The rectangular "slot tabs" and recessed holes often found on bumper covers
are designed to clip into brackets on the quarter panels and hold the bumper tightly in place.
The tabs are easily torn in a collision, and they are often so weak that they'll break
just when removing the bumper from the car.
Polyvance's 6146 Bumper Pliers Kit makes it easier to repair these tabs and recreate their original dimensions.
The kit includes four customized pliers and seven forming dies.
The pliers and dies are numbered for easy matching.
There are six dies of different widths that match most rectangular slot tabs in use today,
as well as one three-sixteenths inch die to create the round recesses found on many bumpers.
The matching pliers flatten out the melted welding rod, creating a quick and strong repair.
We'll show you how easy it is to recreate a tab with the Bumper Pliers Kit.
First, taper down the edges of the broken tab with a die grinder or drum sander.
It is important to v-groove deeply into the plastic so that the welding rod remains
after it is smoothed out.
Here you can see we are going about 80 percent of the way through the plastic.
Select the forming die that matches the width of the original slot tab most closely.
Use aluminum tape to hold the die in the proper position with the outer edge of the die on the
inside of the slot.
Because slot tabs are very thin, you will want to turn the flow down to about 10 liters
per minute to avoid blowing through the tab.
Use the flow gauge on your Polyvance nitrogen plastic welder to make an accurate flow adjustment.
Use Polyvance's nitrogen plastic welder to create a fusion weld around the forming die,
locking it into the bumper on both sides with a continuous piece of welding rod.
Melt the rod into the bumper on one side, then continue to weld across the gap
just as if you were welding to the plastic.
The forming die will support the melted welding rod as you make your pass.
Then, lock the rod into the bumper on the other side.
Most often you will have to make at least two passes with the welding rod
to restore the original thickness to the flange.
You may also need to add welding rod to the edge to match the width.
Reheat the tab so that the welding rod becomes nearly translucent.
Use the proper side of the matching pliers to gently press the weld flat.
Squeeze the pliers for about 10 seconds while the plastic cools and solidifies.
Remove the pliers and let the weld cool.
Once the area has cooled, remove the aluminum tape and the forming die to reveal your repaired tab.
The forming die prevents melted plastic from filling the hole and obscuring the edges.
Now you can shape the outer edge of the tab with a variety of tools, such as the airless
welder or a drum sander.
We finished the tab by using a 50 grit disc in an angle grinder and a DA sander.
The recessed hole die can be used on regular circular tabs or on countersunk holes.
Restoring these tabs is also a very simple process with the Bumper Pliers Kit.
The process is nearly identical when restoring circular tabs.
Bevel both sides of the torn circular tab down to a point at the edges.
Insert the round die into the hole and tape into position with aluminum tape.
Use Polyvance's nitrogen plastic welder and matching welding rod to create a fusion weld
around the forming die.
Weld your rod in an arch to bridge the two broken sides of the tab together.
The substrate is very thin, so make sure the flow of nitrogen gas is in the range of
10 liters per minute to prevent overheating of the substrate.
Keep applying welding rod until you feel that you have enough material applied to fill the missing area.
Apply heat to turn the melted welding rod nearly translucent.
Use the matching pliers over the forming die and gently press to create the circular recess into the bumper.
Keep the pressure on for a few seconds to cool and flatten the plastic, then remove the pliers.
Once the plastic is completely cool, you can begin refinishing the tab.
Use the airless plastic welder to do some shaping, and then use an angle grinder or DA sander
to sand the tab flush with the original plastic.
As you can see, repairing these tiny slot tabs is easy with Polyvance's 6146 Bumper Pliers Kit!
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