Removing the rear bumper of a 2001 Cherokee

I am in the process of removing my rear bumper of my 2001 Cherokee. I was able to remove the bottom two bolts very easly and remove the screws that are attaching the bumper ends to the bumper. How do you get the final 2 bolts off? I tried using a wrench but don't have the right angle. I tried using a 15 mm socket but it's not deep enough and the deep socked won't fit. I'm stuck...

The easiest way to remove the rear bumper is to take the bumper off WITH it's mounting brackets, and THEN separate the bumper from the brackets.

So its easier to take off the 8 bolts that are attached to the body rather than the 4 that mount the bumper to the mounts.

Uh...that's about the size of it...

mweed21 said:

So its easier to take off the 8 bolts that are attached to the body rather than the 4 that mount the bumper to the mounts.

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MUCH easier

I remove my rear bumper all the time to repaint it...get scratched up off roading...I take off end caps...look insince you'll see the nuts...get a small 3/8 inch ratchet and the right size socked and just stick your hand inside and ratchet the nuts off...it's just that easy...

JOHN4WD said:

I remove my rear bumper all the time to repaint it...get scratched up off roading...I take off end caps...look insince you'll see the nuts...get a small 3/8 inch ratchet and the right size socked and just stick your hand inside and ratchet the nuts off...it's just that easy...

Click to expand...

I tried to reach in and get the bumper itself off but i need to use a deep socket (15 mm) and it doesnt fit.... did you cut down the screw size once you got the bumper off initially?

Eagle said:

MUCH easier

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I tried to get to the body mounts but the shackles seem to be in the way. Plus i have to use a deep socket since the screws are long. Do you have any trouble working around the shackles and the gas tank?

I got ticked off at mine and could not get the two top ones off that are inside. Finally after leaving some chunks of meat out of my hand and wrist I drilled two holes, stuck a deep socket on there and put an extension thru the hole and used a ratchet from the outside. When done I used two black plastic plugs to cover the holes. Worked good enough that I drilled two more holes to get at all 4 of them. The bumper is black and so were the plugs, unless you looked close you would never notice them. That worked for a couple of years then I put a tomken rear bumper on. Now I can take it off with either a box or open end. No more blood...

I just took off bumper cap and took a craftman 3/8 inch ratchet and a 13/16th socket (Non Deep well) and just removed the nut...And it worked fine...That's how I remove my rear bumper...A lot easier than removing brackets...Unless your repalcing it with an after market bumper and if it requires different brackets...Then I guess you don't have a choice but remove the brackets and install new ones...Have a good one...

John4wd...