Any tips for installing new front bumper on a 40 Ford Sedan. Bracket holes way off. Put the rear on yesterday. Rough job getting bolts lined up with brackets. Got to be a trick somewhere.
As you've discovered each side consists of two brackets bolted together...keep all of the bolts/nuts loose, to get complete adjustment/movement to align things, also keep them loose on the frame ends. Should not be an issue, providing you have the correct bumper and brackets.
Bumper bracket are always "tweeked" You need to pull them back into shape until they line up with the holes in the bumper. Some times takes heat because they are spring steel.
Bend the brackets to fit the bumper and frame. Pick the nicest inner one to start, and then make the other side match. I mean bolt it to the frame and bend the other side so they have the proper distance between holes, and the bumper fits. Then start with the outer brackets. To bend them, clamp in your strong vise and put a long pipe on the end for leverage. Use heat as a last resort. Note that Standard brackets are different than Deluxe brackets. Maybe you have a mismatched set?
As @Dak Rat said, they are almost always "tweeked", some worse than others. Follow like @alchemy describes and you should be able to work it out.
...I believe the DeLuxe arms push the bumper out a tad farther due to the DeLuxe grill protruding a bit more than the Standard.
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