Mopar OEM Steel Bumper Install Question

[mrwongburger73]

Hi there! Dumb question incoming but this is my first Jeep so I want to do it right. I've searched fairly endlessly on this and other forums and haven't really found an answer. I bought a takeoff OEM Mopar steel front and rear bumper over the weekend and installed the front bumper Saturday. When I was at the point where I was going to put the bumper back on, the instructions did not mention the reinforcement brackets bolted to the frame that form the inner set of holes through which the tow hook studs need to go. I now know through other bumper installs that I was supposed to loosen the bolt connecting these brackets to the frame prior to the install but the Mopar instructions made no mention of them. The holes didn't line up quite right on the driver's side so I tapped them in with a rubber mallet to make them line up. When bolting the bumper back on, I heard a popping sound that wasn't terribly loud but the nuts threaded on just fine. My question is did I hurt anything by tapping on those brackets and bolting it on without loosening the bolts connecting the brackets to the frame? Thanks in advance!

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