Description

Chrysler NS, GS Service Manual – Frame and Bumpers

You are staring at a bumper fascia that won’t budge, plastic rivets stripped, and a torque wrench that’s seen better days. Maybe you’ve already snapped one of those fragile tabs on the rear fascia because a third-party guide told you to “pry gently.” That kind of guesswork costs time and parts. The Chrysler NS, GS Service Manual – this exact 14-page factory document – gives you the sequence, the torque values (40 ft. lbs. for the front reinforcement, 20 ft. lbs. for the rear – see page 2), and the weld-in-dimension checks that aftermarket reprints always skip.

Torque Specs on Page 2 – 40 ft-lbs and 20 ft-lbs

Page 2 has two torque values that matter. Front bumper reinforcement nuts: 40 ft. lbs. Rear bumper reinforcement nuts: 20 ft. lbs. The manual tells you to mark the nut positions on the frame rail before removal so alignment is repeatable. If you ignore that step – and I’ve seen junior techs do it – you’ll fight cross-threaded caged nuts and bent brackets. The rear fascia plastic rivets? No torque given, but the sequence matters: release liftgate latch, hoist on safety stands, remove screws, then pop the rivets. One paragraph does not do the job.

Front Bumper Fascia – Factory Removal Method

Start with the front bumper fascia. The manual lists removal steps that sound simple until you miss the part about disengaging hooks from the fascia brackets. (Ask me how many DIYers snap those hooks pulling straight out.) After the fascia is off, the reinforcement comes loose with the 40 ft-lb nuts. Installation is the reverse, but the manual includes a note: align nuts to previously made marks. That is the kind of detail you get from an OEM Chrysler document, not from a generic “service manual” that lumps all minivans together. If you also need the Chrysler NS GS Wiring Diagram, that’s a separate manual – get the right one.

Rear Bumper and Reinforcement – 20 ft-lbs, No Guesswork

Rear bumper work on the NS/GS asks you to first open the liftgate, support the vehicle, then remove screws and plastic rivets. Page 2 shows the exact hook-and-tab engagement that holds the fascia in place. Once the fascia is off, you support the reinforcement on a lifting device, mark the nut positions, and remove the four nuts holding it to the frame rail extensions. Torque: 20 ft. lbs. A common mistake is overtightening those nuts because the frame rail extensions are thin-walled; 20 ft-lbs is firm, not tight. The manual’s installation note says “verify all fascia tabs are still engaged under the liftgate” – a sentence that saves you a rattle later. For transaxle work, check the Chrysler NS/GS Transaxle and Power Transfer Unit Service Manual – Section: Power.

Frame Crossmember and Mount Bushings – Alignment Specs

The front suspension crossmember section (page 3) warns that if you remove it without marking the frame rails, you must realign it using the dimensions in this group. That means measuring opening widths, diagonals, and heights from the “Frame and Body Opening Dimensions – Vehicle Preparation” subsection. No aftermarket PDF gives you those numbers. If the caged nuts are damaged, the manual directs you to a Mopar parts supplier – not a generic bolt. The crossmember mount bushing removal and installation steps are detailed, with the note that the crossmember must sit in the design location for proper front-end alignment. When you’re done with bumpers, look at the Chrysler NS GS Tires & Wheels Service Manual for related chassis work.

Group 13 Addendum – Tow Hook Brackets

This 14-page manual includes Group 13 addendum pages covering front and rear tow hook bracket removal and installation. That’s a separate section that lists the same safety warnings – hoist and support on safety stands – and the same insistence on marking positions before removal. The addendum is not a standalone document; it’s part of the factory frame and bumpers group. So when you access this Chrysler NS, GS Service Manual, you get the complete bumper and frame content, including the addendum that some digital copies omit. If you need the Manual Transmission removal procedure, that is covered in the powertrain volume, not this file.

Why OEM Beats Aftermarket – Authenticity Checklist

Aftermarket manuals frequently renumber pages, drop torque values, or copy the text without the diagrams. This is a scanned factory document – 14 pages, original Chrysler numbering (13-1 through 13-5 plus addendum pages). The OCR excerpt in the source file reads “NS/GS — FRAME AND BUMPERS — 13 – 1”, exactly as printed. You can verify the torque spec on page 2 by reading the original text: “tighten to 40 ft. lbs.” – not “tighten securely.” That precision matters when you are working on a customer’s vehicle or your own daily driver. The Manual Transmission manual is separate; don’t confuse the two.

Does this manual cover rear bumper reinforcement removal?

Yes, it covers removal and installation of rear bumper fascia and reinforcement.

What torque should I use for the front crossmember bushings?

The manual does not list a torque for the crossmember mount bushings, but it provides frame and body opening dimensions for alignment if you removed the crossmember without marking. For the front bumper reinforcement, torque is 40 ft. lbs on page 2. For the rear reinforcement, 20 ft. lbs. Aftermarket manuals often skip these specs or quote wrong values because they are not using the original factory source. Always rely on the Factory Manual for torque and alignment – it’s the only document that matches the original engineering drawings.

You have the file details: Chrysler NS, GS Service Manual, 14 pages, frame and bumpers section. No reprints, no third-party compilations. This is the original factory document that Chrysler released for technicians. If you are pulling a bumper, replacing a crossmember, or verifying a frame dimension, this is the reference that keeps your work straight. Access the Factory Manual and keep it in your shop tablet – it beats any Haynes or Chilton reprint for this specific job.