper.
What are rear bumpers made of?
Modern consumer production cars have almost completely switched over to plastic bumpers. Modern car bumpers are made from thermoplastic olefins, a blend of plastic molecules, rubber, and a reinforcing filler like carbon fiber or calcium carbonate.
How do I know if my bumper is plastic?
3 Ways to Identify Plastic
- Look at the color of the raw plastic. If it’s black or gray, generally it’s a thermoplastic. …
- Look for the ID mark on the back of the bumper cover (pictured above). There should be a 2-3 letter ID that you can look up. …
- Lightly grind the plastic to see if it smears or powders.
Are bumpers plastic?
Materials. Most OEM bumpers are made out of plastic and feature an aluminum or steel reinforcement bar hidden in the middle. Some bumpers may also contain polypropylene in order to help absorb energy during an impact.
What plastic are car bumpers made from?
Polycarbonate. Like polypropylene, polycarbonate is so resistant to impact that it is often used for car bumpers and headlight lenses. This kind of car plastic is highly resistant to weathering, able to handle conditions from rain and snow to heat and cold.
Why do cars no longer have bumpers?
The primary reason why cars have no longer bumpers is due to the federal law that needs rear and front bumper to withstand the results of a lower speed with no or little damage to the car. … Individuals often like a clean look with no rear or front bumpers.
What does 5 mph bumper mean?
Five miles per hour is a benchmark, an impact speed at which bumpers could easily — but generally don’t — prevent all but very minor cosmetic damage in barrier tests. The “5 mph” label doesn’t mean that in real, as opposed to test, crashes the bumper would prevent damage only at speeds slower than 5 mph.
Why are plastic bumpers made?
Parts made of plastics are resistant to corrosion, offer flexibility and resilience for added safety, have very good thermal insulation, reduce noise and allow optimum space utilization.
How much force can a car bumper take?
Today, standard passenger vehicle bumpers have a rigid reinforcing bar under the outer cover, with sections of compressible foam or plastic underneath. In the United States, passenger car bumpers must absorb a five mph impact from another vehicle with no damage to the car body.
How much does it cost to get a bumper installed?
Bumper Replacement Costs
According to Cost Helper, a new bumper for a passenger car can cost anywhere between $100 and $1,000. Installation and painting the new bumper can cost between $200 and $600. Bumpers for pickup trucks, SUVs and luxury vehicles will have higher costs.