Drooping nearside rear bumper ?

[g8dhe]

Earlier this year we noticed that our nearside rear bumper had developed a gap between it and the rear lights, so a quick shifty under the rear expecting to find that the bumper bolts were loose or that somehow the alignment spike wasn't were it should be. But no, all was well accept for the gap.... Checking back on photo's revealed that it had appeared after we had had the tow-bar fitted and had been using the Thule Back-box for a while. Anyway whilst we were at the Bongo Bash we did a quick check on a few other Bongo's and low and behold a common problem, a lot of Bongo's had a droopy rear-end... Whilst not forgotten, major concerns were put aside as many had the droop and we hadn't heard of any problems.

Anyway a little later in the year we (not solely the drivers fault ) we managed to bump a local wall with the tow-bar, which then had a small angle on it, not good and the Thule back-box was drooping a little as well but not that serious. Anyway whilst we were touring Scotland in the last few weeks the droop both to the Bumper and the back-box became a lot more marked, to the extent that I found a local garage and drove over their pit for a quick inspection. As feared the tow-bar had bent and had a small crack in it now, our own fault, but more worryingly we noticed that the nearside bumper support (which holds the tow-bar) had in fact sheared a spot weld ! Anyway mechanic pronounced that it wasn't about to fall off, and my own judgement concurred so other than checking it regularly we got back all OK. Anyway today we dropped it into our local body shop who removed the bumper and tow-bar and found that in fact two spot welds holding the rear bumper on had in fact broken and there wasn't a lot holding it all together..... However a simple fix, he welded the bracket back with a proper seam weld around the entire bracket and fitted a new tow-bar, all for a reasonable price.

So the moral of the story ? If you have a drooping rear bumper, and have a tow-bar then get under and have a check make sure you don't have a broken weld two or you might get a nasty surprise at some point in the future - when we did our quick survey at the Bongo Bash at least 8 vehicles out of about 25 had a drooping bumper !

[mikeonb4c]

Earlier this year we noticed that our nearside rear bumper had developed a gap between it and the rear lights, so a quick shifty under the rear expecting to find that the bumper bolts were loose or that somehow the alignment spike wasn't were it should be. But no, all was well accept for the gap.... Checking back on photo's revealed that it had appeared after we had had the tow-bar fitted and had been using the Thule Back-box for a while. Anyway whilst we were at the Bongo Bash we did a quick check on a few other Bongo's and low and behold a common problem, a lot of Bongo's had a droopy rear-end... Whilst not forgotten, major concerns were put aside as many had the droop and we hadn't heard of any problems.

Anyway a little later in the year we (not solely the drivers fault ) we managed to bump a local wall with the tow-bar, which then had a small angle on it, not good and the Thule back-box was drooping a little as well but not that serious. Anyway whilst we were touring Scotland in the last few weeks the droop both to the Bumper and the back-box became a lot more marked, to the extent that I found a local garage and drove over their pit for a quick inspection. As feared the tow-bar had bent and had a small crack in it now, our own fault, but more worryingly we noticed that the nearside bumper support (which holds the tow-bar) had in fact sheared a spot weld ! Anyway mechanic pronounced that it wasn't about to fall off, and my own judgement concurred so other than checking it regularly we got back all OK. Anyway today we dropped it into our local body shop who removed the bumper and tow-bar and found that in fact two spot welds holding the rear bumper on had in fact broken and there wasn't a lot holding it all together..... However a simple fix, he welded the bracket back with a proper seam weld around the entire bracket and fitted a new tow-bar, all for a reasonable price.

So the moral of the story ? If you have a drooping rear bumper, and have a tow-bar then get under and have a check make sure you don't have a broken weld two or you might get a nasty surprise at some point in the future - when we did our quick survey at the Bongo Bash at least 8 vehicles out of about 25 had a drooping bumper !

Some useful stuff there I'll check mine over tomorrow

[Doone]

As this is potentially a serious problem I have made it into a 'sticky' and it will stay at the top of the forum.
If there's a towing factsheet, Ian may be able to add this info to it.

[Velocette]

As this is potentially a serious problem I have made it into a 'sticky' and it will stay at the top of the forum, for a couple of weeks, to give time for this info to be absorbed into the collective 'common knowledge' of the forum.
If there's a towing factsheet, Ian may be able to add this info to it.

Since I got mine the rear bumper has always drooped a bit, but at the wheel arch end, it has had a minor bump on the corner of the bumper and I have assumed it is to do with that.

You have prompted me to get under and have a look at those spotwelds to make sure none have come apart.

Another job on my to do list for the weekend!

[JB&T]

We have gap at the front of the rear bumper. In our case it's the fixing point that had rusted away and a 'make it fit' fix that AN Other had done to hold it together.

[baronweetman]

I got a small gap but I keep all the booze at the rear. do you think it's brewers droop?

[Diplomat]

Look at my avatar!

Frank

[Velocette]

Look at my avatar!

Frank

ooh yes! I always thought that was some kind of fridge!

[Diplomat]

Look at my avatar!

Frank

ooh yes! I always thought that was some kind of fridge!

That's a thought. Maybe the magnetic rubber strip has fallen off!


Frank

[helen&tony]

Hi Geoff
Have you a photo of the area concerned in the "drooping bumper" scenario?...I've had a peek underneath, and although my chassis area seems fine and intact, I should like to make double sure!
Thanks
Cheers
Helen

[g8dhe]

No unfortunately I wasn't able to get any photo's before or after, as I wasn't at the garage when they fixed it. If the weather improves I'll take a look and see if I can get an image, but without getting it over a pit its difficult to get a clear view as the exhaust is in the way.

[helen&tony]

Hi Geoff...
Thanks...I'd be grateful, and I think it may help on this thread...I have one small patch to check, as it has dried from the exhaust heat...BUT there seems to be no rot underneath, as Tony has waxoyled it in and out twice....
Cheers
Helen

[Northern Bongolow]

at the end of the rear chassis leg rear cross member where the rear bumper support bracket is spot welded it rips the spot welds out/down, you will see them helen.
thanks to this good heads up when i recently fit a new towbar for a friend i took the precaution of seam welding this backet to the rear crossmember first. .

[helen&tony]

Hi
Thanks, Ady
I would have replied before, but i've been trying to wait for a day warm enough to crawl on the floor From what i remember, it looked OK there...My drooping bumper was probably caused by the rakiya soaked guy who nudged my towbar / bumper a couple of years back...It didn't appear to have damaged anything, which is more than I can say for the damage the rakiya had caused him over the years by the look of him ...My fault, really, for driving to town in the afternoon, when all the boozer/ drivers are well oiled
Cheers
Helen

[jpdridley]

Mine drooped worryingly all the way to Croatia and back in the summer (oo er missus). It seems our lovely Thule back box managed to put so much strain on the tow bar that it bent the cross member which was corroded. I have had it welded now and am really wary of putting the box back on now the bar is fixed. I was looking into putting a plate on the tow bar bracket to lift it... but this seems to be frowed upon...a drop plate is OK but up plate isn't aparently. a 4 inch lift would raise the back of the rack well clear of the ground though.

Also the Thule itself seems to drop to the left when I tighten it onto the towball...oh the woes of taking stuff on trips...any solutions out there?