Tacobender24
Member
Yes that's right. 5th gen rear 1500 bumper can be fit onto our 4th gens. Here's my write up on how to do it. I will be happy to answer any questions.
Notes before getting started:
- trailer harness WILL need to be extended since the plug is on the passenger side of the license plate instead of the driver's side
- if equipped with parking sensors, yes they will need to be extended
- the 5th gen license plate lights have different pigtails on the wire harness so they will need to be changed out. I have yet to find them for sale anywhere
Now to the write up.
So I'm not going to go over how to take off the factory rear bumper since there are many videos on how to do that. Once the factory bumper is off you will need to do some very minor mods to the frame.
The first of the 2 mods is removing the clips on the center mounts and cutting a little section out so the bolts can slide up and down for adjustment
Once that's done, move onto the frame horns. There's a rivet on each side in between the the original mounting holes that helps center the factory bumper. Ive marked up a pic; number 2 is the rivet. On the back side if the frame horn the rivet is flat and tacked into place. Grind off the back side of the rivet and the rest can be hammered out. Once the hole is open, you'll need to enlarge the hole where the rivet was to about half inch large if I remember correctly. Large enough so a factory bumper bolt can pass through.
Once that's done your frame is ready to accept the 5th gen bumper and not other modifications are required. Now to move onto the bumper.
The 5th gen rear bumper has a center section that rounds out and could make contact with the trailer hitch. In all honesty though you might not have to cut anything. However I did to be safe and have enough clearance for my rigid reverse pods. The section I cut out was about 12.5" and it's a very close fit so that was it doesn't look jacked. I've provided a picture for a better understanding
Now it's time to mount up the bumper. So the 5th gen rear bumper has mounting brackets that are different from our 4th gens. Instead of bolts going into welded on nuts, the bolts are riveted into place on the brackets so you will need new nuts to go on instead.
The rivet that was removed is the hole where the TOP bolt on the 5th gen bumper is going to go. Now before you wonder if the second bolt will attach to the frame, it will NOT. Because the 5th gen bumpers sit lower on the new body style, the mounts are lower. That's why you drill out the rivet. So not only will the top bolts mount onto the 4th gen frame without major modifications, but also so it lines up nicely with the body and there's no weird angles. Here's a pic:
So as you can see here the lower bolt doesn't attach to the frame which I was slightly worried about any wobbling. So I went to home Depot and got some 3/16 inch steel plate and made some reinforcement brackets to mount to both bumper bolts and also have it connect to the frame. Yes in the picture my bracket is bent so I recommend cutting some metal to use as a gap filler. Still works just fine as is though. With the sides bolted up I put the two center bolts through the bumper that are covered by the license plate and bolted them up as well.
As you can see in the pic above, this is why we notched out the center of the mount on the frame. The factory holes were lower than the bumper holes so notching them out allowed for better fitment and adjustment without giving up strength. However you will need some washers and new nuts that fit onto the factory bolts.
Now if you have factory rear parking sensors, some more slight mods will be needed. You need to be VERY careful and patient with this part since you don't wanna be buying retainer clips over and over again. The factory clips on the 5th gen bumper are slightly different in where it clips onto the sensor itself. You will need to take a Dremel with a slim grinder attachment and deepen the mounting loops. Here's a pic so you can see. Both too and bottom need to be done.
Notes before getting started:
- trailer harness WILL need to be extended since the plug is on the passenger side of the license plate instead of the driver's side
- if equipped with parking sensors, yes they will need to be extended
- the 5th gen license plate lights have different pigtails on the wire harness so they will need to be changed out. I have yet to find them for sale anywhere
Now to the write up.
So I'm not going to go over how to take off the factory rear bumper since there are many videos on how to do that. Once the factory bumper is off you will need to do some very minor mods to the frame.
The first of the 2 mods is removing the clips on the center mounts and cutting a little section out so the bolts can slide up and down for adjustment
Once that's done, move onto the frame horns. There's a rivet on each side in between the the original mounting holes that helps center the factory bumper. Ive marked up a pic; number 2 is the rivet. On the back side if the frame horn the rivet is flat and tacked into place. Grind off the back side of the rivet and the rest can be hammered out. Once the hole is open, you'll need to enlarge the hole where the rivet was to about half inch large if I remember correctly. Large enough so a factory bumper bolt can pass through.
Once that's done your frame is ready to accept the 5th gen bumper and not other modifications are required. Now to move onto the bumper.
The 5th gen rear bumper has a center section that rounds out and could make contact with the trailer hitch. In all honesty though you might not have to cut anything. However I did to be safe and have enough clearance for my rigid reverse pods. The section I cut out was about 12.5" and it's a very close fit so that was it doesn't look jacked. I've provided a picture for a better understanding
Now it's time to mount up the bumper. So the 5th gen rear bumper has mounting brackets that are different from our 4th gens. Instead of bolts going into welded on nuts, the bolts are riveted into place on the brackets so you will need new nuts to go on instead.
The rivet that was removed is the hole where the TOP bolt on the 5th gen bumper is going to go. Now before you wonder if the second bolt will attach to the frame, it will NOT. Because the 5th gen bumpers sit lower on the new body style, the mounts are lower. That's why you drill out the rivet. So not only will the top bolts mount onto the 4th gen frame without major modifications, but also so it lines up nicely with the body and there's no weird angles. Here's a pic:
So as you can see here the lower bolt doesn't attach to the frame which I was slightly worried about any wobbling. So I went to home Depot and got some 3/16 inch steel plate and made some reinforcement brackets to mount to both bumper bolts and also have it connect to the frame. Yes in the picture my bracket is bent so I recommend cutting some metal to use as a gap filler. Still works just fine as is though. With the sides bolted up I put the two center bolts through the bumper that are covered by the license plate and bolted them up as well.
As you can see in the pic above, this is why we notched out the center of the mount on the frame. The factory holes were lower than the bumper holes so notching them out allowed for better fitment and adjustment without giving up strength. However you will need some washers and new nuts that fit onto the factory bolts.
Now if you have factory rear parking sensors, some more slight mods will be needed. You need to be VERY careful and patient with this part since you don't wanna be buying retainer clips over and over again. The factory clips on the 5th gen bumper are slightly different in where it clips onto the sensor itself. You will need to take a Dremel with a slim grinder attachment and deepen the mounting loops. Here's a pic so you can see. Both too and bottom need to be done.
