Help/Guide replacing rear bumper Gen 1

When I purchased my 2001 Pre-runner, the previous owner threw in a complete replacement bumper that had never been taken out of the boxes. He had seriously dented up the passenger side of the rear bumper backing into something at some point. It is a step bumper, and a stepside bed on the truck. I want to replace the bumper myself in the next couple of weeks.

I have been looking online anywhere i can think to and particularly in the TW forums, and have not found a comprehensive write up of how exactly to do this, or exactly what tools I would need. I don't think its a hard process, but never having done it, it'd be nice to read through the process first.

This is my first truck (only had it for about a week) and I have never done a lot of work on my own vehicles, but I am determined to learn how to do as much stuff on my own now as I can for my truck, and I am pretty good with my hands.

Do any of yall know of a guide describing replacing the rear bumpers on a gen 1 tacoma, or know exactly what tools I would need? Thanks Aaron

 

unhook the license plate lights and unbolt the bumper. iirc its 2 bolts per side holding it on.

 

Yup. 2 bolts per side.

 

That's too much work, just sell that new bumper to me!

 

Yes. 2 bolts per side. Real simple. You don't need a guide!....

 

My 04 has two plastic step plates on top of the bumper that also have to come off the old bumper. They come off by prying the old ones off and snapping them back on the new bumper. Not familiar with the 01 it may not have the step plates

 

Thanks for the info guys. Didn't think there would be much to it. I do have the step plates on the top of the bumper, and they are also on the wrap around corner pieces that connect the bumper to the step siding. I assume these are just bolted on as well?

Threw in a few pics. I imagine I will have to pull the step plates off all three pieces, then unbolt em. May try to tackle this this afternoon after I get off work.

 

If you need a comprehensive write up for this task, you have no business wrenching on a vehicle! Very simple...only one thing to keep in mind, and that is the front bolts don't need to be totally removed if you're dealing with the OEM brackets...just back them out, the brackets are slotted so they slip out, and slip in, makes installing them a breeze.

 

I got the step corner off last night, went to undo the bolts on the rear bumper and couldn't get enough leverage on them with a socket wrench to get them going. I'm gonna go up to my other job today to use an impact driver to get the bolts loose.

Thanks for the info about them slipping in and out of the brackets, i wasn't aware of that. I'm a complete beginner to working on vehicles and just trying to make sure before i get into anything that i know what lies ahead.

 

I replaced the bumper last night with the aid of a friend. The two bolts on either side I was thinking i'd just pop out to replace the bumper were actually welded to the frame. To get the bumper off there were 4 or 5 star bolts on the underside, and two bolts w/ nuts on the top under the step plates and one on bottom on either side. Everything went pretty smooth takin it off until we got to the corner that had been banged up. The way the collision pinched the bumper in made it impossible to get to the last nut on the bottom of that corner. We took a pry bar and had to pry the old bumper away from the frame to get to the last nut. The mounting bracket on the corner was bent from the collision, so we took the pry bar and made it close to straight. Popped the new bumper on with no problems. Took a couple hours, mainly just messing with that corner.

I still have an extra replacement bumper if any of yall are interested. its chrome, made by Aplonex International in Taiwan, never been put on a truck. still greased up. No step plates though, just the bumper.