I have a quick question about the A-frame protection bar(nudge bar). My truck came with one installed and all the hardware is disintegrated.
I need to replace my washer bottle. Is it attached directly to the bumper cover or does it bolt to the bumper support behind it?
The reason is, if its attached to the cover i can leave it all together.
And if it passes through i need to break everything and remake the hardware.
I can't find any documentation on how it's installed.

 

Darth, the a-frame bar is attached through the plastic bumper cover to the frame behind it. If memory serves its 4 bolts. part #vub502880 i think is the hardware kit.

 

Yes, that is the correct part number for the entire mounting kit. Hard to find however, and expensive. I have the same A-Bar, on a 2008, and when I went to remove it a few years ago to repaint it, 2 of the 4 bolts snapped. So, my advice is to assume they will snap, and if you really do need to remove it, do everything you can to proactively try to avoid them snapping. Lots of penetrating lube, etc. Not easy to heat up the bolts however - actual A-Bar would melt. So I just left my A-Bar in place, and masked everything around it to repaint it with black Cargo Liner paint - has a much nicer look and feel. Also assume the 4 plastic black caps will snap and break, when you remove them - mine were all chipped, and so I rebuilt them using epoxy, and carefully shaped them down to size, before repainting with the same cargo Liner paint. Before I put the black plastic caps back, I packed in a lot of grease, to somewhat protect the bolt heads, and to help prevent further rust from welding the remaining 2 'good' bolts permanently in place. I have the A-Bar version that fits the OEM Warn Winch setup, and fortunately I can completely take apart the entire winch tray section, and easily remove the winch for the occasional rebuild, with the A-Bar still in place - The A-Bar is not in the way of any winch bits.

 

Thank you both for the information and insight. It's very helpful. But i need to replace the washer bottle and its got to come off.
I'll post what ever i come up with for replacement hardware.

 

Can you not get to the washer bottle from behind the wheel arch

 

I can access the pump and hoses from the wheel arch. But replacing the bottle itself i need to remove the bumper skin.

 

Great thread, @TrioLRowner ! Thanks for sharing.