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Help please! Front bumper alignment

Discussion in '3rd Gen. Tacomas (2016-2023)' started by bbburwell, Sep 11, 2021.

  1. Sep 11, 2021 at 6:02 PM
    #1
    bbburwell

    bbburwell [OP] Member

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    F8A5D191-BEA7-4DCB-8A79-92B3FE0EBDCA.jpg F8A5D191-BEA7-4DCB-8A79-92B3FE0EBDCA.jpg

    Replaced the headlights on my toyota tacoma but the bumper isn’t lining up any more. Any one else has dealt with this and can help me?
     

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    Last edited: Sep 11, 2021
  2. Sep 11, 2021 at 6:04 PM
    #2
    bbburwell

    bbburwell [OP] Member

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    Sorry for the format but looking for help on how to realign the bumper properly.
     
  3. Sep 11, 2021 at 6:10 PM
    #3
    OMGitsme

    OMGitsme Well-Known Member

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    It's the black plastic piece that probably fell down and you put the screw in without it standing up.
     
  4. Sep 11, 2021 at 6:13 PM
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    bbburwell

    bbburwell [OP] Member

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    It’s there. I made sure it was still there before putting the bolt in. I heard 2 clips snap in place when pushing it back in. Any other suggestions?
     
  5. Sep 11, 2021 at 7:08 PM
    #5
    OMGitsme

    OMGitsme Well-Known Member

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    Is it broken and you didn't notice? That's really the only thing I remember that would cause that. Maybe @no vtec 4me could help.
     
  6. Sep 11, 2021 at 7:32 PM
    #6
    bbburwell

    bbburwell [OP] Member

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    I think I might of figured it out… I pushed the black bracket down to the front of the car when putting the bolt it and i think it grabbed the bumper a little better. I also noticed that the 10mm bolt in the wheel well when tighten to much flares that tip of the bumper out. Still open to any suggestions anyone might have. Definitely made a difference what I did but not to sure.
     
    OMGitsme[QUOTED] likes this.
  7. Sep 11, 2021 at 8:16 PM
    #7
    brandon78lusch

    brandon78lusch Well-Known Member

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    thats kinda normal. I have the same issue
     
    Superdave1.0 likes this.
  8. Sep 11, 2021 at 10:10 PM
    #8
    baldbeardedtaco

    baldbeardedtaco Well-Known Member

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    That black bumper to fender clip has 3 tabs on top that “click” in place. It’s held on by the 10 for the headlight (check if the bolt is actually going through the plastic or if it’s completely broken making that bolt only holding the headlight and not the black guide clip and headlight) and a red push pin (the 4 sided tabs that hold the clip also break easily unless you release from the backside)


    Pictures are easier to explain- you can see the dealer busted the plastic that the headlight bolt is supposed to sandwich in place. If it’s broken it will flop and not be high enough/tight enough to the fender as you tighten the headlight. Or maybe you just need to loosen and hold the guide up tight to fender as you tighten it back up. And you can see the tab broken for the red pin but I doubt this alone will cause the guide to sag
    CAFF7035-E2B8-4B96-9351-4893F92EF8B2.jpg 3F5C3C4E-ECBD-4F22-B752-63EF4769C259.jpg 8C58A1F4-A0A4-4235-9379-E19372B699AF.jpg

    Here you can see the temp fix I did with a washer to help sandwich the remaining material left. Tabs marked that secure bumper
    189EFAB3-DE1B-4515-A769-97E3C92239F7.jpg
     
    bbburwell[OP] likes this.
  9. Sep 11, 2021 at 10:33 PM
    #9
    bbburwell

    bbburwell [OP] Member

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    Wow! Thank you so much for giving me all that info, best help i’ve seen so far. Yes the bolt is in correctly and the black tabs aren’t broken. I’ve take the bumper off and on now like 20 times and only here 2 clicks (tabs locking in place). Should there be 3??

    I’ve found that you really need to crank the 10mm bolt from the tabs to the headlight tight.
     
  10. Sep 12, 2021 at 1:33 AM
    #10
    baldbeardedtaco

    baldbeardedtaco Well-Known Member

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    The third is behind the fender.

    The angle of your photo sucks- looks like it’s tight near flare but not headlight, almost like something is causing it to protrude… near the front bottom of the headlight. I don’t think there’s tabs there but isn’t there guide like ribs that more/less “hook” at the bottom of the headlight
     
  11. Jul 29, 2024 at 4:26 PM
    #11
    zokes

    zokes New Member

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    Hi.
    I put some alpharex nova's in and pulled a bit too hard on the bumper panel and the red clip popped out. So my panel is loose like the op's.
    Where does the red push pin go? I see it in the picture but I can't tell where it goes in relation to the bolt because the whole piece isn't pictured.
     
  12. Feb 12, 2025 at 2:26 AM
    #12
    APG85

    APG85 Well-Known Member

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    I'm struggling with the same issue. Changed my headlights and cannot get the bumper to fender seams to snap back together. Nothing is broken...just won't go back together. I struggled for hours. Might have to take it to a body shop at this point.
     

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