Front bumper keeps catching on low concrete barriers

[dexgreen]

Has anyone dislocated their front bumper by parking over a concrete low barrier? As I reverse the bottom of the bumper catches on the low barrier and pulls it out. Fortunately, I have managed to push it back on. But I need to fix it. Any ideas?
Or has anyone got a body shop to recommend for this problem in the Atlanta area?

Thanks in advance,
Derrick

 

[eye.surgeon]

Ever owned a performance vehicle? Lesson 1, don't park over concrete barriers.

 

[DFibRL8R]

There are cheap plastic clips and tabs that hold the plastic cover in place on the bottom. I broke some of mine in a similar move and the Tesla service center was able to replace them and get things right. The design of this cover is such that you can actually get stuck if the cover is loose and drops down in front of a concrete barrier. My wife managed to do this once and couldn't get it free even raising the air suspension to full height. As master of the obvious eye.surgeon points out, try to avoid concrete parking barriers (backing into spaces is best IMHO).

 

[scottm]

I mounted a camera on the nose, and a small screen inside... so I can see how close the nose is to ... whatever.
I've got the camera aimed so that as I'm rolling along.. as an object scrolls to the bottom of the screen and falls out of view ... the next thing to happen will be "crunch" because I'd then be making contact. Lesson: stop before the object leaves the bottom of the screen and it'll be OK!

 

[Akikiki]

I mounted a camera on the nose, and a small screen inside... so I can see how close the nose is to ... whatever.
I've got the camera aimed so that as I'm rolling along.. as an object scrolls to the bottom of the screen and falls out of view ... the next thing to happen will be "crunch" because I'd then be making contact. Lesson: stop before the object leaves the bottom of the screen and it'll be OK!

What is the camera manf and model that you are using on the front of your car, please?

 

[scottm]

What is the camera manf and model that you are using on the front of your car, please?

..ebay.. 7" LCD color screen and a backup camera combo (but mounted on the front facia - old nosecone style car, under the nose cone) from china about $35 total... The one I have is cabled, not wireless. Decent enough picture image in various lighting conditions, even at night.

I tuck the screen into the cubby under the center cosole.. actually I added another cubby under the stock cubby, and the screen occupies the lower-most cubby. I only pull it out and turn screen on when nosing up to a parking situation where I've lost track of where the nose is in relation to objects.

 

[ron8853]

Learned this lesson the hard way on a Mercedes SL Sport --now I always back in...and the rear camera makes it simple and quick....

 

[Akikiki]

..ebay.. 7" LCD color screen and a backup camera combo (but mounted on the front facia - old nosecone style car, under the nose cone) from china about $35 total... The one I have is cabled, not wireless. Decent enough picture image in various lighting conditions, even at night.

I tuck the screen into the cubby under the center cosole.. actually I added another cubby under the stock cubby, and the screen occupies the lower-most cubby. I only pull it out and turn screen on when nosing up to a parking situation where I've lost track of where the nose is in relation to objects.

I understand why and how you did it. I have the artsci Front Camera Kit mounted first on my '13 then moved to my '17 car. I am curious what the camera and screen looked like. Can you find another link to it on ebay and post it, please?

 

[LoL Rick]

Here is a trick for nose-in parking that I learned on this board in 2014. While slowly pulling into the parking spot, look out the driver's window, under the rear view mirror. When the barrier for the next parking space over appears in the crook of the chrome mirror support, stop. At that point you will be a few inches away from the barrier in front. With a bit of practice, you will be able to estimate it even when the next barrier is not visible.

On a related note, when backing in, stop as soon as the barrier disappears from camera view. If you continue until the tires hit the stop, the aerodynamic control fins under the car will be bent.

 

[NikeWings]

Day 1 ownership taught me quickly when i parked way the heck away to avoid any harm and I nosed in (ok, more like 30mph) to a spot with a grassy knoll sloping to the concrete curb. Expecting my tires to bump the curb and be my signal, I instead buried the undernose into the ground. I was laughing so hard I couldn't pick out all the grass clumps hanging off the dangling fascia. LMAO I guess you had to be there. (No incidents since)

 

[artsci]

When I upgraded my nosecone car to a refresh bumper (see this thread) I installed the Tesla front camera from the former to the latter. Here's the front view I see on the touchscreen as I approach a curb (in this view the lower lip of the bumper is about 12" from the curb). The camera lens is cracked which accounts for the dark slash through the image. The camera will be replaced with a new one this week. With a front camera there no way I'll ever scrape or hit an obstacle to the front of the car.

 

[Akikiki]

That's exactly how mine looks too, and thanks to you artsci. Without your genius and motivation to reduce the risk of bumping the front into a curb or something, many of us would be fixing cracked bumpers. Thank you for creating the front camera kit.

 

[artsci]

That's exactly how mine looks too, and thanks to you artsci. Without your genius and motivation to reduce the risk of bumping the front into a curb or something, many of us would be fixing cracked bumpers. Thank you for creating the front camera kit.

Thanks Steve!