The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk gap filler 41-46

is there some kind of plug/ washer/ bushing . for the gap from the bumper curve to the flat bumber bracket.. when I tighten the bumper bolts its pulling in the bumper and the bolt is not even thight....

Front or rear? I just pulled my bumpers and have no type of plug,washer or spacer. Are the brackets correct or could they have been tweaked? Do you have a photo?

Are you talking about the long curve looking down on the bumper as it curves around the front of the truck or the short curve in the bumper looking at its end??

I do not have anything between the flat bumper bracket and the back side of the bumper. My bolts are tightened to maybe 50 foot-pounds, the lock washers are completely flat and there is no deformation in the curve of the bumper. I'm wondering if by using the original or repop bumper bolts that have a slight curve behind the heads may help retain the short curve of the bumper when tightened.

As for the long curve I had to add 2 or three washers between the brackets and the truck frame then tighten all of the bolts a little at a time to get all to fit sorta correctly

Katrina, the bracket should butt right up against the back of the bumper, sounds like the bracket is bent back.
If it is bent back it will suck the bumper in too far as you tighten the bolt.

How did the bumper fit before it was taken off?

While I don't have a 41-46, is it possible that the brackets themselves were installed incorectly? When I had my bumpers on the 52 removed, installing the brackes was counterintutive. I looked at several photos and drawings, and it still didn't make sense to me. It finally fit correctly, but did't make sense.

oh my God.... the bracket for the bumper is flate plate spring steal. stock 1-1/2 ton its 2 inch high about 3/8 inch thick and its flat... now the bumper has a curve about a water melon curve to it... its got the gap from the curve in the bumber and the flat of the bracket.. its a goood 1/16 th of an inch and if I thighten the bolt the cheap [censored] new bumber from chevy of the 40's in bending inwards.... I'm going to have to make my own filler gap,, because I guess I'm the only owner of a curve bumber with flat plates,,, I must be losing my mined everysingle bumper is curved and every single bracket is flat.. how can none of you run into this issue,,,,,,

And u are enjoying it? "I like fixing stuff" Go drink a beer and take one of your wifes' valium!!! It'll be better tomarrow!!!!

I think the problem is probably from the repop bumper you are trying to use. The Original is probably thicker material than the new one. If you have the original try putting it on and see what happens. I looked at my bumper, no shims. Good luck!

What we do with the repop bumpers/brackets is to put the bumper in the position we want it, heat the bracket(s) to yellow hot and then draw up the bolts. When cooled the brackets match the bumper perfectly. Keep in mind the arms (brackets) will no longer be spring steel but 99.9% of the stuff we work on will never use the bumper as a bumper again. If you forget, as we usually do, to do this before the finial finish is in place then drape wet towels across the gill/bumper/painted areas while the heating is going on. I've had some so far off that I used something like a long piece of 3/8 all-thread to draw the bracket close enough to use the regular bumper bolt for final positioning. On the S10 swaps we just use 1 3/4 x 3/8 cold roll strap for arms and do the heating and drawing into place to position both the front and rear bumper. Much easier and looks better than shimming or trying to cold bend spring steel to shape.

I thought of heating the bracket... I just painted them corvette black and 6 coats of clear.. with ultra high gloss hardner... the cheap repop bumper is the problem. the OEM one was twice as think... I'm not a happy camper right now... I have some teflon 6 inch shaft.. and I'm going to mechine myself four gap fillers. paint them black and should be OK,,, not to pleased with the repop