Tips for removing rear bumper
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Record Breaker
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,387
Likes: 1
From: MN
And to round this out with some hands-on experience...
The bumper is indeed easy to remove. Pull out the hitch wire harness plug by squeezing the ears and pulling. It doesn't look like they really squeeze much, but they don't have to. Same goes for the license plate lights. Just slide the red clip back and squeeze the plug and pull them off. As for the backup sensors, you can either pull them all out at the sensors or pull out the one plug from the other end - the harness attaches right behind the bumper at one point. That wasn't obvious until I actually had the bumper off. Maybe you can't get to it with the bumper on? If you choose to remove each plug at the sensor you'll have to pull out three zip-tie/plug things that are holding the wiring harness to the bumper. They are just push-fit. Pull hard, you can't wreck them. They are the christmas tree style things that friction fit into the hole.
For bolts, I just took off the 6 big ones (2 above each tailpipe and 2 behind license plate), allowing the brackets to come off with the bumper. I had a few extra hands helping me so keeping it steady was no big deal. Besides, the bumper has a hole in the bottom right where the bumper-mounted ball hitch would go that sits on a round raised sleeve in the top of the main receiver hitch. That means you can remove all 6 bolts and the bumper doesn't go anywhere (I'd still do something to steady it so it doesn't bump the body, but it's not like it is going to drop off when the last bolt comes out).
As far as I can tell there isn't really anything I'll have to fit or adjust when I put it back on. Just sit the bumper back on the protruding sleeve on the hitch and start putting the bolts back in.
It's amazing how flimsy the bumper really is. Not much strength to it.
Rob
The bumper is indeed easy to remove. Pull out the hitch wire harness plug by squeezing the ears and pulling. It doesn't look like they really squeeze much, but they don't have to. Same goes for the license plate lights. Just slide the red clip back and squeeze the plug and pull them off. As for the backup sensors, you can either pull them all out at the sensors or pull out the one plug from the other end - the harness attaches right behind the bumper at one point. That wasn't obvious until I actually had the bumper off. Maybe you can't get to it with the bumper on? If you choose to remove each plug at the sensor you'll have to pull out three zip-tie/plug things that are holding the wiring harness to the bumper. They are just push-fit. Pull hard, you can't wreck them. They are the christmas tree style things that friction fit into the hole.
For bolts, I just took off the 6 big ones (2 above each tailpipe and 2 behind license plate), allowing the brackets to come off with the bumper. I had a few extra hands helping me so keeping it steady was no big deal. Besides, the bumper has a hole in the bottom right where the bumper-mounted ball hitch would go that sits on a round raised sleeve in the top of the main receiver hitch. That means you can remove all 6 bolts and the bumper doesn't go anywhere (I'd still do something to steady it so it doesn't bump the body, but it's not like it is going to drop off when the last bolt comes out).
As far as I can tell there isn't really anything I'll have to fit or adjust when I put it back on. Just sit the bumper back on the protruding sleeve on the hitch and start putting the bolts back in.
It's amazing how flimsy the bumper really is. Not much strength to it.
Rob
Last edited by BigBlueEdge; Mar 4, 2011 at 11:48 PM.
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 292
Likes: 0
And to round this out with some hands-on experience...
The bumper is indeed easy to remove. Pull out the hitch wire harness plug by squeezing the ears and pulling. It doesn't look like they really squeeze much, but they don't have to. Same goes for the license plate lights. Just slide the red clip back and squeeze the plug and pull them off. As for the backup sensors, you can either pull them all out at the sensors or pull out the one plug from the other end - the harness attaches right behind the bumper at one point. That wasn't obvious until I actually had the bumper off. Maybe you can't get to it with the bumper on? If you choose to remove each plug at the sensor you'll have to pull out three zip-tie/plug things that are holding the wiring harness to the bumper. They are just push-fit. Pull hard, you can't wreck them. They are the christmas tree style things that friction fit into the hole.
For bolts, I just took off the 6 big ones (2 above each tailpipe and 2 behind license plate), allowing the brackets to come off with the bumper. I had a few extra hands helping me so keeping it steady was no big deal. Besides, the bumper has a hole in the bottom right where the bumper-mounted ball hitch would go that sits on a round raised sleeve in the top of the main receiver hitch. That means you can remove all 6 bolts and the bumper doesn't go anywhere (I'd still do something to steady it so it doesn't bump the body, but it's not like it is going to drop off when the last bolt comes out).
As far as I can tell there isn't really anything I'll have to fit or adjust when I put it back on. Just sit the bumper back on the protruding sleeve on the hitch and start putting the bolts back in.
It's amazing how flimsy the bumper really is. Not much strength to it.
Rob
The bumper is indeed easy to remove. Pull out the hitch wire harness plug by squeezing the ears and pulling. It doesn't look like they really squeeze much, but they don't have to. Same goes for the license plate lights. Just slide the red clip back and squeeze the plug and pull them off. As for the backup sensors, you can either pull them all out at the sensors or pull out the one plug from the other end - the harness attaches right behind the bumper at one point. That wasn't obvious until I actually had the bumper off. Maybe you can't get to it with the bumper on? If you choose to remove each plug at the sensor you'll have to pull out three zip-tie/plug things that are holding the wiring harness to the bumper. They are just push-fit. Pull hard, you can't wreck them. They are the christmas tree style things that friction fit into the hole.
For bolts, I just took off the 6 big ones (2 above each tailpipe and 2 behind license plate), allowing the brackets to come off with the bumper. I had a few extra hands helping me so keeping it steady was no big deal. Besides, the bumper has a hole in the bottom right where the bumper-mounted ball hitch would go that sits on a round raised sleeve in the top of the main receiver hitch. That means you can remove all 6 bolts and the bumper doesn't go anywhere (I'd still do something to steady it so it doesn't bump the body, but it's not like it is going to drop off when the last bolt comes out).
As far as I can tell there isn't really anything I'll have to fit or adjust when I put it back on. Just sit the bumper back on the protruding sleeve on the hitch and start putting the bolts back in.
It's amazing how flimsy the bumper really is. Not much strength to it.
Rob
Professional
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 239
Likes: 0
From: Hatboro, Pa
I just did this two weeks ago. 6 bolts...2 on each side..then the 2 behind your plate. Then the trailer harness...done, Very simple job
Try to get a second or third helping hand tho, so they can hold the bumper while you unbolt it and bolt it back on...dont want it falling or scratching your paint job.
Ed
Try to get a second or third helping hand tho, so they can hold the bumper while you unbolt it and bolt it back on...dont want it falling or scratching your paint job.
Ed
