RTH Rear ARB Bumper install question.

[CappyKD]

Has anybody here installed a rear ARB bumper without carriers or blanking plates? (I know other bumpers are more commonly used on the 100's here on mud, but I wanted the ARB due to doing a lot of towing and wanting the rated, certified towing of the ARB.)

I ordered an ARB rear bumper with blanking plates which arrived Thursday and I was planning to install it this AM. Only, when I went through all the parts in the box, I noticed that the swingout blanking plates did not make the shipment apparently. According to the instructions, I need to install the blanking plates and or swingouts before, I finish the bar install. Has anyone installed the bar without installing the swingout covers or swingouts? Has anyone switched from blanking covers to regular swingouts? Did you have to remove the bumper to do the swap? I really really want to get the bar installed, but don't want to have to remove the whole thing to install the swingouts. Thoughts?

 

[CappyKD]

Has anybody here installed a rear ARB bumper without carriers or blanking plates? (I know other bumpers are more commonly used on the 100's here on mud, but I wanted the ARB due to doing a lot of towing and wanting the rated, certified towing of the ARB.)

I ordered an ARB rear bumper with blanking plates which arrived Thursday and I was planning to install it this AM. Only, when I went through all the parts in the box, I noticed that the swingout blanking plates did not make the shipment apparently. According to the instructions, I need to install the blanking plates and or swingouts before, I finish the bar install. Has anyone installed the bar without installing the swingout covers or swingouts? Has anyone switched from blanking covers to regular swingouts? Did you have to remove the bumper to do the swap? I really really want to get the bar installed, but don't want to have to remove the whole thing to install the swingouts. Thoughts?

Well I got it installed without the cover plates. Knowing my luck, I will need to remove the whole thing when I put the dual tire swing outs on. It seems like I will only need to remove the side portions with trim in order to fit the swing outs. Gained a good 4 plus inches of clearance to the bottom of the receiver. Very happy with the way it turned out.

 

[thetoyotaman]

Nice. I have one sitting in my garage. Just noticed your post. Did you use a jack or help to raise it into position?

 

[CappyKD]

Nice. I have one sitting in my garage. Just noticed your post. Did you use a jack or help to raise it into position?

Thanks, now it's your turn. Haa.

I used a friend, took about 5 mins of help.

 

[CappyKD]

Thanks, now it's your turn. Haa.

I used a friend, took about 5 mins of help.

Now I see why they wanted the blanking plates on before the bumper is put on. Two bolts are a bear to get to with the bumper in place. I just put the side plates on for now and left the center off until I can get a long enough allen key.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Chiming in late but as you see the 'Cover Panels' must be installed prior to fitting the bar to the truck, with some creativity and perhaps some slight mods you could attach them but not with their hardware. The carriers can in fact be fitted with the bar installed however you will need to pull the top trim cushions as well as the wings themselves unless you have a newer setup with the adjustment holes on the wings. Great bumpers and I think you'll be happy with it, we've done a few dozen of them and I run the same setup on my 100 (pics here) and feedback has all been favorable.

 

[CappyKD]

Chiming in late but as you see the 'Cover Panels' must be installed prior to fitting the bar to the truck, with some creativity and perhaps some slight mods you could attach them but not with their hardware. The carriers can in fact be fitted with the bar installed however you will need to pull the top trim cushions as well as the wings themselves unless you have a newer setup with the adjustment holes on the wings. Great bumpers and I think you'll be happy with it, we've done a few dozen of them and I run the same setup on my 100 (pics here) and feedback has all been favorable.

I did get them pretty tight with the bumper already mounted, but is was tough. Thanks for the reply BTW. Love your build thread!! I will be calling for a Helton setup soon also. What did you do with the ARB bumper lights. My truck has the factory 4 wire trailer lights and my amber lights are lighting up as brake lights. I screwed something up converting from 5 wire arb to 4 wire. The ARB came with a nice harness but my 01 LX did not have the same connector.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

There are a couple options, tap into your harness and re-wire (which I did) or get red lenses and swap them out for the ambers.

Lemme know on the Helton!

 

[CappyKD]

There are a couple options, tap into your harness and re-wire (which I did) or get red lenses and swap them out for the ambers.

Lemme know on the Helton!

I'll be letting you know on the Helton soon enough. Hmmm I suppose I will have to see if I can get the red lenses for now. I may have to remove the bumper to get back at the ARB supplied wiring harness to re-wire, plus I have to figure out which wire to tap into.

 

[nakman]

Sorry man, late to the show here as well. As you gathered, the only way to install those plates correctly is with the bumper removed, or at least pulled out 4" or so- that's what I did when I went from covers to a swing-out, had to unbolt it then it kinda supports itself about 4" out, enough room to get an arm in there to get a few nuts started. I also had to remove mine a second time, as one of the press-in nuts for the top cover fell through, and I didn't realize that until I was bolting it up.. I think I put 12 hours into installing that rear swing-out, all said and done.

But even after all that, I still love the bumper and still like it better than the other options. if you get into another jam, send a PM or email, happy to help.

re: wiring, pretty sure there was a harness under there that you unhook, then just plug the bumper in? I don't remember doing much splicing..

 

[CappyKD]

Sorry man, late to the show here as well. As you gathered, the only way to install those plates correctly is with the bumper removed, or at least pulled out 4" or so- that's what I did when I went from covers to a swing-out, had to unbolt it then it kinda supports itself about 4" out, enough room to get an arm in there to get a few nuts started. I also had to remove mine a second time, as one of the press-in nuts for the top cover fell through, and I didn't realize that until I was bolting it up.. I think I put 12 hours into installing that rear swing-out, all said and done.

But even after all that, I still love the bumper and still like it better than the other options. if you get into another jam, send a PM or email, happy to help.

re: wiring, pretty sure there was a harness under there that you unhook, then just plug the bumper in? I don't remember doing much splicing..

I put the cage nuts in for the covers before I installed the bumper so it wasn't the end of the world installing with the bumper in place but I am still having hand cramps. The connecter on my truck which had the factory 4 wire towing connector on one side and a factory connector on the other was not the same as the connector on the ARB loom. I left the factory connector Un touched and cut the 4 wire trailer adapter and sliced it into the arb loom and back out to the factory 4 wire end. Do you remember where the connector you used is? The connector for my rear harness to the towing connector was on the passengers side. Maybe I missed one with a brake light feed on the drivers side.

How are you? You coming to Cruise Moab this year? I'm going to make it for the first time. ( I just got back from a Trip to Moab and It was great so we are headed back this spring for the Cruise.) I just gotta get my new non AHC springs installed, at least one swingout for the ARB and crank my Torsion bars to get my AHC back to spec. (I was dropping into Low wheeling around Moab and that was pre-ARB.) Then maybe some 295-70/18 Nittos and I will be ready. Still love the rack BTW!

 

[thetoyotaman]

By the way, did the weight of the bumper make a noticeable difference? I'm wondering how much my stock springs could handle the bumper for now.

 

[CappyKD]

By the way, did the weight of the bumper make a noticeable difference? I'm wondering how much my stock springs could handle the bumper for now.

I was already on the edge of what my stock AHC springs could do. I have a roller drawer with roller floor, steel roof rack, high lift, and an ARB fridge along with a couple hundred pounds of gear. So for me, the bumper put me over the edge. It weighs about 200 pounds without swingouts.

I just replaced my AHC springs with non AHC springs yesterday. This offset all of the additional weight that I have added to my rig.

Not sure that this answers you question, but I would need to know more about your Rig, setup and cargo to give a better opinion.

 

[thetoyotaman]

Thanks. I figured yours was AHC. Mine is not and is stock right now.

 

[CappyKD]

My drivers side swing out tire carrier and reversing light kit arrive this Wed. This should be fun to add. I will probably just suck it up and pull the whole bumper so I can fix the turn signal lighting when I hit the brakes issue, as well as add the reverse lights.

Really thinking I wanna wait and get the passengers side swingout and just pull the bumper once. Reality is that I will pull it put the passengers side swing out on and then pull it again in a few months.

 

[Jason YY]

Not too hijack the thread- I have the ARB rear with no swing outs- factory AHC.

The rear bumper did not affect ride height in any noticeable fashion.

I don't have the swing outs installed- they are sitting in my garage. (along with 863's and torsion bars, shocks)

I wonder what the market is like for slightly used cover plates

 

[nakman]

Hey Kirk my wiring connectors were on the passenger side as well, up near where the rear cross member attaches. I could drop my spare and snap a pic if you think it would help.. lmk.

And some consolation, but it is a little faster each time you unhook that sucker.. most tedious are the mudflaps, and getting the backing plate nut things aligned for the 2 bolts that go in from the outside. I finally found the trick with just the right bend on the handle and a long vice grip... hth.

And you bet, see you at Cruise Moab!

 

[CappyKD]

Not too hijack the thread- I have the ARB rear with no swing outs- factory AHC.

The rear bumper did not affect ride height in any noticeable fashion.

I don't have the swing outs installed- they are sitting in my garage. (along with 863's and torsion bars, shocks)

I wonder what the market is like for slightly used cover plates

It won't affect the ride height as the AHC adjusts for it's weight, but will cause AHC neutral pressures to rise and decrease overall weight capacity. At some point it either doesn't want to go into high or even drops into low. (Ask how I know.) With my Torsion bars cranked and non ahc springs in the rear I am back near neutral pressure spec and load capacity.

No doubt! I have a set of plates for sale as well as the other half of my outback solutions roller drawer roller floor fit kit as I run only one drawer.

 

[Jason YY]

What exactly is your issue with the wiring ?

 

[CappyKD]

Hey Kirk my wiring connectors were on the passenger side as well, up near where the rear cross member attaches. I could drop my spare and snap a pic if you think it would help.. lmk.

And some consolation, but it is a little faster each time you unhook that sucker.. most tedious are the mudflaps, and getting the backing plate nut things aligned for the 2 bolts that go in from the outside. I finally found the trick with just the right bend on the handle and a long vice grip... hth.

And you bet, see you at Cruise Moab!

Nah I should be ok on the connector I found the one connected to my 4 wire trailer adapter but it is different than the one that was on the ARB harness. I already cut the arb one and spliced it in with the factory pigtail. I just need to find the stop lamp wire and the reverse light wire then tie the red wire from the ARB loom into the stop light circuit and then the new reversing light kit will be hooked to a relay to an aux fuse block with a reverse lights trigger and a manual overide.

Look forward to meeting you! Can't wait to get back there and meet some of the members of Mud. I owe Cruiser Dan a 6 pack of a nice craft brew for bailing me out with overnight saturday delivery of part to a dealer in Grand Junction when my TPS went out on the 191 on the way into Moab.