01-06 GMC Yukon Denali Front bumper mod

[ivin74]

As some of you know the front bumper to the NBS Yukons have a large gap. Since I bought the truck that has always bothered me so I decided to fix it. several weeks ago I tackle the fix and finally, I'm able to do a write-up. The tools needed for this job are screw drivers and a 4" grinder with a cut wheel.

First, remove the front bumper by following the link below.

Once the bumper is off, cut off the clips on each side of the frame. as shown on the picture below





Once they have been cut, clean and prep the areas as shown below, this needs to be done so you can weld them back. Your local muffler shop can welding them back for $ 30 plus or minus, more about this later.





Now buy 10 washers from your local hardware store. Make sure the OEM bolts slide in the washer. Put 5 washers together on each side like the picture below. Now re-install the bumper and bolt it down. At this point, you can only install the top bolt on each frame rail. make sure the bottom of the bumper is flush with the frame.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Hillman-5-Count-10-mm-Zinc-Plated-Metric-Flat-Washer/3012831

 

[ivin74]

Now take the clips you cut off and flatten them like the picture below. The picture below shows one clip flatten and the other one not so.




Once they are flattened go ahead and re-install the clips to their original location.




Once installed they should look like the picture shown below. Make sure the bottom side of the bumper is flush with the frame rail. If it does not, add more washers to the top bolt.




Now that the bumper has been raise you need to modify the grill. On this step, I didn't take many pictures so you are going to have to wing it. That means cut and reinstall the grill until you get it right. The final product should look like the picture below.

 

[ivin74]

Once the grill and the bumper is installed it should look like the picture below. You can adjust the gap by removing washers from the top bolts. The grill insert was getting painted thats why it's not shown.



If you like the gap, remove the grill and go to your local muffler shop and have them weld the clips back on. Once welded they should look like the picture below. Don't forget to paint them so they don't rust. I did not pay anything since I knew the guy.





Remove the bumper and cut the bumper end supports like the picture below (one on each side). You need to do this so the bumper can bolt up back up to these supports. This step can be done anytime during the process.




You can now re-install the bumper and the grill, the big a$$ gap is gone.

 

[Rocket Man]

I don’t understand what you did to the grill. Also, are you still able to get to the 2 plastic screws on the bottom of the grill that hold it in place? I started to do this mod but then I saw that without that gap there those fasteners might be hidden so the lower half of the grill won’t be held on.

 

[ivin74]

I don’t understand what you did to the grill. Also, are you still able to get to the 2 plastic screws on the bottom of the grill that hold it in place? I started to do this mod but then I saw that without that gap there those fasteners might be hidden so the lower half of the grill won’t be held on.

It's a tight fit and yes those bolts are still there. Remember the bumper cover flexes, the grill is still held by those bolts along with all the others. The only thing that gets modified on the grill is the two bottom screw retaining brackets, they have to be trimmed, once you raise the bumper and try to install the grill you are going to see what I'm talking about.

Removing the center grill is not part of the bumper mod.




The picture below shows the areas you have to cut on the grill. You have to cut those areas on both brackets.

 

[SteveB]

Maybe i'm missing something but I'm not sure why you had to cut the grille.

 

[ivin74]

Maybe i'm missing something but I'm not sure why you had to cut the grille.

Steve
The center grill does not need to come off for the front bumper mod.

I was knocking out two projects at once, painting the entire grill to match the truck and doing the front bumper mod. The reason I removed the center insert from the grill was to strip the chrome with house bleach, I wasn't about to sand that shit down by hand. It took about 40 bucks of bleach and the chrome was gone. Now the center grill piece is bare plastic and its been painted black.

 

[SteveB]

Oh ok. Yeah when I color matched my grille I separated all 3 chrome pieces then prepped and painted them separately , then reassembled the grille.

 

[TheAutumnWind]

Seems like smaller body mount bushings would be easier.

 

[Rocket Man]

Seems like smaller body mount bushings would be easier.

Please explain. This process is raising the bumper up to close the gap. Are you suggesting something different like lowering the whole body?
Edit: if you are, I’m pretty sure the bumper will drop with the body or am I wrong because the swap to the smaller bushings, like the thread in the Tech section, nets about 1” so wouldn’t that mean the bumper would hit the body?