Removing Rear Bumper Cover Any Gain?

[aamiggia]

I've seen a cool vid of a LX450 bumper cover being torn off (sorry Hugh) because it's plastic and sticks out too much. I wouldn't mind dragging my rear cross member around without the cover. That way I can bolt a trailer hitch to it with the stock holes in it.

Can someone give me the jist of what, if anything will be gained by this. I'm trying to remove anything that can be damaged easily when wheelin'. The doesn't take kindly to mangled bits.

 

[RavenTai]

if you lay under you rear bumper can you see an aluminum extrusion that looks like it may be the rear step from a TLC?

 

[Texus]

yup... it's th esame bumper under thar... if ya want it off of your LX... consider getting LC bumperettes... casuse the LX ones are shaped diffrently in the middle to cover the edge of that center cover piece... with the center piece out, you have the void between the bumpettes & the actualt bumper metal... looks fugly...imo

 

[RavenTai]

hmm some have said the LX does not have the aluminum step, yes the crossmember/bumper is the same but with out the step there will be a void?

Guess I need to pull mine off ans see what is truely under there, but there are way more important things on the TO DO list

 

[alaskacruiser]

I have removed the plastic cover on my LX. The aluminum step-plate is NOT there and there is a void where it is supposed to go. I purchased the plate from a local Toyota dealer (should have used CDan!) and installed it and it fits just fine. Problem is the tailgate won't close because of the plastic cladding rubbing against the part of the step-plate closest to the body. I had to trim my step-plate to fit. I think replacing the "bumperettes" with LC versions would also fix this prob.

 

[CDN_Cruiser]

Hey - I resemble that !

I looked into the cost of replacing with the LC end caps, and, as you would expect, it's quite expensive if you go with new OEM. I'm also not sure it will fix the problem. While I have town the centre trim piece off my bumper ( a few years ago), I've also pulled the inside edge of the trim cap (as noted in the video - with 'xtreme' close-up!).

My sense is that the LC end cap it the same design (is there is plastic trim that goes under the bumper). If that's the case, you'll tear that off as well.

The 'solution' is to get a lift to give you a few more inches and help fix the awful stock departure angle on this truck. Others will note that a trailer hitch will help - I personally believe that this would make it even worse as I would have effectively been 'highsided' on the hitch in a number of places. Then I get to have some guy winch me up or down a ledge - likelly tearing the hitch and other mics bits off the truck in the process!

PS - where is the link to the vid - someone emailed it to me, but I seem to have lost it.

Cheers, Hugh