Removing a rear Bumper Bar on a VF Sedan

[VFSV6FORME]

I have purchased a new set of LED Tail lights and would like for members that have removed a rear bumper bar to fill me in the pro and conns of removing this bar successfully without damaging anything. Any things to look out for would be appreciated.

Looked for you tube video's without much luck so far

 

[VFSV6FORME]

Surprised I can't find any you tube video's on this.

 

[redvxr8clubby]

Surprised I can't find any you tube video's on this.

There was one for a VE, a while ago I removed VE rear bumper to fit a tow bar. I haven't done a VF, I would think they would be the same. Try searching for the VE rear bumper removal on You tube. From memory you will have 3 x plastic pins (scrivets) under the rear bumper - prise them out with a wide blade screw driver. Then Right at the very top of the bumper inside the rear wheel arch (on each side) there is one phillips screw - remove the screw with No 2 Phillips head screwdriver. There also 2 scrivets inside the rear wheel arch holding the bumper in place, remove them with wide blade screw driver. You have actually now removed all the fixings the bumper is clipped into place onto the car body. To remove the bumper grab the top of the bumper inside the rear wheel arch and with a firm pull, pull it away from the body - the clips will pop out of the clip points along the side of the car. Then do the same on the other side of the car. Finally the rear of the bumper is clipped in the same way as the sides of bumper, pull the bumper (starting from either left or right side) away from the car, the bumper will pop off the clip points across the rear of the car. Probably be good if you have someone holding the other side of the bumper as you start to pull the rear of the bumper away. It's actually all pretty easy to do, the main thing I was concerned about was possibly breaking some clips.

 

[Mag00ly]

Agree with everything redvxr8clubby said except there are 4 torx screws in the wheel arch, also be aware of the wiring harness, the plug is on the left hand side.

 

[VFSV6FORME]

Agree with everything redvxr8clubby said except there are 4 torx screws in the wheel arch, also be aware of the wiring harness, the plug is on the left hand side.

Thanks guys for your info.

Speaking to drl-trading about the installation of these LED lights and apparently the rear bar does not need to be completely removed. Now I know inside the boot the trim has to be removed to get to the rear of the lights and I have been there before doing my battery charging port so that's ok on how to remove everything inside the boot and when it comes to the bar itself all you do is remove those torx whatever that call them screws and there are 5 of them not 4 (one is hiding pointing up) pull the bar towards you (away from the car) and the bar un clicks itself for its supports, put a reasonable size towel between the guard and the bar so you don't scratch the paint on the quarter panel as the clips on the bar can do this, do the same on the other side, start pulling the bar away from the rear of the car (backwards)and when it unclicks around 100-150 mm that is enough to get at whatever is needed on the outside to remove the lights ( yes remove the inside screws holding the lights too). Now I was specifically told not to remove the 3 typical plastic plugs that hold the bar underneath as they hold the bar in its correct location. Also its recommended to tape some rags over the chrome tail pipes just in case the bar does touch the exhaust pipe. also the wiring harness on the drivers side on the bar does not need to be disconnected due to the bar only being moved back 100MM.

 

[VFSV6FORME]

There was one for a VE, a while ago I removed VE rear bumper to fit a tow bar. I haven't done a VF, I would think they would be the same. Try searching for the VE rear bumper removal on You tube. From memory you will have 3 x plastic pins (scrivets) under the rear bumper - prise them out with a wide blade screw driver. Then Right at the very top of the bumper inside the rear wheel arch (on each side) there is one phillips screw - remove the screw with No 2 Phillips head screwdriver. There also 2 scrivets inside the rear wheel arch holding the bumper in place, remove them with wide blade screw driver. You have actually now removed all the fixings the bumper is clipped into place onto the car body. To remove the bumper grab the top of the bumper inside the rear wheel arch and with a firm pull, pull it away from the body - the clips will pop out of the clip points along the side of the car. Then do the same on the other side of the car. Finally the rear of the bumper is clipped in the same way as the sides of bumper, pull the bumper (starting from either left or right side) away from the car, the bumper will pop off the clip points across the rear of the car. Probably be good if you have someone holding the other side of the bumper as you start to pull the rear of the bumper away. It's actually all pretty easy to do, the main thing I was concerned about was possibly breaking some clips.

I will have 2 family members holding either side of the bar. The VF has 5 torx screws in the rear guard on each side, I think they are metal screws. you can see 4 very easy but there is the 5th one aiming at the roof of the garage and you got to stick your nose very close to the tyre to see it whilst you look up. The only reason I found the 5th one was the manual warned about the 5th hidden screw. Three cheers for the great person I got the manual from as its helped me 200% on all my vf projects so far.

 

[VFSV6FORME]

Removing the rear bumper or lowering it to remove your tail lights is very,very easy.
Once you remove those 5 torx screws on either guard and you then pull the guard away from the car it unclips itself. Please use a **** size towel to keep the plastic fantastic guard away from the quarter panels (don't scratch the quarter panel) on both side before you pull the bumper bar away from the rear of the car. Once the bar is 100-150MM away from the lights and you have removed the tail lights 3X nuts the lights just about fall out.
DO NOT REMOVE THOSE 3 plastic push in plugs under the car, they support the bar, plus I put a small stool with a towel under the bar where the two thick corrugation of the bar are. Also put a nice thick rag around your exhaust pipes as when the bar leans back it gets close to it so to protect the paint just rag the pipe.

Why Holden has that bracket SCREWED to the bottom of the tail light to support the bar around the corner is beyond me. Holden please find that person who designed this and boot him up the arse. That bracket screwed on the bottom of the lights should have been bolted/riveted like the ones on the side of the car on the car itself not the tail lights that forces people to do this necessary work just to remove your tail lights.

 

[VFSV6FORME]

Here are some pics of replacing your Tail lights on a VF sedan. Yep do not remove the rear bar for this. Also look at position's of the rags to protect the paint on the quarter panel from accidental paint damage.




Take note of the small stool under the bar. Also note the rags around the chrome tail pipe




Side shot





This BLACK bracket with what looks like 3 fat screws should be on the joint of the quarter panel and the rear metal of the car bolted or riveted like the side ones and not SCREWED on the bottom of the tail light forcing a person to drop the bar to remove the tail lights. This bracket supports the Bumper bar. The bumper Bar slides between the most lowest part of the tail light and the black bracket.

 

[VFSV6FORME]

I wrote a long post than crashed the browser and I'm not writing it again with the faults most minor I found with these lights. Now I'm fussy and I can tell you this that there is no quality control whoever makes these lights as I found faults in every arena but the biggest was the impossibility of removing the blinker globe if needed to replace on either side. I had to remove the complete quarter panel lights on both sides to investigate why they won't come out and and the reason was that both the passengers side and drivers side sockets for the blinkers must have been fitted by a very strong person or a tool that bent, broke off the small lugs on the socket jamming them. Both the larger ramps on the same socket on both fittings were OK. Now because these small tags/ramps or whatever you want to call them were bent it was totally 100% impossible to re fit the sockets in the lamp fitting on both sides so they had to be removed. Once done they fitted tight but acceptable.

Pity I lost that long post as I explained in full detail what to do and what not to do when installing these lights regarding water leaks and the fitting not sitting correctly and for anyone that has them installed by others please check for water leaks after install. Get into the boot, shut the boot with the middle seat position open for fresh air and get a family member to water blast the car with a garden hose. I have no leaks now and I did not use any sealants. Also aTIP a BIG ONE check for the light fittings binding somewhere that stop the fittings sitting correctly. this will be the main reason why you will have water leaks due to "A" and "B" not mating correctly.

Once fitted CORRECT I say they do look good.

 

[VF2_SSV_Redline]

Awesome thread.... I was trying to remove my tail lights to tint them the other day but gave up. Even with a few hours searching on the google machine I couldn't find anything on the VF tail light removal.

Thanks heaps it saved me much heart ache.