rear damper bar
 

Anyone notice a very large and heavy bar above the bumper hitch bars, that is supported loosely at the ends in rubber? I just noticed this crazy looking thing the other day. It is cast Iron and about 2.5" diameter, tapers quickly down at the ends and is held in rubber mounts. It is so loosely held that you can easily reach up and rotate it probably 45 degrees and move it around. It makes no noise. I can't guess this would be anything except some sort of Bed stabilizer or something. Can't believe I found one on these trucks!

Anyone know the story?

Now I almost feel like crawling through the fresh snow to go see if I have one :) Does it appear to have anything to do with the spare tire mechanism, suspension or anything? Pic?

Nothing to do with spare tire, but it does have a relief in it to allow the spare tire lowering tool to pass by it. That should give you some idea of where it is located vertically in relation to the outside of the bumper. You know there is the 'bumper re-inforcement tube" that runs from either side, down to where the hitch would be if installed. This thing is right above that, saddled in rubber mounts on either end, right at the frame sides. It serves no purpose but to sit there and jiggle, lol, so it must be some sort of bed stabilizer/damper....crazy I never saw it before..and even more surprised our trucks have such a thing...would love to know the whole story.

post a picture of it.... You've spiked my interest....

I'll grab one tonight and post tomorrow...

Can't see anything ... at least without crawling under in the snow. I looked at the service manual and there's no mention of anything near the hitch, tire or end rails like you describe. Must have been installed by someone for accessories. Wouldn't be a hanging bar for a full width rock/mud flap by any chance if that truck was ever used for trailering?

No, its definitely part of the tubular bumer/hitch reinforcement. The bars end nipples go into rubber mounts that are in 'cups' that are welded to the tube reinforcements near the frame. Very strange.

It is WAAAAAAY up under there...it is so softly mounting in rubber that it's very springy to move the ends around or rotate. it's just a cast weight held in very soft rubber mounts...no other attachment to anything. You can't see the rubber mounts, but can feel it inside the end cups, where the tappered ends of the bar terminate..

I didn't mean to start a UFO watching club, lol, I was just shocked to see it and figured others must know what the hell it is for...I'd shoot a pic here at work now, but is wet and cold out in the parking lot, as opposed to my building tonight.

I'm stumped soooooo.........




:icon_worthless:

Pictures please Pictures!!!!!

im curious but not willing to go outside and crawl through the snow with a flash light to see so another one for the pictures please