Lower bumper valance removal

Ill be installing a lower bumper “stealth” lightbar later this week. Anyone have instructions on how to remove the plastic center valance? (Center section between the fog light end caps)
I’m sure I can figure it out but why not ask beforehand.
‘18 limited if that matters
thank you

 

If it’s anything like my 2nd gen., you’re removing the painted trim pieces below each headlight, exposing top bolts which need removed along the entire top of the bumper (16 or so). There’s a few more bolts on the underside, big ones. That whole front ends coming off...

 

Really just push it in...that's what I did...check out the below video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqdED2pGOXI

 

You didn’t have to use mounts? lol

 

I bought mounts from caliraised led. It was tough to do but would be a lot easier if you remove the front bumper

 

Same mounts I’m gonna use. They holding up for you ?

 

Its also easier to leave the sensors in the bumper and disconnect the harness that is up above the bolts for the bumper. Follow the wiring from the sensors to the connector. The bumper is pretty easy to remove if you have two people I had rago fabrication mounts and ended up removing them and going with the caliraised behind the grill mount. they make quality stuff.

 

Yup, no issues here!

 

Hmm... per the Cali Raised video , they show only the center plastic section removed, not the entire bumper or end caps. What they don’t show is how to remove the very center plastic bumper section.

 

Are you talking about the center grille or the center bumper cap?

 

Center bumper area that’s black plastic.

 

Here’s the video from Cali Raised. Shows it off but not how to do it.
Not the upper lightbar. It’s the lower 32” I’m referring to.

https://youtu.be/cW8EMbx-CfY

 

So I haven’t had the center section off but there are various bolts that run vertically where the end caps and center cap meet. There’s probably 6-7 on each side of the section. The bolts are only bolted to plastic clips because I broke one of the clips they bolt to remove my bumper light bar I previously had in the lower bumper.

 

I contacted them, and complain about video skipping so many steps of install. I was told they were working on it.
Great quality stuff, but zero written instructions, and video that’s missing several steps made install frustrating

 

Rago fabrications mounts were a little different then the Cali raised ones. On the rago mounts you could take the whole bumper off and the bracket was sandwiched between the frame and bumper. The downfall to the rago mounts is they didn’t have enough adjustment to not touch a sheet metal cross member and squeaked like crazy.

 

Cali mounts fit and finish is excellent. Only problem was it shipped with zero written installation instruction , on line video is missing several key parts of install. Also had a extra bag of parts that didn’t get used because I also bought their mounting bracket; who new ??
Their staff was friendly when I contacted them questioning if I was missing something, said their working on it

 

Well.... strike one. Took off the grill, and tried to figure out how to remove the center plastic bumper and it looks like there’s hidden bolts that attach it to the end caps. Shit...

Got a call into Cali Raised for further assistance. No instructions and their video is worthless from an install point.

Anybody have a pic of the mounts installed? With the bumper section removed?

 

You need to remove the whole front bumper, side caps included. It can’t be much different than a 2nd gen, our bumpers are interchangeable with a few extra washers.

 

Here’s a pic from my install (Rago 40”) but same concept. Remove bumper, that will expose the bumper brackets behind the aluminum inner-bumper. Behind that aluminum bumper is a set of metal bumper stops that have 3 bolts attaching them. Remove those 3 bolts, place your bracket on and replace 3 bolts. Shoot me a pic of your bracket and I’ll give you better info...

 

Here’s the brackets. What’s throwing me is in the video he says you don’t need to remove the end caps for the middle section but its looking like I might.

 

Those guys don’t know dick. My Rago brackets, which were $80, had the same BS going on. No directions, no video online and when I got everything lined up, the bracket sat way too low, so I had to utilize only 2 of the 3 mounting brackets so it sits higher, also had to bend the hell out of each bracket to get my 40” rigid to fit properly. Not all all happy w/ my Rago experience, but that’s a different story. What it tells you is that even the most expensive brackets require some work. Do yourself a favor, remove that whole bumper, it makes wiring the light up much easier too...

 

I have removed my bumper end caps and can tell you they attach to the center valence with a series of bolts that you cannot get to without removing the end caps with the valence. With that being said, I am pretty sure the people with the center valence only removed, yanked on the center valence and broke off those series of bolts because they are super easy to pop and break off. I got my bumper ends linexed but now need to remove the whole thing again to mount a lightbar just like you are doing. It's a bitch but the coolest mods are. LOL. See pic below of inside valence and end cap assembly attached by series of bolts.

 

By looking at bends in those brackets, it looks like they bolt up directly behind the aluminum and under it a bit (2-3”) below the aluminum bumper. With your skid plate off, you should be able to finagle a bracket up there for a better idea of what’s going on.

 

Haha . Thank you! That’s exactly what I needed to see. I could feel them but couldn’t see for sure. Off with entire bumper, once I confirm these brackets are even the right ones. I can see how the lower part of the bracket mounts to one of the 3 bolts on the crash bar but I don’t see what the upper hole will mount too.

 

Damn I got the Rago Brackets and now i am bummed and haven't even started.

 

I’m hoping with the bumper off the “a-ha” moment will reveal itself haha

 

It will, there isn’t much back there to mount to. I thought this would be a simple 1.5 hr. thing. Took 4hrs after a trip to the hardware store. In order to bend the brackets, which you (and others reading this may have to do) secure them to their mounting location with bolts, then use a towing ratchet strap to bend them to your liking.

 

You can see from the photo I posted, there’s no way I’m mounting that bar to that bracket, utilizing all 3 bolts. had to mount the bracket using just the top 2 bolts of the crash bars and then when that’s all done and it’s time to actually mount the light bar, I had 2” space on each side and the threads from light only stick out an inch....that’s where the bending comes in...I contacted Rago, it was a Saturday, said to call back on Monday. Um, no...I’m balls deep into this project and not about to put it all together so I can disassemble on a Monday. Last time I’ll buy from them.

 

Dam that sucks. They offered no recourse? Now I dont want to even open them from the bag and return them but of course I'll have to pay shipping. Did you send them those pics to prove that their alignment was way off? I can't imagine how way off this could be.

 

No, I never contacted them again after being told (via Instagram) to call back on Monday. Once I bent them, they became mine. It’s very likely a 2nd gen thing, as all their info (videos) were for 3rd gens, so I’d guess yours are money...they advised me to remove air dams from around radiator (via Instagram), wtf? those air dams are nowhere near close to where I’m working, wtf...