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Don't bottom out the rear end

Avalanche_Boy

Full Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2002
Messages
15
Location
Canada
I drive a stock 2005 Z71 1500.  Just bottomed out the rear end hard today while crossing a big rut.  The hitch came down hard and shook the truck when it hit.  I kept driving due to it happening so suddenly.  The plastic over the rear bumper grabbed onto the ground and ripped.  It pulled about a foot away from the bumper while popping off (and cracking) the right foot step plastic cap and the locking spare tire cap.  The bumper then snapped back into place only now with a nice big slice up the centre.  Is this piece of plastic over the bumper all one piece?  How much am I lookin at for the entire rear plastic bumper cap and plastic tread cap?  I wish chevy would have engineered it so that in such a scenario, it wouldn't act like a cup and grab the ground.  Havn't had a chance to look at it yet since this happened when it was dark.  Has this happened to anyone else? 
 
sure has... we looked at replacing it but was over $500 so we did the second best option... jb weld, lol...  wasn't AS noticeable, then when we traded it in, for the new Av, it wasn't as big of a concern any more  :laugh:

fyi... what we do now when we go off roading is keep in the tow ball in, it acts as a buffer between us and the ground if ever in that situation.  many folks keep it in during normal street driving... if u get rear ended, that guy behind you ate steel, not your bumper  :0:

oh yeah... and  :welcome:
 
I nailed my rear bumper and hitch when going through a stream bed on the beach.  It sounded like it hit pretty hard and scared the hell out of me.  Luckily there was no damage.  As far as I know the plastic bumper cover is all one piece.  I'd imagine it to be around 200-300 bucks to get a new one, but I may be way off.  Good luck man.
 
Avalanche_Boy,

This has happened to me. I even had the fun of someone behind me telling me I was dragging my rear. I lost the receiver cover my Father-In-Law loaned me in the process. The plastic cover is all one piece, with the steps on the top in 3 seperate pieces held on by double sided tape. The actual cover is, let me think, around $300 I think (I believe I paid $160 or there abouts through a dealer sponsor). I suggest getting one from one of the dealer sponsors. I replaced mine myself, but I had a little trouble getting the corner step covers back in, as the impact bent my right side up a little, plus, those things are hard to snap back in.

Reply # 101 on this thread has a pic of my damage.

We melted black wire ties with a soldering iron into the crack to hide it a little until I was able to get the bumper cover. It worked pretty well, at least until I broke it open the next time I bottomed out while offroading.

I hope this helps to answer your question. If I can be of any assistance, please feel free to pm me.

Trubble
 
That happened to RikRotorhead too. A good rip.. :E:
 
What types of non-OEM bumpers are there out there for the Av (newbie question, sorry) that don't have this issue? Any recommendations? Seems like if there are a good number of people who have damaged the rear bumper, folks probably have looked for alternatives and I'm all ears on any advice y'all have!
 
Beartrack : Road armor

And one use to be Stealth I believe they recently changed names.
There are members that have them but they are $,$$$.
 
I did this one week or so ago, but was luckier than you.? I got a good bang from the hitch and bent my trailer plug a bit, but no cladding damage (other than a scuff underneath).

Mine is even worse now that I've lifted the front of the truck with keys...back is lower :unsure:
 
Beartrack said:
What types of non-OEM bumpers are there out there for the Av (newbie question, sorry) that don't have this issue? Any recommendations? Seems like if there are a good number of people who have damaged the rear bumper, folks probably have looked for alternatives and I'm all ears on any advice y'all have!
Roadarmor and Stealth Offroad are 2 of the more well known after market winch bumpers. Both are made of steel, and come as bumper only or w/ a grille guard. RA is far more expensive than SOR, Mine cost me $2100 w/ shipping from SOR, the same setup on an RA would've been another $1000. However RA is the only company that I have seen that makes a rear bumper for the AV. I did come across another bumper company the other day, they have a prototype for the AV, that looks almost identical to the stock rear bumper. the company is FabFours. They seem fairly new, they are supposed to start taking orders in February. And all of their bumpers seem to have decent prices.

http://www.stealthoffroad.com/WB%20avalanche.htm
http://www.roadarmor.com/ra3/chevy_trucks.html
http://www.fabfours.com/

-James.
 
mine's still hanging on by a thread...so the mod can wait  ;D
 
but it is still needed!
 
IncognitoAV said:
mine's still hanging on by a thread...so the mod can wait? ;D

I am thinking like a entire Skid plate under the AVA, My friend JR (MajorWoody screen name here) has one on his jeep.

Sam
 
SamHouseIII said:
I am thinking like a entire Skid plate under the AVA, My friend JR (MajorWoody screen name here) has one on his jeep.

Sam

At one point on my old Chevota buildup (the second round of suspension builds) I had that: http://groups.msn.com/RockCrawler4x4/newsuspensiondone.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=493

It was fun to be sure - you KNEW nothing was going to tear the lower guts out of the drive train ... just be aware it adds a pretty hefty amount to your sprung weight.

James21: thanks for the links!! That's some nice stuff those vendors offer. I don't plan on putting a winch on probably so I might try and design something that doesn't stick out so far from their ideas. I like the winchless model from FabFours, but the sheeting is only 10-guage... like to see if they'd build a custom 1 with 3/16...
 
I did the same thing on the Pismo Dunes (ripped the back bumper cover on the right rear, and broke the spare lock out.
 
Old post, but I'm adding to it.
Bottomed mine out in thanksgiving 05.  Cracked my bumper, lost my truck nuts, and a body cladding panel.  Never did repair it.  Now I keep my tow ball hitch in there...heard the war stories about it.
 
anglarry04 said:
Old post, but I'm adding to it.
Bottomed mine out in thanksgiving 05.? ?Cracked my bumper, lost my truck nuts, and a body cladding panel.? ?Never did repair it.? ?Now I keep my tow ball hitch in there...heard the war stories about it.
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
 
anglarry04 said:
Old post, but I'm adding to it.
Bottomed mine out in thanksgiving 05.? ?Cracked my bumper, lost my truck nuts, and a body cladding panel.? ?Never did repair it.? ?Now I keep my tow ball hitch in there...heard the war stories about it.
for a while, I would keep my tow hitch on for that reason.  I even turned it upside down and used it as a bump stop.  It save my bumper and my exhaust tips a few times.
 
That's what we get for thinking we can four wheel an unlifted  truck that has a 3' overhang behind the rear wheels!

So far I've been lucky but then again, I'm really careful where I go and how I cross ditches.
 
hmm...a bump stop...never thought of that.  I may try that too.  ANd for the record...I did hunt for the truck nuts the next morn.  But then some ghetto punk stole them While I was at walmart 2 months later.

grnxnam said:
for a while, I would keep my tow hitch on for that reason.? I even turned it upside down and used it as a bump stop.? It save my bumper and my exhaust tips a few times.
 
get a body lift and move your trailer plug


lol
index.php
 
Reading this got me to thinking about a skid plate welded under the hitch, it could also act as a step for my truck....I have a drop hitch because of the height of the truck, a step would be nice almost like a hydrofoil on a boat motor welded to the bottom of the hitch, now if I only new how to weld, oh well, anyone else want to try it???
 
Just be sure and have your insurance "Hospitalization" paid up. Might be wise to up the limits of your vehicles personal injury liability too. I've stumped my legs and shin bones on hitches before and its darn painful. The wounds and bruises are something else too. I'm visualizing running into a hitch in a parking lot with some sorts of welded skid plate with sharp edges sticking out and slicing open a main artery.? :( Ouch!
 
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