Installing rear bumper

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

My rear bumper was hit on one side when I bought the car. The metal braket that mount to the body was bent and the plastic bumper is trash. I bought a used plastic bumper from someone and a used metal bumper mount from someone else. Whats the best way to put it all together? Should I bolt the metal pieces to the body first, then snap the plastic bumper into the metal bumper mount? Will that work and is that the best way to do it?

[8v-of-fury]

You need the plastic off in order to get the bolts in the bumper don't you? it should be pretty straight forward, pretty sure metal then plastic however lol.

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

The plastic bumper has about approx 8 or more clips which snap into corresponding square holes in the metal bumper mount. What I am unsure of is whether I can get all the clips snapped in with the metal bumper mount installed on the car first. I think it is possible to assemble everything off the car first (metal and plastic), slide the whole thing into the chassis, line up the 17 mm bolt holes and tighten. I have the metal mounted now so will try it that way first. Mods, if you think this thread should be moved, please do so.

[Quantum TD]

Install bumper skin to metal frame (with brackets attached). Then carefully slip the brackets in place, and have a friend align the sides of the bumper onto the tabs on the body.

You need to have those 8 clips on the skin, otherwise the bumper cover will fly off.

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

I finally got around to putting the rear bumper skin back on. Since the metal bumper mount was already on the car I thought I'd give it a go as is. I scraped the rust off the edges of the 10 square holes in the metal bumper mount and lubed them with Vaseline. I also lubed the 10 corresponding plastic clips of the bumper skin. Lined the bumper skin up and gave the center a few good kicks but it would pop right back out. So I tried kicking starting from one corner but the other corner would pop off the side support. I then used an 8 foot long 2 x 4 and wedged one corner of the bumper skin and kicked the other corner and continue to the wedged corner. Worked like a charm! Afterwards, I looked under with a light and made sure all 10 clips did snap in all the way. It was an easy job!