Rugged Ridge Front & Rear Full Width HD Bumper Install W/ Smittybilt X20 Gen Comp

[blnewt]

Great writeup, great looking bumper combo, nice job notating all the weights too. Lol on the rear license plate mount, but hey, at least you were honest about it. Here's what I bought for my future bumper install. I'll be mounting it on the tailgate, right under the tailgate release handle, This will cover the key hole so if you ever use that key hole you'd have to devise a way to slide the plate away to access it. In the almost 2yrs we've had our JL we've never needed to use that key slot The plate will extend to the left of the tailgate opening about 3.5", so you'd have to be aware of this when swinging it open. From all the plate mounting options I think this will look the cleanest as long as you don't need that key slot.
I won't be installing this for a couple weeks but will post it up when I do. You would have to run your plate wiring into the tailgate door, but will exit through the same grommet as the 3rd brake light so no new holes there, and you would use 2 self tapping screws in the tailgate to mount the bracket.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07937BQYJ

Just to visualize it would be like this but the whole plate mount moved over to the tailgate w/ about 3.5" of the license plate to the left of the tailgate edge. I prefer this to the more traditional mount that leaves that 3.5" of the plate hanging outside of the jeep body side in the bottom photo.

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[McGilli]

Just to visualize it would be like this but the whole plate mount moved over to the tailgate w/ about 3.5" of the license plate to the left of the tailgate edge. I prefer this to the more traditional mount that leaves that 3.5" of the plate hanging outside of the jeep body side in the bottom photo.

Thanks for the info on this... I've currently moved the plate down farther - reminds me I need to get a current photo. But it does extend below the bottom of the bumper - and I can see it getting banged up pretty bad on some ditches etc... But I really wanted to use my wiring

My next idea after that fail was - exactly what you were saying but lol - cutting the license plate in half so 1/2 was on the swing door, the other half mounted to the left side of it. This way I could still technically light it from the wiring in the bumper... kind of haha...

I'm in the same boat - I don't like the plate sticking out the left side of the body... However, I did order a RR relocation mount for the spare wheel - not positive I'll use it but want to have it just in case...

 

[blnewt]

Thanks for the info on this... I've currently moved the plate down farther - reminds me I need to get a current photo. But it does extend below the bottom of the bumper - and I can see it getting banged up pretty bad on some ditches etc... But I really wanted to use my wiring

My next idea after that fail was - exactly what you were saying but lol - cutting the license plate in half so 1/2 was on the swing door, the other half mounted to the left side of it. This way I could still technically light it from the wiring in the bumper... kind of haha...

I'm in the same boat - I don't like the plate sticking out the left side of the body... However, I did order a RR relocation mount for the spare wheel - not positive I'll use it but want to have it just in case...

Yeah, there's not many user-friendly options, and since my wife picked out a special tire cover I can't rain on her parade w/ a plate in the spare (she might put the brakes on future mods, lol)

Hopefully wiring into the tailgate will be pretty simple, I shall see

 

[blnewt]

With accurate measurements you could drill just a small 3/8" hole in your license plate to have access to that keyhole, I think that's what I'll end up doing. Would be a shame to have everything mounted proper, and actually need to use that keyhole sometime

I knew there was a reason I saved my old license plates, now they can be used as test dummies

 

[iamjocanadian]

I've had mine on for a while and love the look. Winched an F-150 + 15 foot seadoo boat out of the sand without so much as a creak.

 

[runningshoes]

@McGilli - what cover did you purchase? Thanks.

 

[McGilli]

@McGilli - what cover did you purchase? Thanks.

I just ordered a no name nylon cover. It actually shows as not available anymore in Amazon Canada - but here's the exact title:

Winch Cover Waterproof UV Resistant Winch Dust Cover Driver Recovery 8500 to 17500 lbs

It works - but just barely... It is snug, I have to work it really hard, a few times for it to be able to fit over it.

However, of course I don't plan to use the winch much - so once it's on I do love that it's snug and pretty low profile.

 

[iamjocanadian]

Looking for thoughts on adding 35s with this bumper. Does it look like there might be a clearance issue?

 

[McGilli]

QUESTION (after my explanation):

Those parking sensors, you just plug in the adapter from the harness to each one.

However, they are now quite exposed in the new bumper - they get covered with grit, dirt, and soaked in water continuously.

And - they are starting to behave weird now - and I believe it's from this.

This only started after yesterday's adventure where they were practically submerged coming out of some huge puddles.

But today, when I put it in reverse (it's still wet outside on the roads) they indicate there is something immediately behind me. Cleaning off the sensors does nothing. And they've been fine just until yesterday.

What's the best way to waterproof the connections inside the rear bumper?

 

[Moses212]

HUGE FAIL LOL OMFG

I'm keeping this here - just so you can all laugh at me and my mistake...

I planned this all out in my head ahead of time.

Bolt LED's on the license plate, then wires that run through the RR cutout logo on the plate and it fit perfectly into the previous wiring harness.

Get ready...

This is horrible...

You should have seen my face when the last picture happened

I won't even commentate... Seriously... I'm embarrassed.

Hah, that's really funny.. man, I can imagine what if felt like when you realized the problem.. at least you didn't mix u the front and back license plates

 

[McGilli]

But today, when I put it in reverse (it's still wet outside on the roads) they indicate there is something immediately behind me. Cleaning off the sensors does nothing. And they've been fine just until yesterday.

Resolved

LOL - ok I needed to figure this out as today it was driving me nuts. As soon as you put it in reverse - solid red bar warning on the dash display saying I'm about to hit something.

Then a few reverses later - it does not happen. But then it happens on/off/on/off WTF!?

So. It seemed like a faulty connection... But I needed to try simpler things first just to be sure.

I take the spare wheel off.

Still happens. I thought maybe the bumper shifted a touch since install - but nope.

I was hoping it's something easy.. what else is easy?

Well - there are the D-ring shackles I added, but how could they cause that?

Might as well try.

Take those off.

Problem solved LOL

Here's what caused it.

It's not that the shackles were on - it's that I had the pins facing outward. Put them back on with the pins facing inward and no more reverse warnings.

Here they are - now - installed pins inward. But you can see that still, with the pins outward they are far away from the sensors - i guess they are just really really sensitive and have a really wide FOV.

Luckily they don't detect the tow hooks!

 

[McGilli]

Kind of spoke to soon.

Now I am getting an entirely different random occurance with the rear sensors:

However, if something does come behind me they will just start working and displaying normally.

I think I'm going to remove the bumper and dry out the sensors, all the cable and then seal them all up and install them again into the bumper...

SOLVED ONCE AND FOR ALL

So, I was getting some suspension work done today - I mentioned this issue to the guy that runs the shop. He said that sometimes all that is needed is to pressure wash the sensors, especially the grooves where they sit in a bumper.

I had already tried pressure washing from the back of the jeep.

When I got home - I actually decided to spray the sensors from behind, from inside the bumper.

This solved it. No more issues ever since.

The pressure did actually push out some of the rubber washers that are installed around the edge of the sensors, which I was then able to wipe and push back in too...

And on the official MOPAR site:

If "PARKSENSE UNAVAILABLE WIPE SENSORS" appears in the instrument cluster display make sure the outer surface and the underside of the rear fascia/bumper and/or front fascia/bumper is clean and clear of snow, ice, mud, dirt or other obstruction and then cycle the ignition.

NO NOT SOLVED THEN

BUT SOLVED NOW FOR REAL!!

UPDATED: After a day, the sensors again started saying there was something about 3 feet behind me.

Here's what solved it:

It was the bumper angle.

Putting the shackles on the back, as well - when I would close the rear door it would push down on my license plate on the the bumper.

Turns out that over time the bumper angle changed just slightly which caused all this argh!

So, i loosened the bumper.

I pointed it up - and it detected the spare tire with a red solid bar.

I pointed the bumper down as far as possible - and it detected something behind me at about 2 feet away.

I lifted the bumper a bit - it showed something 3 feet away.

I angled it up a fraction more - perfect. No sensors.

I then ran tests of angling the bumper up or down and they would detect either the spare wheel, or the ground.

It's been working now for almost a week with no issues.

 

[McGilli]

Going to relocate the plate soon so it doesn't get ripped off the rear bumper!

 

[McGilli]

So - I decided I wanted to use the supplied power for the stock license plate light, to power the lights on my plate up on the wheel.

I know the other way, tapping into the passenger taillight is cleaner - But I wanted to be able to remove this (completely) if I change things around in the future.

So - the power runs from the driver side rear bumper - through the bumper all the way to the passenger side.

It then comes up - where the swing door opens - and then it runs along the bottom inside edge of the door to the middle of the door.

Then it's mounted to the centre of the door, running straight up behind the wheel - until it comes out for the license plate.

There's ample clearance, nothing is being pinched.

It got a touch sloppy underside of the door as I couldn't sit outside in the freezing all night waiting for the adhesive to work, so it sagged a touch near the corner, but in person, unless you are lighting up the area, and specifically looking for it you cannot see it as it's painted gloss black to match the door.

And it can all be removed in a minute if needed

LAST THING TO DO IS JUST WIND THE WINCH ROOPE THEN I"M DONE!

 

[RubiRed]

@McGilli great write up! Love the detailed account of weight differences from stock.

I'm curious if there's enough clearance with the HD rear bumper for a 35" spare mounted on stock tire carrier. What size spare is that in your pics? Do you know now how much gap between your spare and the bumper? It doesn't look like there's much space but that could just be the angle of the pics. Thinking of the same rear bumper but I prefer not to relocate the spare higher.

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