Metal Tech rear bumper install

[Mr Cimarron]

***Title edited from help to install. Hopefully this helps the next person.***

No directions came with it. I emailed them but I imagine I won't here back until business opens on Monday. I would like to install this weekend. I can get by with some photos of how the odd pieces go together on the tire carrier. It also looks like I will need to drill a few holes in the cross member as well. Any help would be much appreciated. As I get older I am learning to follow directions when available and not just wing it.

 

[Mr Cimarron]

Saturday morning bump.

 

[1911]

Good luck with your install. I have 4+ bumpers on mine, so sorry I can't be of much help. Metaltech makes good stuff though; I have their roll cage and tube doors on mine, and they are always good to deal with.

 

[S4Cruiser]

It would either bolt up to existing holes (where the bumperettes go) or drill new ones.

 

[davegonz]

Any pics of the bumper and the mounting points? When I helped @Sea Knight install his 4Plus bumper, I was surprised that we had to drill new holes. I would have thought that the existing bumperette holes would have been enough.

 

[Mr Cimarron]

I'll snap some photos when it quits raining. I know I have to drill two new holes and widen the existing bumperette holes. It also mounts using the 4 hitch holes. It uses 12 mounting holes total. The confusing part is how the odd ball highlift mount pieces go on the tire carrier. It will probably start making sense once I get going. I have found a few not great photos online that will help. Surprisingly this is the first time google images has not given me what I need.

 

[Mr Cimarron]

Mounting. Pretty straight forward

Tire carrier bits.

 

[Mr Cimarron]

Glad I didn't enlarge the bumperette holes. It doesn't use them like I thought. If only they made a right angle pen to mark where I need to drill.

Middle section. The easy part.

I need to mark and drill these holes on each side.

 

[S4Cruiser]

Take a nail and cut it down short enough to fit and scratch your marks!

 

[Mr Cimarron]

Started finding hardware issues now that I am piecing things together. Two places I have found the supplied washers are too big to fit. Not a real big issues as I have plenty in the shop. For as nice quality as the bumper is I would think the hardware would be as well. It also bothers me when I receive standard hardware on a metric truck. I know many places do this but I just don't know why.

 

[Mr Cimarron]

Take a nail and cut it down short enough to fit and scratch your marks!

Good call. I was just going through the shop looking for some short screws to do just that.

 

[Mr Cimarron]

Nail worked. The outside holes are the same pattern as the hitch so I will use it as a guide as well. I am going to take a rain delay now. The water splattering on me
is annoying. Not working with a lot of room today.

 

[tlc762]

Or you could take a piece of newpaper or posterboard and make a template of the hole spacing and transfer it to the rear crossmember...
hth,
Will

 

[Mr Cimarron]

Or you could take a piece of newpaper or posterboard and make a template of the hole spacing and transfer it to the rear crossmember...
hth,
Will

That was my first thought before I found the hitch. Most of my drill bits are not the sharpest so they will wonder a bit so I think the hitch as a drill template may work out better. We will see.

 

[davegonz]

Bring it over. I have room in my shop.

 

[Mr Cimarron]

Back at it after going to a movie with the fam. Logan is pretty good if anyone is wondering.
Anyway I drilled the holes and now am waiting for the paint to dry in the holes.
I think I will change the title of this thread to "how to" when finished.
I had to break out the corded drill and while digging it out I found a long 1/2" bit that worked perfectly.

Using the hitch as a guide I was able to drill all the holes using the 1/2" bit rather than starting with small bits.

8 new holes. All the metal shavings were nice and shiny which is always better than rusty dust.

 

[Mr Cimarron]

Bearing greased and swing arm attached.

 

[Mr Cimarron]

Install done. A few more things I noticed while installing. The studs on the tire carrier are a bit long and my acorn nuts were bottoming out so I had to add some washers behind the wheel. I also had to use a self tapping screws for the tail lights. I have reproduction lights so maybe that was it. I have one piece left over that I couldn't figure out where it goes. I believe it's the reverse light mount but I just can't figure out where it bolts on. Hopefully these photos will help the next person if instructions aren't provided.

The left over bracket

 

[Mr Cimarron]

A few more.

 

[davegonz]

CB antenna bracket?