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Old 05-03-2021, 09:05 PM   #42
arpad_m


 
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Drives: 2018 Camaro 2SS A8
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: East Tennessee
Posts: 13,301
Quote:
Originally Posted by arpad_m View Post
You know what, guys, I'll try this TSB I mentioned above on mine and report back if successful. Have a new diffuser anyway to "sweeten the deal", because who in their right mind wants to pop bumpers just to fix a small extra gap
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chutzpah View Post
As far as I know, there isnt a zip tie method for 2019+.
Right, so I performed the zip tie fix, and rear bumper panel gaps are indeed perfect now, both on the left and the right side. I've checked them at temperatures from 50 to 87 degrees, all top notch, unlike before the fix.

However, as with most things in life, this doesn't seem to be "free" either. Since the bumper has nowhere to go on the sides as temperatures increase, because the zip ties have very little give, the center support section gets pressured to expand outwards and /or up.

The bumper has this black plastic retainer plate in the middle that slides between a bunch of metal tabs on the body, right underneath the bottom center of the closed trunk lid. Now, this plastic retainer plate is spot welded to the bumper only at a few, absolutely tiny spots, so I'm sure eventually it will yield and detach.

I will not be able test this theory myself, because I snapped off the plate when pulling the bumper (again, it was held only at a few tiny spots), so I had to apply another, unsophisticated, dual sided tape fix (sheesh). Preventing this without some specialty tool seems next to impossible, because the metal tabs the plate slides into are sturdy, and there is no room to "help" it stay attached to the bumper.

#exterior_modding_adventures
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2018 Camaro 2SS — G7E MX0 NPP F55 IO6
735 rwhp | 665 rwtq

Magnuson TVS 2300 80mm pulley | Kooks 1 7/8" LT headers | JRE smooth idle Terminator cam | LT4 FS & injectors | TSP forged pistons & rods
JMS PowerMAX | DSX flex fuel kit | Roto-Fab CAI | Soler 95mm LT5 TB | 1LE wheels | 1LE brakes | BMR rear cradle lockout | JRE custom tune

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