Nissan Xterra Rear Bumper Upgrade - Building A Better Xterra

I removed all wiring from the frame and unplugged all light fixtures, keeping some zip ties handy for after the installation.

OK, here was the tricky part doing this install alone. The weight of the rear bumper is over 100 pounds, which is quite a task to maneuver solo. What I did was ask a friend to keep an eye on the floor jack as I fished it into place. Setting the bumper on the jack, I raised it into position and then slid the bumper into place checking the factory mounting holes on the frame to be sure everything lined up. This did take a little time because the bumper is a tight fit. A rubber mallet helps get those holes lined up right just.

With the bumper in place, I tightened all of the factory bolts that secure the bumper to the framerails. There are some additional holes for other applications in the plates connecting the bumper to the frame. Locate the ones that work best on your vehicle for the install. After you get all the bolts in place, it's a good idea to leave them a bit loose and take a look at the bumper to be sure its level before tightening them all the way.

Shrockworks provides a small grease packet that should be used sparingly because it needs to cover a few items. I applied it to the mount locations for the tire carrier hanger, the inside and outside of the tire carrier bushing, the washers, and even a little on the 1-inch bolt that holds the hanger to the bumper.

After everything got a coat of grease, I slid the 1-inch bolt down through the hanger using the provided 1-inch SAE washers on the top and bottom of the gate; I used the 1-inch nylon washers on the top and bottom of the tire carrier bushing to ensure smooth operation. Next, I fished the license-plate-light wire through the hole in the bumper. I then removed the light mount from the factory bumper and attached it to the Shrockworks bumper then connected the wire and bulb. I swung the tire carrier back and forth a couple of times to make sure the wiring was not caught on anything underneath the vehicle. After everything was good to go, I zip-tied the loose wiring in place.