THUREN FABRICATION 2006-2018 Power Wagon Front Bumper Instructions
- June 13, 2024
- THUREN FABRICATION
Table of Contents
THUREN FABRICATION 2006-2018 Power Wagon Front Bumper
INSTRUCTIONS
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Plan ahead…. You will want 2 people, 2 floor jacks, a few wood blocks, and 3 ratchet straps. You will also need something to cut metal.
A Sawzall, bandsaw, chopsaw, cutoff wheel, etc will do just fine. You will also need a new fairlead of your choice. -
Unplug and unhook any electrical in the front bumper. If you have proximity sensors, that system will need to be disabled.
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Remove the grill. There are a few screws straight down along the top of the core support, sometimes under a thin plastic cover, and the bottom of the grill just snaps out straight forward.
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Remove the main front bumper, by removing the 8 bolts holding the bumper to the frame brackets, and the 8 tow-hook bolts.
The bumper to frame brackets will remain in place for now. -
Remove any plastic covers over the OEM winch area.
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Use the straps to support the winch and it’s cradle mount. 2 straps on the front, wrapped over the top of the core support, and one strap underneath, wrapped over the frame cross-member, as shown below….
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With the straps attached like shown above, the winch assembly can somewhat “float” between the frame rails, helping remove the hardware. Once the straps are in place, remove the 2 large bolts on each side of the main winch cradle. These 4 bolts face straight down, and thread straight into the outer cast steel frame brackets. Once these 4 bolts are removed, tighten the straps and suspend the winch assembly up off the outer mounts a bit.
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Now remove the cast steel outer winch mount to frame mounts, and all the stamped steel bumper brackets remaining, so you are with what looks like the above left picture.
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If you have them, remove the hanging brackets(2 large flange head bolts in each) on the bottom of each frame rail, right behind the OEM bumper mounting holes. These are commonly referred to as “plow mounts”. Our bumper will be using these frame mounting holes.
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The 2 cast steel winch frame mounts pictured to the right, need a small trim. Basically the front pointed part of the mounts needs to be trimmed off as shown. Spray a little black paint on after if you have it.
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Time to lift the bumper into place. 9 times out of 10 the bumper will not end up the perfect width to the frame rails, and the best way to slip it in place, is to lift it STRAIGHT UP into place, coming up from the bottom. The bottom of the frame rails are rounded, and this rounded shape creates a “ramp”, to essentially let the bumper flex over the frame rails. If the width measures to be 1/8″ or less off, 2 people lifting straight up can slide it over the rails easily. If the bumper measures 1/8″ or more wider/more narrow than the frame rails plan on using 2 floor jacks to slip it into place.
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To the right, you can see where we have the floor jacks and blocks positioned, under the “flats” of the outer frame mounting pockets of the bumper. Put a rag on the blocks to not scratch the bumper, and use the floor jacks to lift the bumper to make it flex into place. Once over the frame rails it is usually easy to manipulate the bolt hole positions with slight nudges by hand.
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Using the OEM bolts, re-attach the bumper center, in the exact same reverse order as the oem was removed. First step would be to loosely install the trimmed cast steel winch mounts to the frame/bumper, and be sure to run the bolts from the inside, out.
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Start loosening the straps, and lower the winch down on to the cast steel outer mounts. Once all weight is on the outer mounts hand start the 4 bolts into the threaded outer mounts, to make sure they are not cross threaded, but do not tighten yet. Remove all straps.
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Install the plow-mount bolts and nuts loose into their original holes, through the new bumper.
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Temporarily set the grill back in place, and shift the bumper center into position so that there is a bit less than a finger width, between each outer end of the bumper center, and the bottom of the grill. Make each side balanced, and snug down the 8 frame mounting bolts.
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Tighten the 4 winch mount to cast steel frame mount bolts to 70ft/lbs, and re-attach any plastic covers over the winch.
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Tighten the 2 front vertical bumper OEM mounting nuts to 100ft/lbs, and then lower plow-mount bolts tighten to 200ft/lbs.
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Install bumper outers. Have a helper hold the outer wing in position, and get all the 1/2″ bolts and nuts started. Align the wings the best you can, so there is about a finger width between each wing tip and the fenders, and tighten all the bolts to an approx 100ft/lbs.
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Trim the hanging inner plastic fender liner, basically straight across from the bottom of the fender line, up high. If much hangs down
Below the bumper wing, it will flap in the wind. A sharp utility knife works well if it’s warm out. -
Attach your new fairlead, and run the cable/line through the new opening.
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Re-install the grill.
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Tie up any loose wires if being unused, if needed.
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Double check all mounting bolts and disconnected parts were addressed.
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Transfer licence plate over from OEM bumper, to new bumper.
You are now finished and ready to drive!