Has anyone installed the Nerf bars? (from Real Wheels)

[mvaldes]

I was given a set of the nerf bars as a present - a generous friend, for sure.
(They're made by real wheels) and sold by them, Smart Madness and possibly some other dealers. They are really nicely made. Once I get them installed, I'm sure they'll look great. Unfortunately, I only received page 1 of the instructions. In addition to missing at least another page of instructions, I'm missing the template for drilling the hole for the installation of the left side of the bumper.
As best as I can tell from page 1 of the instructions, you drill the hole on the left side and then pull off the front of the car. I think that the "brackets" that hold the nerf bars then get installed from behind the plastic bumper cover. Does anyone have any more detailed instructions, or any experience installing them, to share?

[jwight]

Do they use the tow hook holes? In which case, you'd need to drill the right side.

[mvaldes]

Yes, they use the right one. It's the left I need to drill. They mount in those spots but don't thread into the tow holes in the underlying metal "bumper". They have a separate mounting system. There's a metal plate that divides the threaded part that comes thru the plastic and the nerf bar mounts on that. Behind the metal plate is a short round unthreaded rod it that looks like it just sits in the tow hole.

[sunnyokanagan]

Help me understand this a bit better please. It sort of sounds like they are really just bolted to the plastic panel, with a bump plate that stops it from going right into the drilled holel in the frame upon inpact?

[mvaldes]

I'm guessing since my package only contained page 1 of the directions. That page told how to drill the left side with the template (which I don't have) and then went through the majority of the steps to remove the front panel at which point I ran out of directions. Clearly, I'll try and get a set tomorrow but I was curious if anyone had installed them and had tips they learned in the course of their installation.
I guess the plate sits on the metal part of the bumper and the nubbin goes into the tow hole for stability. The threaded part in front of the metal plate presumably goes through the plastic bumper cover and the nerf bar attaches to it.

It would have been shorter to simply say that I think Sunny's analysis is correct.

[SmartMadness]

Regardless of whether they got it for you from us or not we can help you out. We have installed them in our shop and can give you some easy steps to take to get it installed. Call our shop and ask for Tim. Let him know I asked you to give him a call. He will help you with the install over the phone. Our hours are 10-6 Pacific and the phone number is 562-961-6800.

In case you get a VM please leave a message (lines are full) and we will call you back or hang up and call a couple of minutes later.

[SmartMadness]

Originally Posted by sunnyokanagan

Help me understand this a bit better please. It sort of sounds like they are really just bolted to the plastic panel, with a bump plate that stops it from going right into the drilled holel in the frame upon inpact?

They bolt in to the tow sockets located behind the plastic panel. There is one on each side. One of the sides is covered up and requires a little drilling. Call us first before you do anything and we will help out.

The item looks great once it is on and is a very secure bolt on mod.

[mvaldes]

First, thanks for Boris for volunteering his help. It turned out not to be needed but it's another example of the great customer service at Smart Madness.

It turns out that the mounting bars actually go through the tow holes and bolt to the bumper. You actually remove the metal bumper and bolt them in place. They don't just sit on top of it and bolt to the plastic as I guessed originally. Here's a view of them seen from above:



Here's a view of them from the side:


And here's the finished installation:




If anyone is thinking of installing them, you'll find that it's definitely a two person job for parts of it (thank you dear wife!) Here are a few tips that you'll probably find helpful:
1.The bumper is held on by 4 bolts, (A12) not 3. On the left, one of the bolts also holds the horn bracket.
2.The nerf bar mounting inserts for the bumper have a left side and a right side although they’re not marked as such. It was easiest to get them in by tipping the bumper down and dropping them into the tubes. Be careful not to pull too far forward and disturb the wiring connected to the bumper.
3.The 1 1/4” hole I made on the left was perfect, I wouldn’t have wanted it any bigger.

[The Rigger]

Originally Posted by jwight

Do they use the tow hook holes? In which case, you'd need to drill the right side.

Uhhhhhhhhhhh..... ITYM "left" side, don't you?