If you've spent any time searching at your car recently, you might've observed your 2014 charger bumper offers seen better times, whether it's from a runaway shopping cart or just years of highway rock and roll chips. It's 1 of those issues where you don't really think about this until you see the nasty scuff within the sunlight, and then suddenly, it's the only thing you can see each time you stroll up to the driver's side door. The 2014 model year has been a great a single for the Joker Charger—it has that will aggressive, muscular position that still holds up today—but let's be real, plastic bumpers aren't invincible.
Replacing or fixing up that front or rear fascia isn't simply about making the particular car look quite, though that's a huge part of this. It's also about keeping the car's value up plus making sure all the particular stuff hidden behind the plastic, like your impact pub and fog lighting wiring, is actually guarded. If you're thinking about about diving straight into this project, there's a lot to consider, from selecting the right design to actually getting your own hands dirty within the garage.
Deciding Between OE and Aftermarket
When you start shopping for the new 2014 charger bumper , the initial crossroad you're heading to hit is the "OEM versus Aftermarket" debate. If you go the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) route, you're getting the very same part that came upon the car from your factory. The fitment is going in order to be spot-on, your invisalign aligner quality is estimated, and you won't have to fight with it to find the bolt holes to line up. The downside? It's usually the most expensive strategy to use.
On the particular flip side, the aftermarket world is usually massive for these cars. Since the particular 2011-2014 body style is so well-known, plenty of companies make replacement bumpers. Some are immediate replicas of the stock SE or SXT bumpers, while others let a person "upgrade" the appearance. Maybe you've got a base design but you've constantly loved the way the SRT8 or the Super Bee looked. This is your chance in order to swap towards a more aggressive-looking 2014 charger bumper without having in order to trade in the whole car. Just keep in brain that with some less expensive aftermarket options, a person might have in order to do some "massaging" to get the gaps perfectly even.
Getting the Right Tools Together
Before you start unbolting things and realize halfway through that you're missing the specific socket, let's talk about exactly what you really need. You don't require an out-and-out mechanic's shop, but a few fundamental tools will create the task a lot less frustrating.
You're definitely going to need the 10mm socket —that's simply the universal vocabulary for Mopar body bolts. A flathead screwdriver or a dedicated plastic trim removal tool is also a godsend. Those little plastic material "push-pins" or rivets that hold the particular bumper to the fender liner can be a real pain to obtain out without breaking them. Honestly, it's a good idea to just buy a bag of substitute clips before you decide to even start. They're cheap, and you're almost guaranteed to click at least one or two associated with the old, frail ones while you're pulling them out there.
Taking the Old Bumper Off
Alright, so you've got your own new parts plus your tools prepared. The process of removing a 2014 charger bumper is pretty simple, but it will take a little persistence. You'll begin by popping the hood and removing your invisalign aligner cover up that sits best over the grille. There are usually most a dozen of those plastic material clips holding it down.
Once that's away, you'll see the top bolts holding the bumper to the radiator assistance. But don't simply unscrew those plus yank; you've still got work to do in the particular wheel wells. You'll need to turn your own wheels all the way to one particular side to obtain access to the screws inside the fender liner. There's usually one concealed bolt right exactly where the bumper satisfies the metal fender that's a reach.
If your Charger offers fog lights, don't forget to achieve in and disconnect the harnesses prior to you pull the particular bumper away from the frame. There's nothing worse than finally getting the bumper loose only in order to get it hang simply by the wiring, potentially ruining your fog light housings. As soon as everything is unbolted and unplugged, the whole assembly need to slide forward. It will help to have a buddy hold one particular side therefore it doesn't drop onto the concrete and get damaged.
How about the particular Rear Bumper?
While most people concentrate on the front side because it will take the most mistreatment, the trunk 2014 charger bumper will be just as important for that finished look. Replacing the rear is truly a bit easier relatively because you don't have to worry about as many cooling ducts or complex billet grille inserts.
However, you perform suffer from the exhaust tips. Depending on which trim level you have, the particular exhaust tips could be integrated into the bumper or these people might just leave through cutouts. In case you're switching in order to a different design of rear bumper—say, going from a single exhaust cutout in order to a dual—you'll obviously need to make sure your wear out setup matches upward. It's also the perfect time to check on your rear park support sensors if your car comes with them. They just put out of the old bumper and click into the new one, yet you want to be gentle with the wiring.
Dealing With Color and Color Coordinating
Unless you're fortunate enough to find a pre-painted bumper in your precise color code, your own new 2014 charger bumper is probably going in order to arrive in a black or gray special primer. This is how things can get a bit costly. Getting an expert shop to color-match paint—especially if a person have among those great Dodge colors like Plum Crazy or Header Orange—is worth the investment.
If you try out to do it yourself with rattle cans, it might appear okay from 20 feet away, yet you'll likely notice the difference within texture and gloss once you get up close. A bumper will be a major surface area, and any kind of imperfections in the particular paint are heading to stand out. If you're upon a budget, you could look into vinyl wrapping the fresh bumper, but that will takes its very own kind of ability to obtain right around all those figure and grille opportunities.
Final Details and Reassembly
Once you possess your freshly painted 2014 charger bumper prepared to go, putting it back upon is basically the particular reverse of having it off, but with much more "be careful not to scrape the new paint" energy. This is where creating a second set of hands is almost mandatory. You want to line upward the brackets on the sides first, clicking them in to the fender retainers.
Before you tighten everything straight down, take a second to look at the particular gaps. Are these people even on each sides? Does the hood close properly without striking the top of the grille? Sometimes you have to wiggle the bumper a bit or adjust the particular brackets to get that factory-perfect suit. Once you're delighted with how it looks, go ahead and pop individuals plastic clips back in, plug your lights back in, and give it the good wipe down.
There's something incredibly satisfying regarding stepping as well as viewing your car looking brand new again. A 2014 Charger is really a car that deserves to appear sharp. Whether you went using a share replacement or something a bit even more custom, that brand-new 2014 charger bumper is going to make you enjoy your daily commute just a small bit more. Plus, you've got the bragging rights of knowing you did the particular work yourself. Safe and sound driving, and revel in the particular new look!