Defender 90 Bumper Bolts

Jimsky Korsokov · Dec 16, 2018

Is it just me that finds bumper bolts a pain? I replaced sheared off bolts some time again with YRMs? nice stainless bolts and threaded plate which makes things a bit easier but even so, trying to locate them in the base plate blind (no underside access), whilst keeping a heavy winch and bumper in place ain't easy. Any recommended mod to give underside access? Removing the winch and bumper is the starting point for many jobs - just wish getting it all back on was easier.

dag019 · Dec 17, 2018

Jimsky Korsokov said:
Removing the winch and bumper is the starting point for many jobs - just wish getting it all back on was easier.

What jobs are you doing regularly that requires it to be repeatedly removed? I have a winch and full wrap around bullbars, and since fitting them have only removed them once when I repainted the whole vehicle, and even that was just the bull bars not the whole bumper.

Other than removing the engine (which if you are doing regularly surely you have larger problems than the bumper) you should be bale to work around the winch and bumper.

Jimsky Korsokov · Dec 17, 2018

The most recent? ...... hit black ice Sunday morning and ended up in a ditch with a twisted front end . More usually though I like to take the bumper off for annual chassis wash through and waxoyl treatment etc. With a big winch on the bumper you can’t even get the grill off without removing the bumper - a mixed blessing. I just like to tinker unimpeded by awkward things that are easy to take off but a bugger to get back on.

flat · Dec 18, 2018

What about ‘point’ the bolts so they ‘self locate’ in the threaded plate more easily?

Hicap phill · Dec 18, 2018

I thought original bumper bolts had a plate which held them in place?

Could a spot of weld do the same ?

Oldseadog · Dec 18, 2018

Stainless steel tightened into carbon steel fastenings will make removal quite interesting after the stainless has picked up a bit of the transferred ferrous, resulting in a weld stronger than an Inconel 600

dag019 · Dec 18, 2018

Jimsky Korsokov said:
I just like to tinker unimpeded by awkward things that are easy to take off but a bugger to get back on.

Well now that is just asking too much, it is much more fun trying to hold tools through the light grills in the bull bars and maneuver parts to just the right angel to ft around the spot lights and Husky.

Jimsky Korsokov said:
trying to locate them in the base plate blind (no underside access)

I may have been lucky, or may have a different design bumper but I can see the bottom plate on mine and there is enough space between the dumb iron and the jacking hole for me to get fingers/screwdriver/etc under it to hold it in place/maneuver it about so the bolt located. With a "willing" helper this is very easy as you can use both hands either side of the dumb iron while the helper tightens the bolt. If you cannot do this on your vehicle I would suggest trying @flat suggestion so they self locate, you may need slightly longer bolts though.

flat · Dec 18, 2018

dag019 said:
Well now that is just asking too much, it is much more fun trying to hold tools through the light grills in the bull bars and maneuver parts to just the right angel to ft around the spot lights and Husky.

I may have been lucky, or may have a different design bumper but I can see the bottom plate on mine and there is enough space between the dumb iron and the jacking hole for me to get fingers/screwdriver/etc under it to hold it in place/maneuver it about so the bolt located. With a "willing" helper this is very easy as you can use both hands either side of the dumb iron while the helper tightens the bolt. If you cannot do this on your vehicle I would suggest trying @flat suggestion so they self locate, you may need slightly longer bolts though.

Yep would need longer bolts, and either a but or a tap spin onto it before you ‘sharpened the end’ so that when you wind it off the threads are restored.

I haven’t done this on my landrover but I’ve done it in a couple of other situations where the back plate (inaccessible) had slight play - the rounded end of the bolt helped the threads engage quicker

Jimsky Korsokov · Dec 18, 2018

flat said:
What about ‘point’ the bolts so they ‘self locate’ in the threaded plate more easily?

That’s a brilliant idea

flat · Dec 18, 2018

Jimsky Korsokov said:
That’s a brilliant idea

You would need longer ones though or else they might not ‘grip’ enough - you want the rounded/pointed end to protrude well past the nut so the full thread is engaged.

Make sure you get proper rates bolts if you have a winch on, not some chinesium metal

Defender 90 Bumper Bolts

Jimsky Korsokov

Active Member

dag019

Well-Known Member

Jimsky Korsokov

Active Member

flat

Well-Known Member

Hicap phill

Well-Known Member

Oldseadog

Well-Known Member

dag019

Well-Known Member

flat

Well-Known Member

Jimsky Korsokov

Active Member

flat

Well-Known Member

Similar threads