The Product:
The Polyvance 6076 Bumper Stabilizer attaches to a common scissor stand and is designed to support the bumper from above using included bungee cords and adjustable anchor points. Six adjustable overhead anchor points support the included six adjustable bungee cords. The bungee cords are used to hold the bumper and trim components in their relative positions, eliminating the fear of accidentally dropping and damaging a freshly painted fascia. The bungee cords can also be used to hold a bumper in a position for better technician ergonomics and to hold a cracked bumper together, taking the tension off the plastic so the damage can be properly repaired.
The Review:
Sheridan Bailey, a body technician at Honda World in Westminster, California, has been doing bumper work for close to 25 years. He knows the job is not always straightforward; additional care must be taken to avoid damage to these often-unwieldly pieces during the repair process.
“I used to work at a Dodge dealership years ago, and a lot of [those] two-piece bumpers are very difficult to put together,” Bailey says. “Some of these pieces are five, six feet long, and they are very thin and flexible. It’s difficult – especially when they’ve been painted – to put them back together on your own. You might struggle to do it yourself and it can result in scratching the bumper, or if it’s a textured piece you’re trying to put together, [one might] damage the texture.”
Recently, Bailey has reached for Polyvance’s Bumper Stabilizer to assist with disassembling and reassembling bumpers.
At Honda World, Bailey still encounters two-piece and three-piece bumpers. He says the Polyvance unit acts as “another pair of hands” as it holds parts in place and in a certain position while he works to put pieces together, disassemble, or do the repair.
“It’s great for doing front or rear bumpers,” he says.
“Some of those bumpers, once you take them apart, are very awkward. It’s great just to be able to support them, get in there with a heat gun ... do the repair, and not have to worry about [bumper parts] moving around. This holds them in a very sturdy position so you’re able to do the repairs and attach the two pieces together very simply,” Bailey says.
The bumper stabilizer comes with a frame, clamps, bungee straps, and a manual. Bailey reports the stabilizer is very easy to use and setup is minimal, adding a lot of it comes down to personal preference – from the length of the elastic straps to the way the straps hang.
Because the unit helps keep large bumper sections stationary, Bailey says it cuts down on bumper damage after being painted, damage to textured pieces, and accidents to the bumper.
“Quite often [with] a conventional bumper stand, the bumper will get heavy on one side and roll off and you can end up scratching or damaging it. This just holds it in place and you don’t have to worry about any of that. All the straps are adjustable, so you can adjust it to fit different, multiple styles and kinds of bumpers.
“Any body technician working on a multipiece bumper would benefit from this 100 percent; it just makes the job so much easier,” he says.
“With the way the industry is going right now, it’s coming down to getting the job done quicker, and to do quality work, and still making money at it," Baily concludes. "Anything that can help make the job faster is definitely a bonus."
