Chevrolet Astro Bumpers
When your Chevrolet van is in a low-speed impact, the bumper is responsible for protecting the engine components and transmission in addition to the headlights and parking lights. When purchasing a new bumper, you have several options. When you need a replacement bumper, consider the make and model of your vehicle before making a decision.
Where are Chevrolet bumpers located?There are three places where you will find your Chevrolet Astro bumpers:
- Front: This bumper is designed to protect your vehicle from low-speed impacts that come from the front.
- Rear: The rear bumper is located below the trunk. It can help prevent damage caused by rear impacts from walls, poles, and other cars. When replacing the rear bumper, make sure there is a space to install a license plate; your Chevrolet might not be street-legal without a plate.
- Body kits: Body kits are bumper skirts that are mounted around the body of the Chevrolet Astro. In addition to protecting against low-speed impacts, bumper skirts and body kits can enhance the performance of your vehicle when you drive by, reducing the airflow under your car.
Although your Astro’s bumper appears to be a simple auto part, it is actually composed of numerous pieces, including:
- Frame and support brackets: The frame and the brackets provide support that holds the bumper to the chassis of your Astro.
- Absorbers: These components are designed to dampen the impact. They are usually made of thick fiber pads, high-impact plastic, or rubber bushings.
- Bumper guards: These bumper components are usually the first things to come into contact with the impact. They are made of solid rubber.
- Bumper covers: This piece is made from plastic, fiberglass, carbon fiber, or stainless steel. It attaches to the frame.
- Bumper shocks: These spring-loaded or hydraulic-operated tubes rebound once the impact has been absorbed.
Bumpers for Chevrolet Astro vans are generally made from four materials:
- ABS plastic: Bumpers made from this material are lightweight. Plastic bumpers can easily be fit to many different types of cars, vans, and trucks, including the Chevrolet Astro.
- Carbon fiber: Bumpers made from carbon fiber are durable and extremely lightweight, so they do not add unnecessary weight to the Chevrolet.
- Fiberglass: These bumpers are also fairly lightweight. They can also be easily repaired if damaged in a low-speed impact. They can be painted to match the exterior of your Chevrolet Astro.
- Steel: This strong material was what most bumpers were originally made from. They are not as readily available as bumpers made from other materials, but they are strong and very durable.