Switching parking sensors to new bumper?

[TIDALWAVE]

I want to switch the parking sensors on my plastic rear bumper to an aftermarket steel bumper that comes with pre-drilled sensor holes. What tools are required to remove the sensors? Any hints on how to safely remove the sensors (I don't want to damage them). Do I have to cut and splice the wiring on the sensors?

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[baggedndropped]

I want to switch the parking sensors on my plastic rear bumper to an aftermarket steel bumper that comes with pre-drilled sensor holes. What tools are required to remove the sensors? Any hints on how to safely remove the sensors (I don't want to damage them). Do I have to cut and splice the wiring on the sensors?

I am going to go down this path shortly if you would like pictures or if you have tips. Thanks

 

[BobK]

If you look at the JCR Offroad website, they have a great video for installation of their new JL rear bumper. In that video they show how to disconnect the bumper sensors. Here is a link.

 

[baggedndropped]

Took these pictures while changing my bumper out. Overall wasn't hard. trim panel removal tool, a 16mm, 18mm and 22mm sockets both deep and shallow. 10mm and 8mm and 7/32 were also used. They use 18mm bolts on the driver side and 22mm bolts on the passenger side. There are 43 screws to be taken out of the plastic bumper with the 7/32 socket to gain access to the parking sensors and wiring. The rest was self explanatory starting with the tow hook and moving on to the driver side bumper to wheel well extension. Then the passenger side wheel well extension. I'm still trying to figure out how to make my sensor fit the DV8 bumper......

 

[TIDALWAVE]

Update: The rear parking sensors are anchored differently on the OEM plastic bumper than on the steel bumper.
On the steel bumper the sensors are composed of three separate parts, two are installed from behind and the outer housing ring is inserted through the sensor hole from the outer side of the bumper. A locking cylinder is popped off from the back, the sensor is also removed from the back, and the outer ring is pulled out from the outer side. Just reverse the order and the sensors are installed in the steel bumper.

If you have a plastic rear bumper, you will much more work to do. The sensors are made of two parts, an outer housing/ring and the sensor itself.
You can unclip the sensor easily from the outer housing. But the plastic housing is thermally welded onto the plastic bumper!
To remove the housing, you will need a sharp pointed tool to gently lift up the housings' welded tabs upward slightly. Then using an L-shaped tool, gently continue to lift the tabs away from their welds (don't force/tear the tabs). The welds are fairly weak and will pull away without too much damage.
I labelled each sensor so that it would be in the same order in the new bumper as in the plastic one.
You will have to epoxy the plastic housing onto the new bumper. Check the diameter of the sensor hole to make sure that the sensor housings fits the holes. The epoxy you use should suitable for both plastic and steel. I marked the outline of the housings. On my plastic bumper the housing tabs were oriented horizontally, so I marked the tab positions the same way. You will probably need to sand away any paint or coating where the housing will be glued down. I wiped down the bare metal with a rag soaked in isopropyl alcohol, I then epoxied the housings into the sensor holes and let the glue dry over night.

I then proceeded to wire up the sensors and the wiring for the license plate.

 

[Bingy]

Can any one share pictures of the sensor removal from a plastic rear bumper. A rear bumper is next on my list so I would like to see what "thermally" welded looks like so the housings are not destroyed. Is gluing the only way to hold them in place???

And if gluing is the only option, I would assume that JB weld is the best option?

 

[BobK]

Is anyone aware of plugs to fill in the sensors holes if I sell my steel rear bumper to a Jeep owner that doesn't have the backup sensor option?

 

[Bingy]

Update: The rear parking sensors are anchored differently on the OEM plastic bumper than on the steel bumper.
On the steel bumper the sensors are composed of three separate parts, two are installed from behind and the outer housing ring is inserted through the sensor hole from the outer side of the bumper. A locking cylinder is popped off from the back, the sensor is also removed from the back, and the outer ring is pulled out from the outer side. Just reverse the order and the sensors are installed in the steel bumper.

If you have a plastic rear bumper, you will much more work to do. The sensors are made of two parts, an outer housing/ring and the sensor itself.
You can unclip the sensor easily from the outer housing. But the plastic housing is thermally welded onto the plastic bumper!
To remove the housing, you will need a sharp pointed tool to gently lift up the housings' welded tabs upward slightly. Then using an L-shaped tool, gently continue to lift the tabs away from their welds (don't force/tear the tabs). The welds are fairly weak and will pull away without too much damage.
I labelled each sensor so that it would be in the same order in the new bumper as in the plastic one.
You will have to epoxy the plastic housing onto the new bumper. Check the diameter of the sensor hole to make sure that the sensor housings fits the holes. The epoxy you use should suitable for both plastic and steel. I marked the outline of the housings. On my plastic bumper the housing tabs were oriented horizontally, so I marked the tab positions the same way. You will probably need to sand away any paint or coating where the housing will be glued down. I wiped down the bare metal with a rag soaked in isopropyl alcohol, I then epoxied the housings into the sensor holes and let the glue dry over night.

I then proceeded to wire up the sensors and the wiring for the license plate.

Can you share some pictures of how the sensors sit on the aftermarket bumper? On the plastic bumper, the sensors look to be sunk in because the hole looks recessed. Does the housing sit flush and flat on the bumper or did you notice the shape of the sensor housing to be a problem?

 

[Bingy]

Is anyone aware of plugs to fill in the sensors holes if I sell my steel rear bumper to a Jeep owner that doesn't have the backup sensor option?

I'm thinking if you know the size of the hole opening, you could go to Lowes and grab plugs that would push and snap in place. Some forum members are doing this for the ROAM step LED holes where they decide not to use the LED's and plug the holes with a cap.

 

[Mooch76]

What did you wind up doing. Looking at jb weld. Don’t know if it will hold though.

Took these pictures while changing my bumper out. Overall wasn't hard. trim panel removal tool, a 16mm, 18mm and 22mm sockets both deep and shallow. 10mm and 8mm and 7/32 were also used. They use 18mm bolts on the driver side and 22mm bolts on the passenger side. There are 43 screws to be taken out of the plastic bumper with the 7/32 socket to gain access to the parking sensors and wiring. The rest was self explanatory starting with the tow hook and moving on to the driver side bumper to wheel well extension. Then the passenger side wheel well extension. I'm still trying to figure out how to make my sensor fit the DV8 bumper......

 

[baggedndropped]

What did you wind up doing. Looking at jb weld. Don’t know if it will hold though.

You can buy all the parts at the jeep dealer if you don't want to remove the plastic welded parts. Runs about $30.
I ended up replacing my DV8 bumper with a LOD and the sensors go in that bumper alot easier without the rings or adaptors. They are clamped in place.

 

[baggedndropped]

 

[jd0p]

Wish I had seen this...I would’ve taken pictures this weekend since I swapped them out. “Thermally bonded” appears to be some dimpled contacts on the flat tabs that attach to the bumper. I took a heat gun to the tabs, got them nice and warm, and slowly pried them away from the bumper with a screwdriver. I then placed them on the new bumper (Smittybilt SRC Gen2) and heated them up again and “shaped them” to the new bumper. I then used some JB Weld to secure them. It wasn’t a tough process, just take your time. I also ordered the retaining rings/fasteners that go with the OE steel bumper in case I want to go that route later. Two of the sensors sat perfectly flush while the other two (inner) not as much but nothing that would trigger my OCD.

 

[am1978]

Wish I had seen this...I would’ve taken pictures this weekend since I swapped them out. “Thermally bonded” appears to be some dimpled contacts on the flat tabs that attach to the bumper. I took a heat gun to the tabs, got them nice and warm, and slowly pried them away from the bumper with a screwdriver. I then placed them on the new bumper (Smittybilt SRC Gen2) and heated them up again and “shaped them” to the new bumper. I then used some JB Weld to secure them. It wasn’t a tough process, just take your time. I also ordered the retaining rings/fasteners that go with the OE steel bumper in case I want to go that route later. Two of the sensors sat perfectly flush while the other two (inner) not as much but nothing that would trigger my OCD.

Do you have a link for the OE retaining rings?

 

[MikeBlueSky]

Is anyone aware of plugs to fill in the sensors holes if I sell my steel rear bumper to a Jeep owner that doesn't have the backup sensor option?

Did you find a solution for this question? I’m looking to buy a rubicon bumper, but don’t have the backup sensor option on my JLU Sport S.

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