pajarito

After buying a 2000 2.7T last summer I learned here about the problem of shucking the front bumper cover by hooking it on a curb. Turns out a friend had done that on his A6 too. None of the posts and links (thanks, Stoney) seemed to offer clear method of ameliorating the problem. So, I crawled underneath to see what I could see.

My hope was to build a structure to support the bumper cover. It was soon apparent that there is no there there, structurally speaking, so hope of providing vertical support faded. Next best, it seemed, was to give the bottom of the bumper cover some longitudinal strength to resist forces as you (you moron!) back off the curb. The following photos show what I came up with as a quick and dirty way to give me overconfidence as I park my now-lowered A6.

Simply put, this fix consists of connecting the bottom of the bumper cover to the steel crossmember that supports the snub mount with a couple of metal straps. This steel structure looks to be the strongest thing in the nose. For expediency I used plumber's tape as the straps. Also for expediency I fastened the straps to the structure with #12 sheet metal screws. The straps connect to the bumper cover with ?" x 5/8" (you'll probably have to settle for ?") screws with elastic stop nuts. These nuts allow you to just snug up the screws, thus avoiding smashing the plastic bumper cover, without worrying about things coming loose. The configuration shown clears everything else, including the belly pan and should give the bumper cover considerable strength against being pulled off from below.

Haven't tried it, hope not to, but maybe this will help another A6er.

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/94329/underlookingup.jpg">

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/94329/closeup.jpg">

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/94329/boltsoutside.jpg">

OCDboy

I cannot think of a way that wouldn't work. The main issue being to keep the lower lip from "hooking" on something and when you back out it pulls it toward the front of the car when backing and tears the cover from the body.

Fairfax 4.0T

Ingenious. That just might work unless it is so hooked that the screws rip out of the bumper cover.

4Driver4

How does the belly pan fit back on?

Potomac-Greg

That might work. Of course, oil changes just got 5 minutes longer!

Kris Hansen

Belly pan should tuck under the edge of the bumper.

Cargasm2.7

I find it easier to simply pay attention while parking.

carbonLORD

...I was going to say it 1st, but the last time I ribbed a non-parking fella, I got some stink about it.

meq123

Should be easy to make a couple of cutouts to fit around the straps

Kris Hansen

But the mounts for the belly pan are sticking out...