Removing front bumper for my Buckstop

[TBrennan]

Can anyone offer any hints on how they removed the bolts that hold the front bumper on? They are tied together are a little retainer plate that contacts the intercooler when trying to remove them.



I don't want to remove the intercooler just for these stupid bolts, if I had a cutting torch I'd cut the top most bolt off and that would work. I thought I'd ask here in case there is a simple answer that I'm overlooking. I assume the bolts would be pretty hard cutting for a sawzall (which I do have).

 

[Scrappy]

bumper bolts

You do have to take the intercooler loose, but it is really simple. Just remove the upper intercooler mount bolts and lift it up and pull the bottom fwd. , the lower end has an upside down "U" that fits over the core support. You just have to make sure that you don't lose the rubber isolators from the bottom. The intercooler tubes don't even need to be removed. then you could just put the bolts in from the other side for reassembly.

 

[TBrennan]

Thanks Scrappy. That's what I was also thinking of doing. I just didn't want to strain any of the connections to the intercooler, they look like hard plastic with a small section of rubber.

 

[Jengle]

I did exactly what Scrappy said, it's not any trouble, really.

 

[TBrennan]

That's what I ended up doing as well. Installation was kind of pita accessing some of those nuts. It was a knucklebuster. Of course I did this all by myself with just hand tools (my new Kubota tractor is coming in handy, used it to lift and position front bumper).



I modified the oem extra tow hook braces and reused then for extra support. Alignment of the bumper was a big challenge also. It's not perfect but it's as close as it's going to get until I HAVE to take it off again for a winch or whatever.



On a previous truck I had a ProZap bumper which was similar in look and setup but one thing I liked about that bumper was that the frame mounts were also the winch mount so you mounted that center section with a winch if desired and then bolted the bumper shell to that. It made it easier to install even without a winch and I can imaging lifting this Buckstop with the winch installed would be a real ordeal.



The Buckstop looks great and is better in person. Next I'll be working on lights front and rear. Anyone use the oem front fogs for the rear backup lights? I think I might try to do that.

 

[Jengle]

I used a floor jack on a hitch bar mounted in the hitch reciever in the bumper to hold mine in place. Wasn't that much trouble, but it was tricky lining it up to go into place, with all the weight in the front, trying to tip it forward. I am going to hate taking it off to install the winch, as well. For the rear, I used tractor headlamps, the ones mounted in rubber housings. They seem to work pretty well, and at $9 each, more money for other bombs.