Reworking and Repair
05-14-2024, 02:40 PM
#1
Reworking and Repair
Hello again! As we all know our runners get some serious use over the years and as the price of gas has increased my driving has decreased. As such I decided I needed to do some upkeep maintenance and some repairs. I will have to get some pics and try to figure out how to post them as Photobucket has taken away my storage and they want me to pay for it, not gonna happen so any suggestions are appreciated.
Noticed how many third gens are in wrecking yard? and the rear corners are almost always dented? Well I found on that had both corners intact. The center section was perfect too so I decided to get some parts off this one and started to take it apart. Not as easy as you might thing. First you have to removed the fender mud flap, then pry the bumper cover loose and then remove the screws holding the bumper to the corners. Remove the screw/bolts holding the corner to a bracket near the wheel well. once you get the corner free, you can work on the main rear bumper. Got it home and started to do the same on my Runner. I have a issue with the corners as I could not get the last bolt that attaches the corner to that bracket near the wheel well so as it was going away, just pulled it out enough to bet the three screws holding the bracket to the corner.
Removed the 98's bumper with 4 bolts that hold it to the frame. Easy peazy. Placed the replacement bumper in position and when I crawled under to bolt in the replacement, the brackets were different! They were longer so I did not have mounting locations. Out comes the bumper. Now I wanted to get this done quickly and a simple swap out of the brackets should make this an easy swap. Put some PB Blaster on the bolts/studs and waited a bit and then started to retrieve the old brackets. They started to come loose and I went easy and did some back and forth to help loosen the nuts and continued torquing. And then (wait for it) POP! Snapped the studs off, well not a huge issue as I would then just use the nuts from the replacement bumper brackets. Brackets off ready for install on replacement. Lubed them up too and got the first three off with some difficulty but sure enough I got the last inside bracket nut almost off and it went POP! Also it seems the later 3rd gens rear bumper had another insert in the center that went from the two inside bracket studs. I think this was some engineers attempt to make the center section stronger in case of being "bumped". These are not on the earlier 3rd gens, but they do have the two other mount holes in the top edge for also securing this "3rd member" but we don't use them on the earlier ones. The bumper facia covers them anyway. As I had the nut almost off when it did snap off I still have adequate length to secure the bracket as on the older bumper.
After getting the new corners all lined up and installed all that remains is to put the trim on the ends and clean up.
Noticed how many third gens are in wrecking yard? and the rear corners are almost always dented? Well I found on that had both corners intact. The center section was perfect too so I decided to get some parts off this one and started to take it apart. Not as easy as you might thing. First you have to removed the fender mud flap, then pry the bumper cover loose and then remove the screws holding the bumper to the corners. Remove the screw/bolts holding the corner to a bracket near the wheel well. once you get the corner free, you can work on the main rear bumper. Got it home and started to do the same on my Runner. I have a issue with the corners as I could not get the last bolt that attaches the corner to that bracket near the wheel well so as it was going away, just pulled it out enough to bet the three screws holding the bracket to the corner.
Removed the 98's bumper with 4 bolts that hold it to the frame. Easy peazy. Placed the replacement bumper in position and when I crawled under to bolt in the replacement, the brackets were different! They were longer so I did not have mounting locations. Out comes the bumper. Now I wanted to get this done quickly and a simple swap out of the brackets should make this an easy swap. Put some PB Blaster on the bolts/studs and waited a bit and then started to retrieve the old brackets. They started to come loose and I went easy and did some back and forth to help loosen the nuts and continued torquing. And then (wait for it) POP! Snapped the studs off, well not a huge issue as I would then just use the nuts from the replacement bumper brackets. Brackets off ready for install on replacement. Lubed them up too and got the first three off with some difficulty but sure enough I got the last inside bracket nut almost off and it went POP! Also it seems the later 3rd gens rear bumper had another insert in the center that went from the two inside bracket studs. I think this was some engineers attempt to make the center section stronger in case of being "bumped". These are not on the earlier 3rd gens, but they do have the two other mount holes in the top edge for also securing this "3rd member" but we don't use them on the earlier ones. The bumper facia covers them anyway. As I had the nut almost off when it did snap off I still have adequate length to secure the bracket as on the older bumper.
After getting the new corners all lined up and installed all that remains is to put the trim on the ends and clean up.
05-15-2024, 05:19 AM
#2
Registered User
Imgur still works well enough as a free hosting site, although the mobile app makes it very hard to get direct links to the pics, the regular browser site makes it easy, which is weird.
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