Coastal Offroad rear bumper build and PT228-89460 and stock hitch fitment (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Sep 15, 2013
Threads
3
Messages
15
Location
Georgia, USA
Hoping to give back a tiny bit as I've been using this forum for years and mostly lurking. I just completed a build of the Coastal Offroad bumper on a 2014 4Runner that I've owned since new. I did attempt to fit a 4th Gen PT228-89460 hitch in hopes of using a weight distributing hitch for better trailering at close to max rated (yes, outside of recommended use, but not with any intent of exceeding the vehicle's rated capacity). Short version - it does fit, would need an adaptor welded to bolt the center attachment points on, which would be extremely easy to accomplish. That said, I think the crossmember on the 4th gen is a tiny bit further back than on the 5th gen, so even though it bolts up easily, you can't use the stock spare tire location with it. I ended up canning that option, as I didn't want to go with a swingout yet. Ended up cutting a relief in the bottom of the bumper, reinforcing with some steel bar, and modifying the stock hitch to bolt on with the Coastal bumper. I'm happy with how it turned out. If you're just using a bike rack or other lightweight hitch accessories, just buy the Coastal hitch! I actually trailer, and wanted a stock hitch for that reason. Second mod - this bumper is designed to accept the Rigid lights. I wanted to use Baja Designs, for no good reason other than that I have them elsewhere in the vehicle. Ended up designing adaptors in CAD and having them laser-cut, then welding them in. I made a design error and some grinding was necessary, but the concept was successful. Finally, ended up failing to find anyone to powdercoat it (estimates were $1200 and 6 weeks) so used color-matched Smart liner (basically branded Raptor liner). It's not perfect, but it was cheap, easy, and should be durable. Happy to answer any questions about this setup!

I have many, many photos of the build, but apparently haven't posted enough to put them up here yet. Or maybe it's a limit per post. Not certain. Will just put the few I'm allowed up, and am happy to supply anything else anyone has questions on.

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Turns out it's just a per-post limit. Figured I should illustrate another modification I made. They advise cutting the body mount bolts off to fix this interference - I'm OCD about checking torque on those intermittently, so opted to cut clearance holes for them.

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And, detail on the adaptor for the Baja Designs flush mount lights. Didn't take a photo once fully welded in and ground smooth.

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And, lastly, I guess - I didn't want to use any filler on a bumper, so I reworked some welds until they were right, ground them with a 40-grit then 80-grit flap disc, then used medium and finally fine surface conditioning discs to get a smooth surface for finishing. Intent had been powdercoat but that is unobtainium for a shadetree mechanic in my area - the guys are busy already and just don't want the business. I primed with rattle cans, then used a Finishmaster branded version of Raptor Liner, tinted to match the vehicle color. It is extremely forgiving (first coat is what's shown here), though I recommend buying their pro gun rather than the basic Schutz gun for better texture control.

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Wow, those are some skills!
That came out excellent!
Did you do any interior bracing inside the bumper?
 
Wow, those are some skills!
That came out excellent!
Did you do any interior bracing inside the bumper?
Nope! There is some bracing already, at least bracing the rear upright sections in a fore/aft fashion. It should handle a swingout fine. That said. I actually stared at it for a while, and decided I wasn't comfortable with how close it is to the body metal, and the potential interference if I actually land on the bumper hard enough. Have decided to make some modifications...
 
Amazing! How many hours of work?
Well... a lot. But I've gone a bit nuts modifying it. I think if you worked from their kit without mods, it could have been welded up in a (very full) weekend, then whatever time was needed to finish it.
 
So, perhaps time for an update. I didn't like the gaps - and decided that the full heigh bumper didn't take advantage of the lines of the 4Runner as well as it could have. So, I broke out the plasma cutter and started redesigning... Then a little bit of SendCutSend to cut some top plates, as well as some aluminum templates to cut out openings for the same Baja Designs lights.

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A test fit showed that fit was pretty good (plan on on and off a lot of times - this contraption rigged up from jackstands and 2x2 steel allowed me to slide it on and off repeatedly without help). Primed, then bedliner coated. Installed the Baja Designs lights, wired them up, and... it worked!

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I decided I really liked this appearance, so wanted a filler panel to be cosmetically right. Lots of masking tape, many, many, many measurements transferred... and a very careful experiment with a Dremel. Some edge trim, install, and I'm quite happy with the end result.

How much time? I lost track. If I had used a stock kit with less mods, and not been highly OCD about finishing the welds, or maintaining access to the body bolts, or tweaking fitment, or using the Rigid lights that would have fit stock... well, it would have taken a lot less time.

That said, no regrets about using bedliner instead of powdercoat. This cost maybe 100 bucks and an evening's effort, instead of 1200 bucks and a 6-week wait. Plus, if I jack it up on a trail, can always strip and recoat it.

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Great job. I just added the Coastal low profile rear bumper to my 2013 Trail. Two questions:
1. To use the factory hitch, did you just cut out (and reinforce) a section of the bottom and not the bumper face?
2. Did you reinforce the upper portion of factory plastic bumper, particularly by the wheel well? The 2013,Trail has a separate clip on fender flare that seems a little flimsy now without all the clips.
 
Great job. I just added the Coastal low profile rear bumper to my 2013 Trail. Two questions:
1. To use the factory hitch, did you just cut out (and reinforce) a section of the bottom and not the bumper face?
2. Did you reinforce the upper portion of factory plastic bumper, particularly by the wheel well? The 2013,Trail has a separate clip on fender flare that seems a little flimsy now without all the clips.
To 1, yes. The factory 4th gen hitch mounted up just fine to the 5th gen under the Coastal bumper. However, it didn't clear the spare tire, and I don't run a swingout, so wasn't an option. Still have the 4th gen hitch on a shelf if anyone is looking for one... I decided to stick with the 5th gen hitch - I cut out and reinforced the bottom of the bumper. Decided not to cut out the rear, because the hitch bolts are one of the mount points for the bumper and I thought I'd lose a lot of rigidity if I got rid of all of them. I did have to use a die grinder and extend the holes on the bottom of the hitch by about 3/16" then used appropriate grade socket head cap screws to bolt it on. Stock bolts on the rear of the hitch.
For 2, I didn't reinforce it - seemed solid enough to me. I have wondered how I'll clean it out in there if I ever get in a deep mud bog...
 
Great thank you. I’ll likely do the same with the factory hitch. I had wondered about the 4th Gen hitch; it’s too bad it didn’t clear the spare. As to reinforcing the upper portion sides of the factory bumper I wasn’t happy with the excessive play particularly with the separate plastic flare on the early Trail edition. So I drilled a hole in the wheel well metal, added swimming noodle foam and a zip tie and all is good!
 
@briancp

This is a great write-up @briancp!

I just wanted to share learned detail about the "3/8" recovery/shackle points.
Per instructions (and @r2m Here are a couple diagrams of internal framing):
5 bolts to frame and penetrates slot in faceplate, then plate 16 (2x per side) sandwich and weld to 5 and faceplate
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I wonder if a 3/8" plate or 1/2" plate could be cut from the pattern of #5, and open the slot to accommodate, then you'd have one singular thick plate directly bolted to frame and reinforced by welds rather than one singular 3/16" plate bolted to frame and reinforced by welds... 🤔
thoughts/ideas?


I nabbed these images from other threads.
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I appreciate your detail! Do you cover the access holes with plastic plugs?
Seems like those could act as drain holes for washing out that plate, of collected debris from the mud bog, etc. ;)
Your mods to replace the bumper skin, is what they sell as the low-profile bumper kit, are well done!

thanks for the details!
 
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@briancp

This is a great write-up @briancp!

I just wanted to share learned detail about the "3/8" recovery/shackle points.
Per instructions (and @r2m Here are a couple diagrams of internal framing):
5 bolts to frame and penetrates slot in faceplate, then plate 16 (2x per side) sandwich and weld to 5 and faceplate
View attachment 3245236 View attachment 3245241
I wonder if a 3/8" plate or 1/2" plate could be cut from the pattern of #5, and open the slot to accommodate, then you'd have one singular thick plate directly bolted to frame and reinforced by welds rather than one singular 3/16" plate bolted to frame and reinforced by welds... 🤔
thoughts/ideas?


I nabbed these images from other threads.
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I appreciate your detail! Do you cover the access holes with plastic plugs?
Seems like those could act as drain holes for washing out that plate, of collected debris from the mud bog, etc. ;)
Your mods to replace the bumper skin, is what they sell as the low-profile bumper kit, are well done!

thanks for the details!
The layout is actually a little different on my iteration (maybe the current one?) The recovery points are actually more lateral, and are combined with the vertical supports (just an extension of part 8 in your diagram, rather than a separate part 5). Could reach out to Coastal Offroad to ask about their current design - they are extremely responsive to emails. You could replicate the part out of 1/2", but you'd have to do a ton of grinding to get it to fit all of the necessary contours. Or you could trim the recovery point off, widen the slot, and sister a billet recovery point onto the plate? I'm not sure it would be worth it - a good amount of work to create something that probably wouldn't be any stronger than this design. At the end of the day, essentially every bumper on the market is still attached to the frame via the same 3/16" bottom plate using the same bolts, and I'm guessing that is the ultimate limiting factor, not the strength of the recovery point itself.

I did not cover the access holes - would rather that any junk drain than just sit in there.

Appreciate the compliment! Happy to answer any more questions...
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That's good info and this thread is super helpful for stock and modifying purposes.

Yeah, there are design and fitment differences between the 5th gen 4R (aka 150 chassis) and GX 470 (aka 120 chassis). Thanks for the inside shot of your bumper, that shows some differences well. 🤙


I'm still in the investigation phase. I had rear end damage cracking the bumper plastic, bending the quarter panel and cracking my taillight and am hoping I can come out of the insurance process with a Coastal bumper acquired at a steep discount, considering body shop repair estimate and claims adjusted payout.
I think I'd rather do the fitment and welding myself than pay the shop to do it, but it might get wonky with the claim that way, plus I have some bumper skin damage in the area that's retained above the bumper... so again still in the analysis phase.


Sounds like the recovery point plate set-up is different in 5th gen.
**EDIT** Actually relooking at your pictures and another 5th gen, it looks like the main plate making the shackle point ties into many places and it gests layers with 2 others that weld onto the bumper surfaces...**

For the 470, it looks to me that #5 would bolt to the frame and slot through the plate #4, then #16 sandwiches #5 and welds to #4 and the entirety of the face of the now 3-layered shackle point.

**EDIT** another 470 Coastal owner confirmed #5 doesn't bolt to the frame...**
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It seems like one could just copy #5, open up the slot in #4 and have a one-piece 3/8" or 1/2" plate such that the full shackle piece is bolted to the frame rather than 1/3 of the layers, with the 2/3 of the layers just face-welded.
I dunno, though, you may be right it may not make any structural/strength difference.

Nabbed your pix here.
I can't tell if any of the shackle point plates penetrate the outer plate of the bumper, or if they're all butt-welded and stacked.
Did yours sleeve through the rear panel then sandwich to make the 3/8"?
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Thanks for the deets.
 
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gotcha. Okay, I think I see.
On the 5th gen 4r, the main shackle piece welds to several structural pieces and helps box out the bumper but is not associated with any parts of the 4r's frame.
I was thinking/hoping maybe that piece would be or against the frame but just close to it and not in a way one would try to bolt to the frame. I think I see...
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So, with this as the main shackle point, yours has two additional plates per side that weld up to that mane piece, right? So it makes three 3/16" pieces for the shackle point?

thanks
 
I did coastal off road (COR) on my LC100. The welding and fitting was much harder than COR implied. It took at least 20 hours with a skilled welder. They state that it would be good project to learn welding skills. I could not disagree more. It would likely take over 40 hours if you did not throw it in the dumpster first.

Next issue is the car is in southern CA but metallic hoops that comprise the hinges have significant rust at less than 2 years. I could only imagine how rusted they would be in a moist climate like Seattle, Minnesota, etc.

I will not be going with coastal off road again.
 

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