Ok, so I've seen a few write ups on Rigid Co's rear bumper installs, but none on the front, so I'll go ahead and make one. If these pictures will not load, feel free to visit http://community.webshots.com/user/53guy and go to the bumpers album.
This bumper is the Rigid Co FBG front bumper, powdercoated gloss black, and shipped to Quantico, VA (along with the rear bumper with the tire carrier to be installed at a later date) for right at $1200. It was installed on a 1999 Jeep Cherokee, so if you have an earlier model the instructions may vary. The install took about 1.5-2 hours with air tools and two people, breaks, drinks, and pictures. It is a very easy and straight forward install. So enough of the chat and onto the bumper.
First thing is first. Remove the stock front bumper. Very easy and no pictures of it as it is so easy. Method of removal may vary, but first remove the endcaps, unbolt the bumper, unbolt the bumper mounts. Now the only thing to keep is two of the stock bumper mount bolts. Everything else throw away.
Next thing to do is to open up the two boxes that Terry sends you, one being the mounting plates and associated hardware and the second being the bumper itself. Grap the instructions (colored and bound in a folder), read through them, and make sure you are familiar with the install procedures, you have all the tools, and you have all the parts. Now pay close attention here. In the instructions, it refers to bag HO 3. There is no HO 3 any longer. I called Terry when I came to this point and found out that they consolidated the bolts into different bags, so just search for the bolts that will fit. In the inventory there is no listing of HO 3, but the instructions call for it, so don't get confused like we did.
So now you should have the entire front bumper off, the mounts off, and be ready to install. It should look pretty much like this.
Next, grab the crossmember (the part that goes across the front, below the grille) and make sure that it fits into place. The instructions say to use the temporary hardware at this point to make sure that everything fits properly, but I found it much easier to just use the final nuts and bolts, just not to run everything down all the way tight. Just put the bolts in, washers on, and run the nuts down to the nylock, but not past incase you need to take them off again. If you have an overhead center console, you may have an OAT thermostat in the center of the crossmember that you may need to become creative with at some point. I chose not to relocate mine, just to cut the bolt/washer a tad to make it fit with the bumper. The crossmember should look like this when bolted up loosly.
Terry's instructions say to cut the fender supports to make clearance for the side plates, but I found that if I removed a bolt, I could piviot the fender support instead of cutting it which I liked much better as it made a very handy place to relocate my horns to. The side plates are very easy. On the passanger side, put the plate up next to the frame rail, and fill the holes with bolts as per the instructions. The drivers side, you'll need to unbolt your steering box and any previously installed frame support. I had a C-Rok inner and outter frame support and had to give away my outer as the Rigid Co bumper replaces the outer. The drivers side looks like this when installed loosly (not all the bolts are in at this point).
You may also find that it is time to replace your stock steering box spacer with a stouter inner frame support, like this one from C-Rok. It works great and there is no interferance with the bumper at all.
And the passanger side.
At this point, you'll want to have your buddy help you position the bumper in place between the gap in the side plates and the crossmember plate. Be quick and put some bolts in there as the bumper will get heavy quick. Once the side bolts are on, grab the reciever plate and put it behind the stock crossmember and run the bolts through with washers and their associated nuts. I am not telling anyone which bolts to put in, as the instructions that are provided will do that. There are grade 5 and 8 bolts, so follow the instructions carefully as you will not want the wrong grade bolts in the wrong holes. Run the bolts in, put the washers on, and run the nuts down loosly. At this point, the bumper should be mounted and look really funny as it just hangs there, but you'll want to make sure that everything fits correctly before snugging down the bolts.
Now you will want to tighten all the bolts and nuts up. The method that I used to tighten the bolts worked very well, but your install may vary. First, tighten the steering box bolts up. It is very important that you torque and put locktite on those three bolts as it may affect your steering down the road. From there, continue torquing the side plates, then the front crossmember, then the bumper, then the reciever bolts. With this bumper, you will not get a whole lot of vertical adjustment as you have a 2" reciever in the front. The bumper will want to piviot around it when you try to push it up flush with the grille. You'll have a bout a 1/4-1/2" gap between the bumper and the front grille. Make sure to use a calibrated torque wrench and follow the torques on the instructions.
And now you're done! Well, sorta....
If you want to have cruise control and other added creature comforts, you'll want to relocate your vaccume ball to another location.
I chose to put mine near my cone filter intake because there was tons of empty space over there.
Clean up and enjoy! Now if you are from any state that requires a licence plate up front like Virginia, you may need to become creative in your method of mounting the plate. I chose to take a 2" hitch, cut off the ball portion of it, weld a peice of steel (licence plates are 6"x12")
,
drill holes, and mount it up.
I suggest using a lockable hitch pin as some weirdo's like to steal licence plates and I'd like to make it as difficult as possiable for them to jack mine.
It is up to you to follow your state laws, but for me, my jeep is a DD and I don't need any other added costs other than parts. Hope this install helped you in some way shape or form! Enjoy!
P.S. I am not and advertiser for Ridigid Co, just hoping to help those who might like the insight of bumper owners.
This bumper is the Rigid Co FBG front bumper, powdercoated gloss black, and shipped to Quantico, VA (along with the rear bumper with the tire carrier to be installed at a later date) for right at $1200. It was installed on a 1999 Jeep Cherokee, so if you have an earlier model the instructions may vary. The install took about 1.5-2 hours with air tools and two people, breaks, drinks, and pictures. It is a very easy and straight forward install. So enough of the chat and onto the bumper.
First thing is first. Remove the stock front bumper. Very easy and no pictures of it as it is so easy. Method of removal may vary, but first remove the endcaps, unbolt the bumper, unbolt the bumper mounts. Now the only thing to keep is two of the stock bumper mount bolts. Everything else throw away.
Next thing to do is to open up the two boxes that Terry sends you, one being the mounting plates and associated hardware and the second being the bumper itself. Grap the instructions (colored and bound in a folder), read through them, and make sure you are familiar with the install procedures, you have all the tools, and you have all the parts. Now pay close attention here. In the instructions, it refers to bag HO 3. There is no HO 3 any longer. I called Terry when I came to this point and found out that they consolidated the bolts into different bags, so just search for the bolts that will fit. In the inventory there is no listing of HO 3, but the instructions call for it, so don't get confused like we did.
So now you should have the entire front bumper off, the mounts off, and be ready to install. It should look pretty much like this.
Next, grab the crossmember (the part that goes across the front, below the grille) and make sure that it fits into place. The instructions say to use the temporary hardware at this point to make sure that everything fits properly, but I found it much easier to just use the final nuts and bolts, just not to run everything down all the way tight. Just put the bolts in, washers on, and run the nuts down to the nylock, but not past incase you need to take them off again. If you have an overhead center console, you may have an OAT thermostat in the center of the crossmember that you may need to become creative with at some point. I chose not to relocate mine, just to cut the bolt/washer a tad to make it fit with the bumper. The crossmember should look like this when bolted up loosly.
Terry's instructions say to cut the fender supports to make clearance for the side plates, but I found that if I removed a bolt, I could piviot the fender support instead of cutting it which I liked much better as it made a very handy place to relocate my horns to. The side plates are very easy. On the passanger side, put the plate up next to the frame rail, and fill the holes with bolts as per the instructions. The drivers side, you'll need to unbolt your steering box and any previously installed frame support. I had a C-Rok inner and outter frame support and had to give away my outer as the Rigid Co bumper replaces the outer. The drivers side looks like this when installed loosly (not all the bolts are in at this point).
You may also find that it is time to replace your stock steering box spacer with a stouter inner frame support, like this one from C-Rok. It works great and there is no interferance with the bumper at all.
And the passanger side.
At this point, you'll want to have your buddy help you position the bumper in place between the gap in the side plates and the crossmember plate. Be quick and put some bolts in there as the bumper will get heavy quick. Once the side bolts are on, grab the reciever plate and put it behind the stock crossmember and run the bolts through with washers and their associated nuts. I am not telling anyone which bolts to put in, as the instructions that are provided will do that. There are grade 5 and 8 bolts, so follow the instructions carefully as you will not want the wrong grade bolts in the wrong holes. Run the bolts in, put the washers on, and run the nuts down loosly. At this point, the bumper should be mounted and look really funny as it just hangs there, but you'll want to make sure that everything fits correctly before snugging down the bolts.
Now you will want to tighten all the bolts and nuts up. The method that I used to tighten the bolts worked very well, but your install may vary. First, tighten the steering box bolts up. It is very important that you torque and put locktite on those three bolts as it may affect your steering down the road. From there, continue torquing the side plates, then the front crossmember, then the bumper, then the reciever bolts. With this bumper, you will not get a whole lot of vertical adjustment as you have a 2" reciever in the front. The bumper will want to piviot around it when you try to push it up flush with the grille. You'll have a bout a 1/4-1/2" gap between the bumper and the front grille. Make sure to use a calibrated torque wrench and follow the torques on the instructions.
And now you're done! Well, sorta....
If you want to have cruise control and other added creature comforts, you'll want to relocate your vaccume ball to another location.
I chose to put mine near my cone filter intake because there was tons of empty space over there.
Clean up and enjoy! Now if you are from any state that requires a licence plate up front like Virginia, you may need to become creative in your method of mounting the plate. I chose to take a 2" hitch, cut off the ball portion of it, weld a peice of steel (licence plates are 6"x12")
,
drill holes, and mount it up.
I suggest using a lockable hitch pin as some weirdo's like to steal licence plates and I'd like to make it as difficult as possiable for them to jack mine.
It is up to you to follow your state laws, but for me, my jeep is a DD and I don't need any other added costs other than parts. Hope this install helped you in some way shape or form! Enjoy!
P.S. I am not and advertiser for Ridigid Co, just hoping to help those who might like the insight of bumper owners.
