Hi all,

Does anyone have tips, tricks or suggestions for the technique necessary to jam these bumpers into their slots? My '69 Cutlass S convertible has six slots on the inner fender, three on each side. I bought the correct replacements from The Parts Place [[color=#000000]1968-1972 Cutlass 442 Hood To Fender Rubber Bumper Set of 6].

The Assembly Manual says to put silicone lubricant on them, which I've tried. After looking at older posts on this site I immersed the bumpers in a solution of one part pure wintergreen oil to three parts 90% rubbing alcohol. They've been in it for 8-9 days. Every few days, I've taken one out, sprayed silicone on it and tried to wedge it in with flathead screwdrivers, shim tools–you name it. They're pliable enough at this point.

• I read the recommendations to try and get one edge of the barbed tip in first, then the other. I'm trying to do that rather than just shove it all in at once.
• I hesitate to put "full body weight" force on a screwdriver in case it slips and makes a big gash.
• I also tried pulling it through from behind with no success. That's only possible with the front pair anyway. You can't reach behind the other two pairs.

Am I missing something here? Or if it takes that much force what did you use to protect the area around the hole?

Thanks in advance. I'm going a bit nuts here.

Charles



Hood to fender bumper.

 

Try heating them up with a hair dryer

 

When I replaced the big rubber bumpers on my A-arms I could not get them to go so I mixed up some water and dish soap in a spray bottle an sprayed both the bumper and A-arm.
One of them slipped right in and the other I had to pull a little but it went in also. Then I just washed the soap off.

 

Thank you both. I'll try these options. Hopefully they work!

 

X2 on the soapy water trick. I had to grab the rubber tab from the backside with a pair of lineman's pliers to pull it through but most just pushed through from the front.

Rodney