S15 bumper/headlight retainer help please.

[stev0n]

I've decided it's time to freshen up the LS 240 after all these years.

I have one question & after a 45 minute google search I can't find an answer. If anyone with a swap & first hand experience can help it would be awesome!

Before I parked the car last year, the headlights were very shaky at highway speeds & the bumper had some sag underneath & in between the lights.
I know I need the S15 upper bumper retainer to fix this problem (part #62290-85F00)
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTA3MVgxNjAw/z/xFgAAOSw9mFWH~AD/$_1.JPG

But before I spend the money on it I want to know if it will work with my vertex front bumper. It has the opening in between the lights like this.

http://www.jsai.com.au/images/stories/virtuemart/product/10984626_1126981330661195_4853438114768693293_n.jp g

If someone has dealt with this problem or maybe has that bumper retainer & can give me some measurements to find out myself it would be very much appreciated! Thanks guys.

[KAT-PWR]

I don't thInk IT wIll work. TrIEd to fIt my frIEnds nISmo bumper and the retaIner got In the way. However you can use a cut s14 bracket and just run the portIon that goes under the headlIGhts.

MakIng a bracket to the tab on the outer sIDe of the headlIght from the chassIS wIll make the lIGhts more rIgId

[quickdiversion]

I may be able to shine some light as I owned and built a 13.5 for 5 years.

The part you show a picture of is needed. You can. UT it easily for West Covina nissan, unless the stopped selling g it, but when i did this, they had made you s15 items.

The part I did not see mentioned and a part I brought back with me from Okinawa is the part that you mount the bumper retainer to, which also supports the headlights. It is the actual s15 metal bumper. Where you can find it, not sure state side, but I am sure you can. I think I have a photo that may show it well.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a206/quickdiversion/All/100_1918.jpg (http://s12.photobucket.com/user/quickdiversion/media/All/100_1918.jpg.html)

Using both the solid bumper and bumper retainer align and support the bumper very well. The retainer helps enormously with the look and sagging as well as keeping the shape when working on it.

I can dig up more off my phone later.

[quickdiversion]

Just a quick search, but a brand new one is the same price as used on ebay.

http://www.rhdjapan.com/nissan-oem-front-bumper-center-inner-reinforcement-s15-silvia.html

[stev0n]

I may be able to shine some light as I owned and built a 13.5 for 5 years.

The part you show a picture of is needed. You can. UT it easily for West Covina nissan, unless the stopped selling g it, but when i did this, they had made you s15 items.

The part I did not see mentioned and a part I brought back with me from Okinawa is the part that you mount the bumper retainer to, which also supports the headlights. It is the actual s15 metal bumper. Where you can find it, not sure state side, but I am sure you can. I think I have a photo that may show it well.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a206/quickdiversion/All/100_1918.jpg (http://s12.photobucket.com/user/quickdiversion/media/All/100_1918.jpg.html)

Using both the solid bumper and bumper retainer align and support the bumper very well. The retainer helps enormously with the look and sagging as well as keeping the shape when working on it.

I can dig up more off my phone later.

Thanks, but do you know if those will fit under the bumper I have?

[quickdiversion]

I had a s15 charge speed bumper and I used great stuff expansion foam to make a small foam guild around the metal bumper. You have to cut and adjust the mountings a tad for the ones that slide over the bolts on the free rails but that's it.

The metal bumper also cleared my greedy intercooler no problem also.

[quickdiversion]

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a206/quickdiversion/All/20130410_154449.jpg (http://s12.photobucket.com/user/quickdiversion/media/All/20130410_154449.jpg.html)

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a206/quickdiversion/All/20130410_154440.jpg (http://s12.photobucket.com/user/quickdiversion/media/All/20130410_154440.jpg.html)

[jackal264]

from my experience the bumper retainer alone will not fix the sagging problems. i did the retainer without the rebar and there was still noticeable sag and vibration. in the end i scrapped the retainer and built a very good fitting bash bar that supported the bumper and a couple extra tabs off the bar to the headlight brackets. i'm sure quickdiversion's solution works also but it looks like shit with the bumper off b/c of the foam and the factory s15 rebar basically provides no side protection.

oh and also the bumpers with the opening between the headlights will show the retainer.

here is a pic of my car years ago with the retainer and a bumper with the hole. you can clearly see the retainer.

https://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/412813_351281884947775_121095631_o.jpg

[quickdiversion]

Ok now I have to show more pictures to defend her honor. Even though I sold her. :(

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a206/quickdiversion/All/20130605_145421.jpg (http://s12.photobucket.com/user/quickdiversion/media/All/20130605_145421.jpg.html)

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a206/quickdiversion/All/20120701_162720.jpg (http://s12.photobucket.com/user/quickdiversion/media/All/20120701_162720.jpg.html)

I am pretty sure my way will work for you as it is all stock support structure. It may not be the best as previously pointed out. But this way not a drift car.

[jackal264]

But his car will still end up like mine where the retainer is completely visible. Your bumper design hides the retainer. He's better off doing something custom.

[quickdiversion]

I didn't even see that on yours till just now that it was a split grill. If he wants to save money. He could have a piece welded in straight across and cut the upper part out to hide that.

[LoSt180]

Just cut the center part out of the retainer, still provides support and you won't have that piece sticking through the "grill" of the new bumper. Might even be able to drill out the spot welds and pop it right off.

These pics are from my car 14 years ago, I didn't use the retainer at all (although it would've made things easier). I supported mine with a few L-brackets to keep things sturdy and close up the gaps.

I think I even had that drift style front bumper that quickdiversion posted when I first did the conversion (thought it was my old car for a second).

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y240/lost_180/newfront.jpg (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lost_180/media/newfront.jpg.html)
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y240/lost_180/127-2707_IMG.jpg (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lost_180/media/127-2707_IMG.jpg.html)


Oldest pic I have on photobucket, but gaps weren't that bad then either.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y240/lost_180/luiscars.jpg (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lost_180/media/luiscars.jpg.html)

[quickdiversion]

At first glance maybe, but mine was fully blended 50 mm over fenders in the rear and 30 mm upfront with all horizontal linea removed or filled. That car had so must time put I to it for those damn fenders. Lol.

[Gingersmurf]

If you're worried about headlights bouncing and wobbling i made these for the outside of the lights. they sit on the S13 stock mounts located on the outer most edge of the core support and connect to the two bolts on the outside of the lights. Simple and easy to do if you have some scrap metal laying around.
They are strong too, i can grab the whole headlight and try to move them and they don't budge. Other than those mounts i am using the plastic supports that rest on top of the rad support and the standard s15 mounts as seen in the second pic (borrowed from this thread with a circle for reference) that connect to a custom support i made.

Edit; the light's do not bounce on the road, and i am not running that retainer. Just FYI

They were finished and painted after this photo, but it is the only one i have at the moment
http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz50/account_gingersmurf/12899835_10154158509553586_180034098_n.jpg
http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz50/account_gingersmurf/20130410_154440.jpg

[quickdiversion]

Oh biggest thing I had an issue with when swapping to the s15 front end. Is that it i such longer and stretched, so the front wheels, in their stock location. Sat further aft in the wheel wells. I actually purchased adjust tension arms to pull them forward to even it out. Stretched my wheel base probably and inch by doing so.

[KAT-PWR]

Oh biggest thing I had an issue with when swapping to the s15 front end. Is that it i such longer and stretched, so the front wheels, in their stock location. Sat further aft in the wheel wells. I actually purchased adjust tension arms to pull them forward to even it out. Stretched my wheel base probably and inch by doing so.

That's funny, my wheels sit way too far forward with ED conversion fenders

[Gingersmurf]

That's funny, my wheels sit way too far forward with ED conversion fenders

For what it is worth, my origin conversion fenders have them sit about center.