[Blivit]

Soooo...hit a box at 80mph this morning (luckily it was empty) and it did a number on my bumper.

It is mostly intact but the lower center section is cracked in half. It also ripped half of the under carriage cover off (the front piece that is under the intercooler.)

I am not able to get a new bumper right now so I think I will start by removing the bottom cover and cut the center section out. Has anyone ever done this? I would be cutting the section out circled in red in this picture (not my car) Curious on tools and whether or not it will be structurally sound. The cover on the bottom seems to attach the front of the bumper to the car so I don't know if removing that and cutting the bumper will cause it to flop around a bit.

 

[ddfred]

If it's already trashed it can't hurt much to cut it out; if it's cracked in half the bumper cover is no longer structurally sound anyway.

 

[brian60]

You could fab something up to brace the bumper cover a little. Maybe add some steel/rebar type of bracing across a few places or even the piece you're cutting off. A steel piece across that section would look pretty damn good with the intercooler tbh

Edit: And nobody has done it yet!

 

[Blivit]

If it's already trashed it can't hurt much to cut it out; if it's cracked in half the bumper cover is no longer structurally sound anyway.

True. Luckily it is only that small center section that is cracked. If it were any more than that and I would bite the bullet somehow and get a new bumper. This though, I think should be ok.

 

[Blivit]

You could fab something up to brace the bumper cover a little. Maybe add some steel/rebar type of bracing across a few places or even the piece you're cutting off. A steel piece across that section would look pretty damn good with the intercooler tbh

Edit: And nobody has done it yet!

Thanks. I am not able to really fab anything nice up (I work with computers, not hard parts lol) so I think I will start by cutting it out and see what it looks like and how "loose" it is.

 

[brian60]

Thanks. I am not able to really fab anything nice up (I work with computers, not hard parts lol) so I think I will start by cutting it out and see what it looks like and how "loose" it is.

http://www.focusst.org/forum/focus-st-discussions/62121-cutting-out-lower-front-grill.html

 

[brian60]

Thanks. I am not able to really fab anything nice up (I work with computers, not hard parts lol) so I think I will start by cutting it out and see what it looks like and how "loose" it is.

You an IT professional too? I'll add you to the list haha

 

[Blivit]

You an IT professional too? I'll add you to the list haha

Not IT; I am one of the calibration engineers at SCT.

 

[Freebird23103]

I think I would see about using a piece of aluminum as bracing and mount it to the bottom so it is not seen. Probably be able to drill a couple holes and use short bolts to conceal it. I would only remove the lower section as a last resort. Yes it would look cool without the lower, but another debris strike would wipe out an expensive Inter cooler.

 

[brian60]

I think I would see about using a piece of aluminum as bracing and mount it to the bottom so it is not seen. Probably be able to drill a couple holes and use short bolts to conceal it. I would only remove the lower section as a last resort. Yes it would look cool without the lower, but another debris strike would wipe out an expensive Inter cooler.

Something to consider, most of us (including the picture OP posted originally) run without the lower grille in order to see the IC, so only the tiny lower piece (which is what broke in this case) and the undertray protects it. I think the difference would be minimal for that reason since it hardly has protection to begin with, but I'd certainly make some sort of bar like I mentioned before to close across the bottom there to replace the piece that's cut. Maybe a stainless or black painted piece to provide protection against hard/large objects which could damage the FMIC. If I had access to my photoshop here at work I'd PS in a stainless bar across that section to give an idea of what I picture in my head...would look awesome I think.

 

[brian60]

Almost something like this to fill in ONLY the location the OP circled in red. I think it would be functional and nice looking if you can see the intercooler behind it

 

[Primos003]

I think it would look good with a splitter like the triple r splitter. It would also help to bring structure back to the bumper. You could also add some mesh or something for looks and to protect the intercooler.

Im bored at work so I made a ms paint masterpiece!

 

[Blivit]

I think it would look good with a splitter like the triple r splitter. It would also help to bring structure back to the bumper. You could also add some mesh or something for looks and to protect the intercooler.

Im bored at work so I made a ms paint masterpiece!

View attachment 200545

Thanks, that does look good.

Anyone know if the triple r attaches to that center section or just along the sides? I will assume it does.

 

[brian60]

Thanks, that does look good.

Anyone know if the triple r attaches to that center section or just along the sides? I will assume it does.

I believe it does, but that does look pretty dang awesome. It is fiberglass and a lot of people have broken theirs for that reason (exactly why I won't get one)...so I'd consider a thin aluminum sheet of metal along the bottom of the splitter for a tad bit of extra support. That is sexy though.

Edit: That makes me wonder how the Aluminum Rally Innovations splitter would look if you can get it braced right. It's metal so much more durable.

 

[UnfocusedST]

I believe it does, but that does look pretty dang awesome. It is fiberglass and a lot of people have broken theirs for that reason (exactly why I won't get one)...so I'd consider a thin aluminum sheet of metal along the bottom of the splitter for a tad bit of extra support. That is sexy though.

Edit: That makes me wonder how the Aluminum Rally Innovations splitter would look if you can get it braced right. It's metal so much more durable.

The Rally Innovations needs the center of the bumper cover to attach. It's a three piece and that where the middle attaches to.

Sent from another garage.

 

[Primos003]

Thanks, that does look good.

Anyone know if the triple r attaches to that center section or just along the sides? I will assume it does.

My triple r does not attach using the center, just three bolts on each side of the bumper. I have thought about adding a piece of aluminum to the center, it is a little floppy. Honestly though I dont know how important that center piece is to the structure of the bumper, youre gonna have to start hacking and see.

 

[brian60]

The Rally Innovations needs the center of the bumper cover to attach. It's a three piece and that where the middle attaches to.

Sent from another garage.

My triple r does not attach using the center, just three bolts on each side of the bumper. I have thought about adding a piece of aluminum to the center, it is a little floppy. Honestly though I dont know how important that center piece is to the structure.

Ah, I forgot the Rally Innovations is a 3-piece. In that case the Triple R with an aluminum sheet for reinforcement underneath sounds like a great option. You could run it without the aluminum reinforcement but I'd personally want to support my couple hundred dollar splitter with as much as I could if it didn't have the center piece to help support it.

 

[UnfocusedST]

I'm thinking if is just cracked get this.

mountune Lower Sport Spoiler , Focus ST 2013-2014 Focus ST splitter

 

[BlueHaloGirl]

I just had the exact same thing happen to me. It wasn't a box but a huge chunk of ice that came off a truck in the next lane. It was -20C and I was going 100km/h on the highway and it hit me square on. I noticed the damage when I got to work. Cracked that lower lip in two places but not fully and took out two of those supports and my grill cover is on the side of the road somewhere.

I order the above mentioned Mountune Lower Sport Spoiler and going to put that over the cracked lip to re-enforce it.
I will post pics once I get it and get it mounted.

 

[Blivit]

Spent time last night inspecting for any other damage. I had to remove and trash what was left of the undercarriage cover. The bumper center section is cracked almost all of the way through. It is still one piece but just barely. 2 of the 3 vertical bars are gone and the 3rd is only attached at the top (just like the above pictures from BlueHaloGirl.)

It's fine for now while I figure out what I am going to do. Thanks for all of the replies. I really like all of the splitter options, I just wish they weren't so expensive; especially the mountune. That would probably be the easiest but no way am I paying 250 for that. I think the rally innovations would work best if I epoxied the crack together and then the splitter would provide more rigidity after bolting to the bottom. I could then paint, wrap, whatever the center section black and it wouldn't be noticeable that it was repaired.