[Nicole]

Rear bumper narrower than wheel arches - PICTURES ADDED

This bothers me to look at: The rear bumper cover of my 2000 9-3 is not aligning with the wheel arches.

Normally, at the wheel arches the bumper should be a hint further out than the sheet metal above it. On my car, the bumper is further "in" therefore not protecting the metal above it.

I was told that there are receptors mounted to the body that would have to be shimmed, in order to correct this.

I have already found step-by-step instructions on how to remove the bumper cover, but there are no pictures.

Does anybody have pictures of the rear area with the bumper off, and of the inside of the bumper? That would give me a better idea of what it might take to correct this.

 

[Cm452]

first, your bumper is going to deflect inwards when you move the forward facing part outwards. The bumper is steel in many places and will not simply flex "out". Lastly, IMHO, it will look ugly as sin.
-Cm

 

['97 Saab SE Turbo]

Nicole, can you take some pictures so that we can tell what your asking about?... Ron

 

[Nicole]

first, your bumper is going to deflect inwards when you move the forward facing part outwards. The bumper is steel in many places and will not simply flex "out". Lastly, IMHO, it will look ugly as sin.
-Cm

I think you misunderstood my question. I will add some pics to clarify

Nicole, can you take some pictures so that we can tell what your asking about?... Ron

Good idea.

Attached are two pictures of the same area:

1. Green 1995 Saab 900 SE - bumper a hint wider than rear quarter panel wheel arch, protecting quarter panel from being scraped.

2. Silver 2000 Saab 9-3 SE - bumper is narrower than rear quarter panel wheel arch, therefore not protecting the rear quarter panel.

How can this bumper be adjusted so it is in the right position?

BTW: On the front of the car, the bumper is a hint wider than the fender wheel arches, therefore protecting the fender. Not so in the rear.

 

[earthworm]

There is a bracket where the bumper cover snaps into at the cover's end.
I think this can be carefully adjusted.
Or maybe the cover is not 100% secured by these brackets.
Good luck.