Securing the Bumper Cap

[PTHutch]

I’ve always been a little paranoid about losing one of the bumper caps either by forgetting to put it back on or it coming off during travel and possibly loose something I may have stored in the bumper at the same time. I think my biggest concern is forgetting to put it back on and leaving it at some camp site. I did that with a water pressure regulator once. So I came up with a little retro-fitting to ensure the bumper cap isn’t left behind or comes off during travel.




To protect from leaving the bumper cap some place, I attached the bumper cap to the bumper using a toilet water closet chain. I attached the chain to the bumper with a rivet and used a nut & bolt to attach the chain to the bumper cap. I left enough slack in the chain for easy removal and insertion. Now when I take the bumper cap off, it will just hang there and I won’t put it down someplace forgetting where I put it .

To make it a little easier to get the bumper cap off, I installed a handle. I used some small metal strips in a X pattern inside the bumper to attach the handle to and to give it some strength.

Then to ensure the cap doesn’t vibrate loose and come off during travel, I drilled a small hole through the top of the bumper and the edge of the cap and inserted a pin. I used a metal coat hanger to make the pin, which I need to paint this year .

[Honda03842]

Our 1982 could use Bumper Caps. Does anyone know a source?

Thank you

Norman Milliard
2004 Honda CRV
1982 15.5 SB

[MACK C-85]

Bumper end caps are usually available at most RV places, Campers World, etc. As Hutch said, they are pretty easy to lose!!!

[Sunline Fan]

On the cheaper side, I've always found that a simple cable tie works quite well. Put it through the hole on the cap and one of the holes on the bumper, and it works like a hinge.

Jon

[emam]

Between John & Hutch, you two make the rest of us look like Cave Men. I'm starting to think that you two should open your own aftermarket company with all these custom mods you fabricate.

Cindy and I are on our way to your residences, and when we get there, we'll drop off the coach, have you retorfit all the mods you've done to ours, and I think we'll have the wildest Sunline in history!!

I think we could take it out to SEMA and win awards with it after letting you two at it for awhile.

Great ideas and the photos do wonders!!

Pat & Cindy

[PTHutch]

Hey Pat & Cindy,

Thanks for the kind words.

If you’re in the neighborhood, stop on by, we’ll have fun tinkering with your trailer . Sometimes it's more fun working on someone else's trailer.

Oh, by the way, I don’t warrantee any of my work .

Hutch

[Sunline Fan]

Originally Posted by PTHutch

Oh, by the way, I don’t warrantee any of my work .

Not even for ten minutes???

BTW, here's a pic of my solution. I guess I could have used a black cable tie, but the white draws attention and I can see if it falls off. To this day, after using this method on four trailers, I've never lost a bumper cap:



Jon

[PTHutch]

Originally Posted by Sunline Fan

Not even for ten minutes???

Maybe for 10 seconds, if you insist

Jon, how much slack did you keep in the cable tie?

Your cable tie method is a good, easy, and cheap idea. Thanks for sharing your pictures.

Hutch

[Sunline Fan]

I don't remember how much slack to keep in the tie, distance wise. I remember the way I put it on: put the tie on and "open" the cap 180 degrees into the trailer. Tighten the tie until it's snug. Then close the cap and cut off the remaining tie. If these directions aren't clear, let me know and I could try to re-word them.

Jon

P.S. I was just thinking, exactly one year ago right this minute I was leaving the Sunline factory from my tour with a Jeep full of brochures and logos. It's hard to even think about.

[emam]

Hutch, I' still trust your Red Light Warranty (When you see the Red Lights, the Warranties up) more then most Dealers out there.

I think when we showed up with the list of Mod's I'd like you to do, You'd send us packing quick fast in a hurry!!

Thanks for the offer. You just give me so many ideas, I'm jonesing to get back home for a few weeks where I'll full access to all my tools and a full shop. I already have a list of things that I want to add or upgrade from so many of the posts on this site. Cindy gets frustrated when she see's me reading through them. WHen ever I yell, "Honey, come look at this!" She usually replies back with something like "Not if it's another thing we have to do when we get home!"

Thanks for all the great ideas!!

Pat

[kanyonkitty]

OK,
So I'm a little slow replying, but I have a really, really good excuse: I WAS CAMPING

This is my storage solution for ole' stinky slinky, no bumper ends to lose

[img]



Kitty[/img]

[Honda03842]

Camping World now sells Bumber Caps for about $10 a pair with hinges and a latch, part number 34416.

Norm

[tinybluetj]

Originally Posted by kanyonkitty

[color=blue]

This is my storage solution for ole' stinky slinky, no bumper ends to lose

Stink Slinky! ROFL That is the funniest thing I have heard in a long time!