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Tools required:
Before you begin:
Working on cars can be dangerous and you may be hurt or even killed. Perform this work at your own risk. If you have any doubts about doing this job, we recommend having a professional mechanic do the work.
This modification is intended to allow quick removal and replacement of the bumper, but in that process it replaces some factory attachment points for the bumper skin. For that reason we recommend this modification for show or track/offroad use only. This type of modification is not intended for a street car.
This installation involves minimal interaction with the electrical system, but you will be working around electrical wires (including the headlamps and horns), so we recommend unplugging the negative battery terminal.
If you do plan to raise the car using a jack, never work on a car supported only by a jack! Always use a high-quality set of jack stands.
Read this whole instruction manual before beginning!
Step 1: Unfasten undertray
The hard plastic undertray piece is attached to the front bumper, so you will need to remove the plastic push fasteners that hold those two parts together. Use a panel pry tool or a flat-bladed screwdriver to pull the center pin out slightly, then you can pry each push fastener free of its hole. Undo the fasteners and set them aside for later use.
Pro tip: Take this opportunity to replace any broken/damaged fasteners. We sell them. You’ll thank us later.
Step 2. Unfasten fender liners
You will want to unfasten at least the front half of the fender liners. The fender liners are attached to the front bumper on either side by a push fasteners, and more bolts and push fasteners retain the fender liner to the vehicle. Remove enough fasteners so the fender liner is loose so you can access the back of the front bumper area. Set the fasteners aside. Plan to replace broken fasteners as needed.
Step 3: Remove front bumper skin
If you are installing this product you probably already have a good understanding of how the bumper skin is attached to the car, but the general idea is to remove all the plastic push fasteners at the top and the bottom of the bumper. The bumper skin should be freed up so you can pop it loose from the retention features at the fender and below the headlamps. Have a second person help as you wiggle the bumper gently until it comes free from the car.
If your car is equipped with fog lamps, you will want to unplug the fog lamp wiring harnesses before removing the bumper from the car. The same goes for the turn signal harnesses on 2015-2017 WRX models. Once the bumper skin is unfastened, you should be able to flex the bumper enough to reach the back of the lamp to unplug the wiring harness(es). Then proceed with removing the bumper from the car.
See the diagram below for an idea of how the bumper parts go together. The diagram shows a 2018-2021 style bumper. 2015-2017 is similar.
Step 4: Remove bumper sliders
The bumper sliders are the black plastic pieces that bolt into the metal fenders, and to which the bumper skin attaches. Remove the two bolts from each bumper slider -- one captures the slider underneath the plastic support for the headlamp. Remove the plastic push fastener clip from the fender, and the smaller plastic push fastener from the wheel well liner, and then remove the slider from the fender.
Remove the bolt shown above.
Remove the plastic push fastener from the wheel well liner shown above.
Remove the plastic push fastener from the bumper slider.
Step 5: Remove headlamps
Removing the headlamps is a little bit of extra work, but it makes accessing the back side of the fender sheet metal far easier. There are two bolts and one push fastener holding each headlamp to the body. Carefully unclip the wiring harnesses before removing the headlamp housings. Set the housings aside, taking care to protect the lenses and the plastic mounting tabs.
Step 6: Install Mach V Quick Release Bumper Supports
Use a 5mm hex driver and a 13mm wrench to attach the Mach V quick release bumper supports where the stock bumper sliders used to live. The washers will go behind the sheet metal.
When you have the bumper support in place, carefully tighten both fasteners. We recommend hand-snug using small hand tools – do not over-tighten!
NOTE! There are raised parts of the quick release assemblies that insert into the holes in the car body. The included washers are intended to sit BEHIND the sheet metal, directly under the nuts, and FLUSH around those raised areas. It is critical to get the washers centered over the quick release assembly and flush so the washers and nuts have a good grip on the car sheet metal. The washers MUST be flat and flush in order for the quick release assembly to attach securely to the car. Make sure you have not pinched the washer when tightening the nut! See below.
Once installed, the quick release assemblies should look like this:
Step 7: Re-install the headlamps
Once the quick release assemblies are secured to the car, re-install the headlamps in the same manner they were removed. Don't forget to plug the wiring harnesses back in.
Step 8: Test-fit the bumper skin
Prepare to test-fit the bumper skin. Now is when an extra person comes in very handy.
Remove the quick-release heads from the quick release posts. Firmly tighten the quick-release post hardware so the posts don't droop -- you want them accurately positioned so your bumper holes will be in the right place. You are going to use some light-colored substance – we used some yellow touch-up paint we had laying around – to dab on the end of the quick release posts. These will mark the back of the bumper skin to indicate where to drill your holes. See below. (This photo is from our GR-chassis quick release kit, but the process is the same.)
With your helper, carefully fit up the bumper skin to the car. Make sure to snap the bumper skin into place under the headlamps, and tuck the upper edge of the bumper into the groove in the Mach V bumper supports. Once the bumper skin is correctly positioned, tap on the outside of the bumper where the quick release posts are, to make sure the bumper skin makes contact with the paint on the posts.
Take the bumper skin back off the car. You should have two paint dots on the back side of the bumper skin where your holes will end up.
Use a ruler to check the distance between your paint dots – make sure they match the actual distance between the posts – as well as the distance between the edge of the bumper skin and the dot. If anything looks grossly off, wipe off your paint dots and re-do the paint dot bumper fit-up process.
Step 9: Drill the holes in the bumper skin
Once you are satisfied with the location of your paint dots, you will want to drill the ¾” (19mm) holes for the quick release fastener heads. We used a tiny drill bit to make a pilot hole, then either a ¾” standard drill bit or a step bit to make the main hole. Note that the bumper plastic is extremely soft, so it will require very little pressure to drill through. Drilling from the (unpainted) back will result in a slightly ragged hole edge on the front side, but it’s safer in case your drill bit walks, and the flange of the quick release fastener will cover up the edge of the hole in any case.
The step bit is far easier and nearly fool-proof in terms of making a centered hole without a fuss; the challenge is to find one that is large enough for a 3/4" hole. We had one laying around, and it had a 3/4" step, but it wasn't marked; hence the calipers in the photo below.
A standard 3/4" drill bit is simpler to find, but in our experience is more likely to "walk" and end up off-center, so beware.
On painted surfaces we recommend generous application of painter's tape to reduce the risk of scratching the paint.
Step 10: Install the quick release fastener heads
Clean up the ¾” holes as needed then install the quick release fastener heads from the front and secure them with the corresponding nuts. The nuts are 24mm across; we just used an adjustable wrench to tighten them.
Step 11: Adjust the quick release posts.
The posts are pre-installed in the bumper supports, but they are at an arbitrary height. You will want to adjust the height of each post to properly locate the fastener head once it snaps into place. To adjust the post height, loosen the nut that retains the post, then spin the post in or out to change the height. Make sure to re-tighten the nut when you are done.
Since the button has some thickness, the end of the post should be not quite flush with the surface of the bumper skin.
Step 12: Test-fit the bumper skin
Enlist your helper to assist in fitting the bumper back up to the car. Fit the bumper up to slot in under the headlamps and into the slots in the Mach V bumper supports. Ensure the bumper is properly located on the car, then snap the quick-release fasteners onto the posts. Make note of whether any of the posts need to be raised or lowered for best fit. If the posts need adjustment, repeat the bumper removal/replacement process as needed.
Once you are satisfied with the height of the quick release studs, firmly tighten the nuts that attach the quick release studs to the quick release assemblies.
Step 13: Check fit of the fender liners and wheel well push fastener
Maybe it's because our test cars were tired and worn and had floppy bumpers, fenders, and fender liners, but both test cars required some adjustments to get the three layers of fender liner, bumper skin, and quick release assembly to line up and fasten using the plastic push clip that secures them from the wheel well. If the holes on your car are not lining up adequately to get the push fastener to pop into place, you may have to do one or both of the following:
Step 14: Fine tuning
The quick-release button fasteners will start out a little tight, and will loosen up and work more smoothly once they have been actuated a few times. If they end up too tight or too loose, you can adjust the push button preload using two holes on the back side of the quick release head. Using something like a bent paper clip, engage both the holes and twist to thread the mechanism slightly in or out to adjust the tension. (Don’t over-do! If you back the adjustment out too far the entire assembly will fly apart and you will lose all the pieces. Ask us how we know.)
Step 15: Complete bumper installation
Connect back up the various connections of the bumper to the fender lines, belly pan, and radiator core support. You may decide not to use some or all of these connections, but please understand that not using them makes the connection between the bumper and the car weaker.
Step 15: Enjoy your quick release bumper!
