Greetings -- I'm about halfway through the PowerfulUK Rear Tow Eye installation video (have watched it multiple times), and am stuck on the "rear bumper removal" step. I've removed every screw they mentioned in the video, plus a bonus two 10mm screws that I needed a 12" socket extension to reach up higher behind the muffler. Both of the rear wheel arches are fully disconnected and hanging loose. I've tried working, tugging, pulling, and yanking the rear bumper loose but it still remains (for the most part) firmly in place. I've taken bumpers off other cars before, so believe I'm giving it enough effort (?? maybe not ??).

It seems like the step I may be struggling with is "Release bumper from mounting bracket." On the PowerfulUK video it looks like they just yank the bumper free, but perhaps there's another way to accomplish this?

I have the factory towing package, so my config is slightly different from PowerfulUK's in the video. Does anyone have tips on how I can get the bumper off (or perhaps screws not in the video I'm missing?).

Thanks!
RedAustinIX (Ed)

 

I have just completed this exact job this afternoon, and I too have the factory towing package. The only two tips I have is to remove the black heat shield completely, that way you know you have removed all of the bolts and screws (30 in total) and also just pull harder, it took me ages to remove, and I was so worried that I was going to break something, but I didn't. I just required a little more brute force!

 

There were two extra screws in the wheel liner for me.

You have to pull very hard. I had a helper and we pulled from the tow eye cutouts.

 

Do you have mudflaps? If so, hold off before yanking with more force. The three (or was it two) screws/bolts has one that holds the bumper & mudflap to the frame/body.

 

Thanks for all the feedback! I had a buddy come over this morning and after giving it some serious tugs we both concluded that there must be some remaining fasteners lurking somewhere.

Neilson - I couldn't find anywhere near as many fasteners as you had. I'm thinking maybe I was missing some in the wheelwells. BJS1234 mentioned finding some extra in the wheelwells -- I"m assuming this is behind the fold-back piece in the wheelwell (and not accessed from underneath?)

GrouseK9 -- no mudflaps so I was safe on that end.

I ended up having to button everything back up so I can drive it this week I may just pay the dealer to install them, but if anyone has suggestions on the bolts I might be missing (and where), I'd be tempted to give it one more go.

Thanks!
RedAustinIX (Ed)

 

There are some self tapping style screw/bolts in the wheel wells up the sides near to the side markers and once they are removed, there are two tabs that have to be unclipped and that allows the left and right sides of the fender to pull out. There was nothing else in the wheel well that I had to remove. The reason I had so many bolts and screws, was that I completely separated the black heat shield from the silver heat shield ( in fact, I just removed every screw and bolt I could see regardless of what the instructions said including the tow bar cover.

I also found that if the fender wasn't able to pivot upwards from the tabs that need to be pulled out, then I still had remaining bolts to remove (if that makes sense)

 

Neilson - thank you! Yes, the part about the bumper pivoting upwards makes total sense and was the part I was often wondering about when thinking there might still be some fasteners lingering somewhere.

 

Yes, this is what I was trying to explain but you have done it better than my vague wording. This is where I was getting hung up.

 

I just finished this job. NA spec, with tow bar/receiver. The only real problem I encountered was the second self tapping screw down on the passenger (right) side was impossible to unscrew by hand, and I'd have to had take off the wheel to fit a power tool in there. I ended up having to clip it off entirely. Otherwise, powerfuluk's video laid out exactly every screw/bolt I needed to remove.

 

So, my story ends like this: I ended up putting everything back together and my Defender's at the dealer getting this and the front undertray installed. I'd had enough "fun" working on it, the weekend was drawing to a close, and I was getting frustrated to the point that I risked breaking a $1600+ bumper part versus just paying to get it done
I suspect the screw Mcdooogs mentioned is what held me up.