I've done a search and couldn't find anything. Was just wondering if anyone had removed their rubbing strips and filled/smoothed their bumpers

I'm looking at doing mine this month and wondered if it had been done before, and if we have any pics???

Craig

Not seen any pictures myself, but if you get them filled and reverse or touch the bumpers afterwards you run the risk of the filler falling out. Whats more common is to the get the rubbing strips lightly sanded to remove the rough surface and then get them painted body colour.

Not seen any pictures myself, but if you get them filled and reverse or touch the bumpers afterwards you run the risk of the filler falling out. Whats more common is to the get the rubbing strips lightly sanded to remove the rough surface and then get them painted body colour.

Had thought about colour coding but i'm a sucker for the smooth look!

One slight issue is that the front bumper is attached to the car under the strip. Not sure about the rear as I've never taken it off

Just colour code them mate.

the line just break up the bumper a bit and looks better IMO

One slight issue is that the front bumper is attached to the car under the strip. Not sure about the rear as I've never taken it off

That could prove to be a stumbling block! Cheers for the input

That could prove to be a stumbling block! Cheers for the input

Yep, it looks like this under there unfortunately! So better to just colour code them really!

One slight issue is that the front bumper is attached to the car under the strip. Not sure about the rear as I've never taken it off

Rear bumper has some attachments under its rubbing strip too.

yep cant be done easy front and rear attached under the strip

Hmmm, I wonder if I could make a pop out blanking plate for each side which sits flush and smooth the rest

not sure how much room is on the inside, but can you not put a bolt in through the inside, and access by pulling the arch liner back?

not sure how much room is on the inside, but can you not put a bolt in through the inside, and access by pulling the arch liner back?

I looked into doing it before and was going to do pretty much as you say,you would need to drill out or grind off captive nuts from the wing and get nuts welded to the brackets behind the bumper strip then it would be the opposite way around and you would bolt it on from behind the wheel arch liner,boot already mounts from the inside anyway so shouldn't be a problem,just make sure you get the recess filled properly as you don't want it to end up cracking or sinking

Bit of a dumb question, but how close are Golf/Leon bumpers to the Oct?

I know both Golf and Leon have colour coded bumper strips. If either was close enough, it might remove all the hassle of rubbing down the bumper strips to colour code them.

Bit of a dumb question, but how close are Golf/Leon bumpers to the Oct?

I know both Golf and Leon have colour coded bumper strips. If either was close enough, it might remove all the hassle of rubbing down the bumper strips to colour code them.

Fronts might work with some modifying, rears would need big time modding, but anyone good a working with plastic (i.e. welding joins together) should be able to come up with something.

Rear bumper has a captive nut on the metal plate which undoes from the inside of the car, front would have to be modded to make it work in a similar way. Thereafter find a spare front and rear bumper, cut a rubbing strip sized slice out of each and weld it in, use filler to smooth off as needed and this way you won't end up with filler cracking, shrinking or falling out. You'd be best to find a specialist body workshop for this sort of thing though....

here you go... don't know about the quality though... http://www.superskoda.com/octavia-i/front-bumpers/skoda-octavia-01-07-facelift-front-bumper-smooth-style

about doing it yourself: hope you've got some bodyshop/plastic welding experience. You can try to fill the gaps with polyester but even when it's done professionally you can easily get cracks (e.g. rubbing your bumper on a speedbump can do the trick). Only safe way is

1) plastic welding

2) make a mold of your own bumper to create a polyester bumpers in one piece

my thoughts: If you're cleaning the bumpers, you should do the doors too... might become expensive

I love the clean style as well but somehow I feel it doesn't suit the octavia as well as it does a Golf MKIV for example

I've worked part-time for a bodyshop a while back and could have gotten everything cleaned for a fair price but I didn't do it and I am glad I didn't.

I sanded the bumperstrips down till they were 100% smooth and got them painted:

Cheers

B

Bit of a dumb question, but how close are Golf/Leon bumpers to the Oct?

I know both Golf and Leon have colour coded bumper strips. If either was close enough, it might remove all the hassle of rubbing down the bumper strips to colour code them.

There's a Mk4 Golf parked next to mine in the car park this morning with the colour coded strip. From a brief inspection, it looks to be of totally diferent dimensions, especially round the sides where it is much shorter.

Not seen any pictures myself, but if you get them filled and reverse or touch the bumpers afterwards you run the risk of the filler falling out. Whats more common is to the get the rubbing strips lightly sanded to remove the rough surface and then get them painted body colour.

That shouldn't be done with filler, should be plastic welded instead. If your shop is filling it, remove the car from them, they're idiots!

I would be asking my local bodyshop to do the work. They are pretty clued up tbf as they did all the work on my last show car

Getting it costed up with a flush mounted pop off cap over the bolts so we don't have to mess about relocating the mounts