Thread: Dumb question time, bumper cuts for towbars...

Thanks, all fitted now. I guess this version of Outlander has a slightly different rear bumper being the facelift model and last of the line prior to replacement with the new generation in 2022. The rear bumper had two skins (inner back, visible at the bottom and the outer painted version). Quite easy to cut, but the act of cutting the clearance removed the central clip that secures the two skins together at the bottom...

I ended up snipping a side out of the pinchweld edging and using that to support the two pieces and hold them in position, starting the pinchweld on the bottom inner skin then snipping the inside half of the pinchweld off then clipping it to the outer. Could have used the next size up pinchweld in honesty, but if it falls off I guess I can change it out. The other issue I had was that the towbar outfit's rear plug loom just didn't really fit - it was long enough to fit on the left hand side of the bumper and be secured to the outer painted skin but at that location the trailer cord was jammed against the spare tyre. There were only two possible places to fit the trailer socket on either side of the towbar with the moulded in bulges, reinforces and stiffening ribs inside the bumper and the left side hits the spare wheel with the right hand side location being about 30mm too long for the factory supplied loom. The pictures in the installation guide did not show that rear bumper. I suppose it was alright, but it just didn't sit well in me to leave a cable jammed against something like that. I ended up getting an extension end I had spare off another trailer (a male-female plug lead of 600mm, replaceable end to go between the drawbar and towing vehicle) and fitted that semi-permanently to the car cable tying the connected plugs up on top of the towbar tube out of the way. It works...