Putting Humpty Back Together: Ques on Rear Bumper and Tow Bar Installation

[RangerJoey]

Hi All,

My never-ending project is in need of the final stages and I need to start decluttering the garage. it's a small, two-car garage but with the bed and parts everywhere, I decided I need to start putting some pieces back on that I've already address. Two of them are the rear bumper and factory tow bar. I pulled each, cleaned the bloody he!! out of them, repainted and I can say each looks almost brand new. But it was a couple years back when I first yanked these parts off and don't remember the order. It seems pretty straightforward, but does anyone recall if I need to install them in order, (tow hook first then bumper)? And below are picks of the bolts I think apply to the tow hook. It looks like the guys with the solid brackets will mount vertical to the frame and the two bolts with that weird half J nut mount from underneath the tow bar into the frame. Looking at the truck though, (no bed for easy reference!), I can't see what the need of those half J nut looking things are. Is this the wrong hardware? Any help is appreciated!

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

The half j nuts thingamajiggers go inside something like a frame and when tightening the bolt head prevent the nut from turning.

 

[Uncle Gump]

I believe the two connected together hold the bumper bracket to the bumper. The singles hold the the bumper brace (bumper bracket to outside corners of the bumper) at the bumper bracket and the bumper... you might be missing two bolts and two nuts... there should be four of the singles if I'm not mistaken.

 

[RangerJoey]

Thanks guys! And I probably should've said the hardware in the pics are what I think only applies to the tow bar. Attached is what I'm thinking goes to the bumper. And Floored, I think you're dead on about that acting as a stopper. I just can't see where. I bet 10 to 1 if I get off my arse and try to reinstall, it'll be obvious. But that's the problem. I remember taking these off after removing the bed and as I was removing one, I remembered having to stop and remove the other first. That might have been an access issue like there's overlap on the frame/brackets or it might have just been something silly that I removed some bolts before realizing I was about to drop the wrong one lol (in fairness, they were both caked in rust and pineneedles so it wasn't so obvious which bracket went were).

And is there anyway of guessing at a torque rating for an application like these? I've seen the bumper rating of 84-115 ft/lb. That's kind of a huge swing

And thanks again guys!

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I've never torqued body bolts. I go tight enough, tho I'm a fairly big guy. I've broken bolt heads off when I was younger...

 

[Uncle Gump]

Those J-nuts clip on the frame for the rear bumper mounting bracket to frame bolts.

 

[pjtoledo]

my 2000 uses the double bolts to fasten the trailer hitch. they go from the inside at the rear of the frame.