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Old 05-24-2021, 08:00 AM   #1
g2vv
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Missing the bumper

Hey all,

We just purchased our third Avalanche (2021 312rs), and love everything about it, but find myself missing the rear bumper. I feel somewhat exposed, since have had more that a few times when I bumped, or backed into something. Plus I liked the convenience of sewer hose storage. I can imagine it would cost a pretty penny to fix the back wall 'bump' without a bumper. Anyone know of any 3rd party add-ons, or thoughts?

Thanks!
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Old 05-24-2021, 08:05 AM   #2
Javi
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Originally Posted by g2vv View Post
Hey all,

We just purchased our third Avalanche (2021 312rs), and love everything about it, but find myself missing the rear bumper. I feel somewhat exposed, since have had more that a few times when I bumped, or backed into something. Plus I liked the convenience of sewer hose storage. I can imagine it would cost a pretty penny to fix the back wall 'bump' without a bumper. Anyone know of any 3rd party add-ons, or thoughts?

Thanks!
Wouldn't be that difficult to build a 4" pipe bumper if you really want one... Any good weld shop should be able to fix you right up
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Old 05-24-2021, 08:17 AM   #3
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Originally Posted by g2vv View Post
Hey all,

We just purchased our third Avalanche (2021 312rs), and love everything about it, but find myself missing the rear bumper. I feel somewhat exposed, since have had more that a few times when I bumped, or backed into something. Plus I liked the convenience of sewer hose storage. I can imagine it would cost a pretty penny to fix the back wall 'bump' without a bumper. Anyone know of any 3rd party add-ons, or thoughts?

Thanks!
If you don’t carry anything in the reciever hitch you may be able to buy a rear bump stop or weld a pipe as javi suggested or flat bar on a reciever hitch ball mount. They may even make some kind of bumper that goes into a 2” reciever hitch. I would get something with a anti rattle lococking bolt though
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Old 05-24-2021, 08:20 AM   #4
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Like this maybe
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Old 05-24-2021, 09:08 AM   #5
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To add to my earlier post, I have the same trailer except I have the residential fridge..

I wouldn't but if I were to... I'd take it to a good fab/welding shop and have them replace the hitch with a well made square tubing or pipe bumper with a hitch welded into it..

That way you don't lose the hitch and they can go to the frame with the attachments and make the hitch a real hitch... instead of a worthless 300 lb load limit piece of junk..

But that's the redneck design engineer in me...
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Old 05-24-2021, 09:40 AM   #6
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Hey g2vv hers a couple of pic's of what I built for a rear bumper on our 2019 Cougar 315 RLS. It only had the receiver which I extended out about 6" past the ladder, the bumper is a 3"x 4" tube with the ends welded shut and 2-1&1/4"bars welded to the frame. The bars actually go through the supports for the factory hitch and are welded on both sides of the support to the frame. I put 2" receivers on both ends where the bars are welded to the tube bumper (1/8"thickness) for temporary mounting a jack and a small hand winch crane so I can load my genset on and off of the carrier mounted to the receiver, I also have another receiver above the bumper for the bike rack. The 2 centre receivers have nuts welded over holes in the receivers for bolts to take any play out of the tubes mounted in the 2" receivers. Have a great day!
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Old 05-24-2021, 10:00 AM   #7
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I think Javi and Jim have the better overall structural idea but I suggested mine because I wasn’t sure of warranty implications for welding on a new rv frame...Jim your pictures didn’t load
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Old 05-24-2021, 10:05 AM   #8
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Here the pictures sorry I'm not a techie and I have sausage fingers!
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Old 05-24-2021, 10:08 AM   #9
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Here the pictures sorry I'm not a techie and I have sausage fingers!
That is really nice! Since we have the same fiver maybe you wouldn’t mind just cutting those welds and shipping it up to Maryland ? I will cover shipping...if I must of course
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Old 05-24-2021, 10:13 AM   #10
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Ya I'm not to sure about the warranty stuff ether, but warranty is like a bowl of soup, it just gives you a nice warm feeling till you actually try to use it. I'm pretty confident in my build but everyone to their own.
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Old 05-24-2021, 10:17 AM   #11
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Hey jasin1 I would love to but the warden has other plans now that she's retired too. (I now have full time adult supervision)
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Old 05-24-2021, 01:13 PM   #12
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Hey jasin1 I would love to but the warden has other plans now that she's retired too. (I now have full time adult supervision)
Thanks anyway! Yeah I think when mine is a year old I may make up a hitch based on your design.. I know the frame warranty is 3 years but I want to get through the first year overall warranty before any big changes.
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Old 05-24-2021, 05:32 PM   #13
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Video just came out a little while ago literally 2 hours ago ..looks like lippert will make one for you for the right price
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Old 05-24-2021, 05:46 PM   #14
g2vv
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Hey all, I appreciate the insights. As an aside, I just emailed torklift http://www.torklift.com
As they seem to innovate in filling the 'gap' for rv and vehicle needs. They don't offer a bumper solution but thought I would ask as this may be an opportunity for them. I'll let you know what I find out.
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Old 05-30-2021, 07:21 AM   #15
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Same issue on my 2020 Montana 3780RL. I installed a bike rack on the rear so now have a buffer to avoid damaging the trailer rear wall.
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Old 05-30-2021, 03:01 PM   #16
mmramsey
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After a little incident two years ago, I will NEVER have a trailer without a bumper. 3000 miles from home, halfway through the bucket list trip. It became the "crumple zone", absorbed a lot of the impact, and prevented a whole lot more damage to my Passport. No structural damage, had a new water heater and bumper installed to get us back on the road, and then the rear exterior panel was replaced once we got home. If it hadn't been for that bumper, she would have been inside my camper and we'd have been driving home without it.
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