Rough Country bull bar installation DIY instructions

[Kritas]

This has been a real experience. After pulling the front bumper fascia from my Big Bend, I cut the bumper per the instructions:

Their pic, from the instructions:

My cuts. I put a piece of paper behind each cut to make them more visible in the photo.

The distance between the top of the two cuts measures 36". The distance between the mounting flanges on the bull bar is also 36".

However, the distance between the mounting points on the installed bumper brackets is 35"

The mounting points on the brackets will not fit through the holes cut in the fascia, because they are 1" off. They will also not correctly mount to the bull bar. I was sent 2 replacement brackets, but they are exactly the same as the first set.

Rough Country shared my pics with their R&D guys and said I had 3 options.

1. Pound the mounting points on the brackets outward with a weighted hammer.
2. Loosely install the bolts on the brackets and tighten them once the bumper is mounted. This won't work since the bolts can't be reached with the bumper installed. Even if this wasn't the case, I cannot see how I'd get the inch of space that is needed.
3. Mount the bull bar to the brackets and tighten the bolts until the bar is forced to fit. While this may bend the bar and/or the brackets, it won't create an inch of space to fit into the bumper cuts.

During our discussion, the rep admitted that the brackets weren't correct and said that manufacturing was outsourced and they were bringing it in-house.

Any ideas? I think #1 is the only viable option, but the steel is very thick, and I doubt hammering it is going to make it bend. Heating it would force me to repaint the brackets which isn't a big deal.

I think there is a 4th option. I purchased the kit from Amazon, and I'm a Prime member. I can send it back through them, but then I'm stuck with two cuts in my bumper and having to buy another kit from another vendor.

 

[Major Kong]

Cuts on the fascia look great. In fact that seems to be the most desirable location for mount aesthetically.

• leave fascia cuts as is
• leave bull bar as is
• leave frame mount as is
• find local machine shop to fabricate (2) 1/2" thick spacer plates to nestle in between the flange mounts. I'd oversize the spacer bolt holes because the plate rides on an angle and will not be perpendicular with the bolts. Add in (4) longer bolts

 

[Kritas]

Cuts on the fascia look great. In fact that seems to be the most desirable location for mount aesthetically.

• leave fascia cuts as is
• leave bull bar as is
• leave frame mount as is
• find local machine shop to fabricate (2) 1/2" thick spacer plates to nestle in between the flange mounts. I'd oversize the spacer bolt holes because the plate rides on an angle and will not be perpendicular with the bolts.

Major, I'm not following your last point. Which flange mounts, the bumpers?

 

[Adam06]

This has been a real experience. After pulling the front bumper fascia from my Big Bend, I cut the bumper per the instructions:

Their pic, from the instructions:

My cuts. I put a piece of paper behind each cut to make them more visible.

The distance between the top of the two cuts measures 36". The distance between the mounting flanges on the bull bar is also 36".

However, the distance between the mounting points on the installed bumper brackets is 35"

The mounting points on the brackets will not fit through the holes cut in the fascia, because they are 1" off. They will also not correctly mount to the bull bar. Rough Country shared my pics with their R&D guys and said I had 3 options.

1. Pound the mounting points on the brackets outward with a weighted hammer.
2. Loosely install the bolts on the brackets and tighten them once the bumper is mounted. This won't work since the bolts can't be reached with the bumper installed. Even if this wasn't the case, I cannot see how I'd get the inch of space that is needed.
3. Mount the bull bar to the brackets and tighten the bolts until the bar is forced to fit. While this may bend the bar and/or the brackets, it won't create an inch of space to fit into the bumper cuts.

During our discussion, the rep admitted that the brackets weren't correct and said that manufacturing was outsourced and they were bringing it in-house.

Any ideas? I think #1 is the only viable option, but the steel is very thick, and I doubt hammering it is going to make it bend. Heating it would force me to repaint the brackets which isn't a big deal.

I think there is a 4th option. I purchased the kit from Amazon, and I'm a Prime member. I can send it back through them, but then I'm stuck with two cuts in my bumper and having to buy another kit from another vendor.

*For God's sake, don't quote all these pics. Don't be "that guy".

Since your a prime member I would order another since you can always return it and maybe get the correct kit

 

[Major Kong]

Correct, sandwich the spacer between the flange on the frame and the flange on the bull bar
Seems the least impact to remedy the mount.
The fascia cuts you've done already look good, it would be detrimental to add any more perforations.
Adding the spacers may just let you proceed with the original layout.

 

[Kritas]

Since your a prime member I would order another since you can always return it and maybe get the correct kit

I'm not optimistic about getting the correct parts. I left part of the story out by accident-they already sent me replacements for the brackets that were exactly the same. I'll edit and insert that bit.

 

[Kritas]

Correct, sandwich the spacer between the flange on the frame and the flange on the bull bar

How do I get the frame brackets through the bumper? I get that I can sandwich a spacer after they are through. I could increase the size of the bumper cuts and place 1/8" silicone rubber behind with a slit for the brackets to go through. I have that material on hand.

 

[Major Kong]

Let me back track before going any further.
Did you check to see if the flanged mounting bracket is slotted beneath the nut and washer in the pic below, if so it may allow for the brackets to reposition into a fit for the bull bar mount,

 

[Kritas]

Let me back track before going any further.
Did you check to see if the flanged mounting bracket is slotted beneath the nut and washer in the pic below, if so it may allow for the brackets to reposition into a fit for the bull bar mount,

It's not that I could see. I did think about elongating the holes in the brackets to allow for adjustment. This would make everything fit properly.

 

[Major Kong]

From the size of the washers in the pic it seems they were oversized for the purpose of a slotted feature.
It's hard to tell from the pics but I am assuming the nut washer combo is what fastens the mount to the frame?
And then again maybe not?
Difficult to tell from the pics

 

[Kritas]

From the size of the washers in the pic it seems they were oversized for the purpose of a slotted feature.
It's hard to tell from the pics but I am assuming the nut washer combo is what fastens the mount to the frame?

I'll get back into it in the morning. There's a nut that is removed from the frame that secures the Rough Country bracket at the bottom.

Then the brackets are bolted on at the top using 2 supplied bolts through 2 existing holes in the frame.

What I was thinking was to elongate the bolt holes 1/2" to allow them to slide outboard.

 

[Meanderthal]

I think it would make the distance more than 36”, but wondering if you can swap the brackets left/right and that would space the mounting tabs further apart (maybe too far). If not, use a Dremel and slot those holes as suggested above.

Edit: Now that I see that picture above that you posted as I was typing, I don’t think you can swap the brackets left/right, they are much bigger than I thought based on your original pics.

 

[Kritas]

I went out to do a little work and pulled the brackets from the BS. I noticed something new-there is a small lip that is bent outward where the upper bolts on the brackets attach.

I'd been pushing the bolts in from behind the bumper while sitting on the ground and hadn't seen or felt it before. This lip is what is keeping the bracket from mounting perfectly flush. The 2021 models must not have it if the same kit fits that year.

I sent this pic with an explanation to my rep at Rough Country. Passenger side lip:

The rep sent me this pic of their own modification to clear the lip (driver side bracket):

 

[Pmk1710]

Mine was definitely a little off too… had to cut a little more in the bumper than what I originally wanted… and took a rubber mallet to pound the brackets a bit.

I got some rubber edging to make the additional cutting look a bit cleaner finished… and it worked out well because I did the additional cutting on the driver side, so I just used that extra space to run the wiring assembly for my lights instead of going through the grille. It hides the wires a lot more and got rid of some rattling from being zip tied to the grille area

 

[Kritas]

Mine was definitely a little off too… had to cut a little more in the bumper than what I originally wanted… and took a rubber mallet to pound the brackets a bit.

I got some rubber edging to make the additional cutting look a bit cleaner finished… and it worked out well because I did the additional cutting on the driver side, so I just used that extra space to run the wiring assembly for my lights instead of going through the grille. It hides the wires a lot more and got rid of some rattling from being zip tied to the grille area

I think I'll just cut a portion out of the bracket as they have in their prototype. It's better than waiting for new parts to be manufactured. With the relief cut, the bracket should be on target or at least close enough to widen the gap in the fascia a hair to fit it.

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