2021 LC ARB bumper install (1 Viewer)

[scottm]

When you install the bumpers you leave a 1/2" gap to allow for movement. Do they shake no, but there is normal movement.

I imagine if I used it for real rock crawling and hit rocks, or hit a deer at speed, it will move that much. And I'll be ok with that. Shaking on the road would not be ok, I'd have to figure out where it is loose enough to shake.

I torqued down 20 pretty big fasteners to make sure it didn't move except when protecting the truck from a hard hit, and then as little as possible. I'm sure I can lift the truck from this bumper and it won't move much relative to the body.

 

[Fisher23]

I imagine if I used it for real rock crawling and hit rocks, or hit a deer at speed, it will move that much. And I'll be ok with that. Shaking on the road would not be ok, I'd have to figure out where it is loose enough to shake.

I torqued down 20 pretty big fasteners to make sure it didn't move except when protecting the truck from a hard hit, and then as little as possible. I'm sure I can lift the truck from this bumper and it won't move much relative to the body.

Are you saying your ARB bumper is shaking? Maybe your tires are not balanced?

My ARB bumper doesn't shake.

 

[scottm]

Are you saying your ARB bumper is shaking? Maybe your tires are not balanced?

My ARB bumper doesn't shake.

No, none of my bumpers have shaken while driving. It was someone else who had that problem, I was replying.

 

[mcgaskins]

 

[vmfire]

I can see some movement in my ARB front Summit bar on dirt fire roads or when hitting bumps/railroad tracks. It has been tightened and retorqued. It seems to be normal movement/frame flex....? I do not feel any vibration when driving etc. Has 12k winch in it too.

 

[Fisher23]

I would love to see the pics. If you have a 2016, it should be the same bumper. Do you remember having clearance issues behind the camera to plug it in?

On my 2016, this is where I installed the front camera. Works excellent.

Centered right above the winch line.

 

[residualboulders]

I did about 130 miles yesterday, half of it on corrugated dirt road. The bar moves some with the frame on bumpy roads, I have no movement on asphalt. @vmfire, nice color match. We probably need to see more pics of this front and rear.

 

[vmfire]

I did about 130 miles yesterday, half of it on corrugated dirt road. The bar moves some with the frame on bumpy roads, I have no movement on asphalt. @vmfire, nice color match. We probably need to see more pics of this front and rear.

My camera is slightly to the curb side outside of the plate and works fine.

I removed the grille outboard of the plate for easier winch access and easier to clean in there.
Color match thanks to @Eric Sarjeant at Ed Martin.

 

[g rant]

My camera is slightly to the curb side outside of the plate and works fine.

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I removed the grille outboard of the plate for easier winch access and easier to clean in there.
Color match thanks to @Eric Sarjeant at Ed Martin.

great looking rig. how does the camera look with the replacement? pretty close to factory? also, I love the license plate mount. how did you get that done? thanks!

also Go Cuse!! from a loyal fan in the deep south

 

[vmfire]

Thanks.
Camera is fine, close enough to center to be a non issue. Plate fastened with Scotch Dual Lock 10# “Velcro”. Did not want to drill holes that could corrode.

…my Almamater

 

[Hulsty]

When people are talking about "movement" the bars do not move at all, what you are seeing is the whole vehicle chassis moving under the body. Thank modern vehicle soft body mounts, hence why 60/70/80 and 100's dont really show it.

 

[scottm]

Last June I figured out a rattle was the side skidplates on the ARB bumper. I found some fasteners loose, tightened them, thought that was odd. But the rattle continued. I took a plate off, and found half the fastening ears had cracked off. Both plates had cracked a few fastening ears, they were still there, so it wasn't apparent until I took them off. I can't think of how this happened, unless I had left them loose which allowed them to rattle and flex until they cracked. That is possible. I had been trying to figure out the rattle for probably a month, since my last dealer oil change, but they shouldn't have messed with those side plates.

New plates finally arrived, ARB was quick to offer to replace them, but supplies were low and slow. New nuts came separate. They are installed, generous amount of low-strength thread locker as always. Unless these were labeled backward, I have the left on the right and right on the left. That makes more sense to me, having the bent tab down so salty slush won't accumulate on the fold in Michigan winters. I could dig through the install instructions, but this is how I'll keep them.

Overall the bumper is holding up well, not rusting and nothing loosening up. Love it, long night drives on deer-infested highways are so much more relaxing.

 

[DesmoPilot]

Last June I figured out a rattle was the side skidplates on the ARB bumper. I found some fasteners loose, tightened them, thought that was odd. But the rattle continued. I took a plate off, and found half the fastening ears had cracked off. Both plates had cracked a few fastening ears, they were still there, so it wasn't apparent until I took them off. I can't think of how this happened, unless I had left them loose which allowed them to rattle and flex until they cracked. That is possible. I had been trying to figure out the rattle for probably a month, since my last dealer oil change, but they shouldn't have messed with those side plates.

New plates finally arrived, ARB was quick to offer to replace them, but supplies were low and slow. New nuts came separate. They are installed, generous amount of low-strength thread locker as always. Unless these were labeled backward, I have the left on the right and right on the left. That makes more sense to me, having the bent tab down so salty slush won't accumulate on the fold in Michigan winters. I could dig through the install instructions, but this is how I'll keep them.

Overall the bumper is holding up well, not rusting and nothing loosening up. Love it, long night drives on deer-infested highways are so much more relaxing.

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Should work both ways. Instructions call for the fold to be in upward direction, as it stabilizes the inner fender liner. My liner sits tight behind the lip.

 

[scottm]

Once again, the new filler/skid plates breaking apart at the mounting ears. No loose fasteners, all tight, so no added vibration from loose fasteners. As an old mech engineer, I can only surmise there is too much unsupported/cantilevered weight, allowing these plates to flex a lot during normal ops. I do a lot of highway runs, lots of potholes and ruts. When I hit these plates with my hand, they bounce a few cycles, and I can hear that sound when I hit potholes if I listen carefully. Lately I don't have to listen carefully, lots of rattling as they break loose.

One plate has lost several ears, the other shows metal fatigue around the ears. ARB has been good about sending me new ones, but I need a better solution. I'll try to make custom brackets using the unused slot on the plates, and the holes in the ARB bumper.

 

[04UZJ100]

Once again, the new filler/skid plates breaking apart at the mounting ears. No loose fasteners, all tight, so no added vibration from loose fasteners. As an old mech engineer, I can only surmise there is too much unsupported/cantilevered weight, allowing these plates to flex a lot during normal ops. I do a lot of highway runs, lots of potholes and ruts. When I hit these plates with my hand, they bounce a few cycles, and I can hear that sound when I hit potholes if I listen carefully. Lately I don't have to listen carefully, lots of rattling as they break loose.

One plate has lost several ears, the other shows metal fatigue around the ears. ARB has been good about sending me new ones, but I need a better solution. I'll try to make custom brackets using the unused slot on the plates, and the holes in the ARB bumper.

Looks like you could use a coating of FF before this winter.

 

[DesmoPilot]

Once again, the new filler/skid plates breaking apart at the mounting ears. No loose fasteners, all tight, so no added vibration from loose fasteners. As an old mech engineer, I can only surmise there is too much unsupported/cantilevered weight, allowing these plates to flex a lot during normal ops. I do a lot of highway runs, lots of potholes and ruts. When I hit these plates with my hand, they bounce a few cycles, and I can hear that sound when I hit potholes if I listen carefully. Lately I don't have to listen carefully, lots of rattling as they break loose.

One plate has lost several ears, the other shows metal fatigue around the ears. ARB has been good about sending me new ones, but I need a better solution. I'll try to make custom brackets using the unused slot on the plates, and the holes in the ARB bumper.

Looks like you are missing a bracket to support the plate. Mine came with L brackets for each side. I haven't had any issues at all.

 

[residualboulders]

Once again, the new filler/skid plates breaking apart at the mounting ears. No loose fasteners, all tight, so no added vibration from loose fasteners. As an old mech engineer, I can only surmise there is too much unsupported/cantilevered weight, allowing these plates to flex a lot during normal ops. I do a lot of highway runs, lots of potholes and ruts. When I hit these plates with my hand, they bounce a few cycles, and I can hear that sound when I hit potholes if I listen carefully. Lately I don't have to listen carefully, lots of rattling as they break loose.

One plate has lost several ears, the other shows metal fatigue around the ears. ARB has been good about sending me new ones, but I need a better solution. I'll try to make custom brackets using the unused slot on the plates, and the holes in the ARB bumper.

Yeah what @DesmoPilot said. I haven't had any issues with mine either. Just had them off the other day and they are all solid and look almost new. I live on a long dirt road so lots of corrugated vibration.

 

[scottm]

Looks like you are missing a bracket to support the plate. Mine came with L brackets for each side. I haven't had any issues at all.
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Yes!!! That would fix this problem. I still have everything I didn't use from the install, I think just camera brackets.

These! I missed a step in the install, been fighting with this for over a year. I still haven't lost the bag of extra parts despite moving. Had to dig through my neighbor's garage, where all my stuff is stored while my garage gets built.

I don't have matching Torx head screws you have, but looks like hex heads were provided.

 

[DesmoPilot]

Yes!!! That would fix this problem. I still have everything I didn't use from the install, I think just camera brackets.

These! I missed a step in the install, been fighting with this for over a year. I still haven't lost the bag of extra parts despite moving. Had to dig through my neighbor's garage, where all my stuff is stored while my garage gets built.

I don't have matching Torx head screws you have, but looks like hex heads were provided.

Great job finding the brackets! That will fix things for you.

I swapped to matching torx so that all were the same. Just a personal preference.

 

[scottm]

I'll still try to order a new set of plates. One of mine is shot, the other probably would work out with a bracket keeping it from flexing. Probably will take a while to come from Aus, but I can go without.