Jake Hintz Posted April 2, 2015 Report Share Posted April 2, 2015 I havea 2011 Ford edge sel. This past winter I hit something in the road and broke a chunk of the plastic off of the very bottom of my bumper. I'm in the process of trying to fiberglass it and reinstall it. But if it doesn't turn out good, is it possible to just remove this piece and still have it look correct where the bumper meets the fender? I can't recall if that piece is needed to connect to the inner fender. On the sport models it looks like that valance is removed and the bottom portion on the bumper is slightly different. Appears to be the same bumper just different lower ends. I could be completely wrong though. I just don't want to spend the $50-75 for a long narrow piece of plastic that could break again. The part I am referring to is BT4Z-17626-C. Any help is greatly appreciated, thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CinnamonEdge Posted April 3, 2015 Report Share Posted April 3, 2015 I don't think anyone will notice it is gone except for you. You will probabbly notice a slight drop in MPG. Probabbly something like 1/2 -1/4 mpg because they put that lower spoiler on to help with aerodynamics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Hintz Posted April 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2015 OK thank you, if I can't the fiberglass to work out I will reinstall without it and see. Ill post pictures for anybody who is wondering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Hintz Posted April 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2015 Here is what it will look like without that valance on there. If I didn't know it was supposed to be there I would be none the wiser without it on there. It is just setting on front right now so in the Sideview the cover is not snapped in. I think I will just roll without it for now. I will still finish fiberglassing the old one and get it as good as I can so it can always be put back on if I want. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWWPerfA_ZN0W Posted April 3, 2015 Report Share Posted April 3, 2015 And a bit more ground clearance for oil changes etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Hintz Posted April 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2015 With this gut those few inches just aren't enough. Glad it's a super easy oil change though. Almost as easy as my girlfriends 2010 Dodge avenger. Probably one of the easiest vehicles ever made. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Hintz Posted April 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2015 Got the grille dipped. And decided to not replace the valance. There is a spot on the sides about half the size of saltine crackers where there is a gap. Unless bent over looking for it, I don't notice it. Now I just can't decide if I want to glossify the plastidip or leave it matte. I was going to leave the Ford emblem uncovered but it has a rather noticeable scratch above the R and D letters in the blue paint. Must have been from a rock. Even with it dipped you can see the divit but not as much. Think I will leave it like this for now and see how I like it. There are 4 or 5 other black edge drivers at work on day shift. So before I go home from 3rd shift I'm going to park it next to one of theirs for a side by side comparison. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbwt Posted April 9, 2015 Report Share Posted April 9, 2015 It is more for airflow than any other purpose. If you do a lot of highway driving you may find it useful, but if mostly city may not even cause a single issue. Does look cleaner though. No more curb catcher. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWWPerfA_ZN0W Posted April 9, 2015 Report Share Posted April 9, 2015 Nice work, Jake! Too bad your work has to be obscured by that Illinoisean license plate though ... The sidebyside comparo will be cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbwt Posted April 9, 2015 Report Share Posted April 9, 2015 I venture into Illinois all the time. My church is in Illinois Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CinnamonEdge Posted April 10, 2015 Report Share Posted April 10, 2015 I was just thinking. Maybe you could just cut off the wedge shape from your valance and attach it to fill in the missing spots on the bottom. That's what I would do. I would just rough cut off the sides and install it then with painters tape make a line with the front edge and cut it across level with the bottom using a dremel, hack saw blade, or utility knife. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Hintz Posted April 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2015 If I wouldn't have quit working on it, it would be done by now. As you can see by the side angle shot the raised area is not raised to the rest of the valance. Not sure why that happened. Only thing I can this is that the mold I made to contour that area moved or my resin didn't have enough hardener and it flattened out before it got hard. If I just filled in the surface holes and resand it and added paint it would probably not even be noticeable. I fiberglassed a carbon copy of the spot I need to finish the part I just need to put some mold release on it and make the negative of it and then resin it into place. But I'm just too lazy or too wrapped up in a 100 other projects lol. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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