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xtremecc · 09-19-2010, 11:07 PM

Just recently installed a caractere front bumper on my 2001. After searching relentlessly the internet for install answers and finding nothing, I decided to call caractere in Belgium but offices were closed for summer vacation, I called LLTEK for some install help, they politely declined to help me since I had bought it from a third person. there is two choices, to buy the euro bumper front impact bar $177 www.lltek.com/porschtek/986_bxstr_s_aero.htm (out of stock. looks thinner, may be stamped steel?) or to modify original bar. I was so eager to see my new bumper in my car that i decided to cut reinforcement, Grabbed a beer and relaxed to some tunes and decided to use a 7'' wheel to cut of excess of original bar and simulate the shape of euro version. should have used a 4" wheel instead since 7" was too big and I could have hit the car with it by mistake as i was cutting. I took bumper off following this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Um-h2aUJHY4. it has pretty straight forward info on how to take it off . Mark the vertical incision with a ruler and a marker, I cut impact bar to try to simulate lltek picture of boxster s impact bar. Had to vertically cut reinforcement starting from the bottom, excactly to the shock absorber and then, horizontally straight out towards end. make sure you cut slowly and little at a time so you dont damage your car or any of the lines nearby. thought I was going to be difficult to cut aluminum but cutting wheel cut smoothly and quite easily. Finish cutting by rounding off corners below shock absorber, take off each "sharp" newly created corner by rounding them off towards the inside. No lubricant or warping occurred. Finally, drove front wheels up on some pieces of wood that were laying around for extra clearance to get underneath to attach bumper. It was almost a perfect fit, All bottom screws fitted exactly, sides fitted just fine as well. Had to play with top screws adjustment for about ten minutes to get it centered and with some tweaking around, I got a very good fitment on car. Bumper has way less screws than the original bumper and i was able to retain the foam pad on front of bumper. Oh yeah! and dont forget to clean your radiators and condensers while you are at it. found a LOT of debris in between. hope this helps somebody.

09-19-2010, 11:07 PM	#1
xtremecc Registered User Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Oregon Posts: 77	Caractere Front Bumper Just recently installed a caractere front bumper on my 2001. After searching relentlessly the internet for install answers and finding nothing, I decided to call caractere in Belgium but offices were closed for summer vacation, I called LLTEK for some install help, they politely declined to help me since I had bought it from a third person. there is two choices, to buy the euro bumper front impact bar $177 www.lltek.com/porschtek/986_bxstr_s_aero.htm (out of stock. looks thinner, may be stamped steel?) or to modify original bar. I was so eager to see my new bumper in my car that i decided to cut reinforcement, Grabbed a beer and relaxed to some tunes and decided to use a 7'' wheel to cut of excess of original bar and simulate the shape of euro version. should have used a 4" wheel instead since 7" was too big and I could have hit the car with it by mistake as i was cutting. I took bumper off following this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Um-h2aUJHY4. it has pretty straight forward info on how to take it off . Mark the vertical incision with a ruler and a marker, I cut impact bar to try to simulate lltek picture of boxster s impact bar. Had to vertically cut reinforcement starting from the bottom, excactly to the shock absorber and then, horizontally straight out towards end. make sure you cut slowly and little at a time so you dont damage your car or any of the lines nearby. thought I was going to be difficult to cut aluminum but cutting wheel cut smoothly and quite easily. Finish cutting by rounding off corners below shock absorber, take off each "sharp" newly created corner by rounding them off towards the inside. No lubricant or warping occurred. Finally, drove front wheels up on some pieces of wood that were laying around for extra clearance to get underneath to attach bumper. It was almost a perfect fit, All bottom screws fitted exactly, sides fitted just fine as well. Had to play with top screws adjustment for about ten minutes to get it centered and with some tweaking around, I got a very good fitment on car. Bumper has way less screws than the original bumper and i was able to retain the foam pad on front of bumper. Oh yeah! and dont forget to clean your radiators and condensers while you are at it. found a LOT of debris in between. hope this helps somebody.