After reading through about a million threads and posts about the various challenges faced by FJ owners with their Expedition One bumpers, I decided to post my experience and try to combine all of the information into one place.
First, the general consensus is that the instructions provided by the manufacturer are inadequate. That is an understatement. The printed instructions in the box don’t even come close, and the two YouTube videos only help a little. Here’s how I did it and a few helpful things I learned along the way.
1. Unpack the Expedition One bumper and inventory the hardware.
2. Install the fairlead reinforcement bracket and fairlead.
3. Install your winch in the bumper. I used a Warn M8000 with synthetic rope.
4. Pop the hood and remove the FJ grille. Two 10mm bolts and two plastic claws that can be popped out with a flat blade screwdriver.
5. Remove the factory bumper skin. Five plastic claws on the top, two 10mm screws in each fender well and a bunch of 10mm bolts on the bottom. It will now just peel off by starting at either end.
6. Remove the thin sheet metal brace at the top of the bumper held by 3 10mm bolts.
7. Remove the triangular plastic pieces at the bottom of the fender wells by snipping off the soft plastic rivets from the backside.
One of the YouTube videos shows the removal of the sheet metal brackets at each end. The printed instructions do not mention this and I didn’t do it. It looks to me like those brackets help stabilize the headlights, so I left them in place.
8. Remove the stock steel bumper by removing the 4 14mm head nuts, THEN remove the bumper mounts, held by another 8 14mm nuts. These nuts will be reused to mount the new bumper.
9. Next, I stacked a few washers behind the bolt for the top driver side radiator bracket. This pulls the top of the radiator mount forward a little bit and pushes the bottom back. The result is a small gap between the AC line bracket bolt and your new bumper, thereby avoiding the rubbing and squeaking many have suffered after installation.
10. If you have a 2010-14 Fj, the windshield washer reservoir hangs down and is unsightly and vulnerable to trail damage. If you are going to remove it, now is a good time before you install the new bumper. Pull the fill neck out by releasing the white plastic clip at the top with needle nose pliers and then just twisting it out.Disconnect one of the washer hoses at the bottom and let the washer fluid drain into a bucket while you have a soda and a snack.
11. Turn the steering wheel all the way to the right, fold back the inner fender well, and remove the 3 10mm bolts that hold the washer reservoir and its cover in place. Unplug the two washer motors and the other hose.
12. At this point, I used a generic coolant overflow bottle purchased online to make a new washer fluid reservoir.
Amazon.com: Dorman 603-001 Coolant Reservoir Bottle: Automotive
Just twist the two pumps out of the factory reservoir and cut two 35mm holes in the new washer bottle. I didn’t have a hole saw of the correct size, so I just traced 35mm circles onto the plastic and cut them out CAREFULLY with a Dremel tool and small router bit. I also took a sander and ground off the “Coolant Only” lettering on the cap.
13. Unsnap the windshield washer pump harness from the plastic plug that holds it to the body. Free up the paired hoses and pull them back into the engine compartment. Pull the washer pump harness through the hole that the hoses used to go through.
14. Now you can plug in both pumps and connect both hoses. Fill your (much smaller) reservoir and test it. If the switches aren’t operating their correct locations, just swap the hoses.
15. My little washer bottle squeezes snugly between the emissions air pump, radiator fill neck and A/C line. I’ll drill a hole and mount it more securely later.
16. Now is a good time to hang the reinforcement brackets, instead of waiting until the bumper is already on. Attach the captive nut/plate and wiggle it into the hole in the frame. The frame hole is plugged with at brittle plastic plug that I had to break out with a screwdriver.
17. The instructions are pretty good at this point, except they refer to a 7/16” bolt for the bottom hole when it is actually a 2” bolt just like the top bolt. If you are going to drill your frame and use the long 3/8” bolt, now is a good time to to it. I chose not to. It’s not in the instructions AND the manufacturer has said it’s only for those who are using the 9500-10000 pound winches.
18. Figure out a way to lift the bumper. It’s heavy. Find a couple strong friends to help or use some mechanical assistance. I used an engine hoist and some ratchet straps to make it super easy to line up the bumper.
19. Next, lift the bumper into place and attach it with the 14mm nuts from the factory bumper. The 3 hole spacer plates go on with the pointed end facing down and inward toward the center of the vehicle, so they can follow the angle of the bumper. At this point, check to see if the bumper is lined up and level. There isn’t much fiddling or adjustment to do, but this is your only chance.
20. Bolt up the reinforcement bracket to the bumper with the 1/2” by 2” bolts top and bottom. You’ll use 5 washers for each bolt. Bolt, washer, bumper, 3 washers, bracket, washer, nylock. Tighten them up with a 3/4” wrench and socket.
21. Route the winch power leads and secure them with zip ties as necessary.
22. Remove the factory skid plate and the bolts on the two support braces behind the skid plate. Slide the Expedition One fill plate between the support braces and the radiator support. Attach the fill plate to the bumper with the button head Allen screws, washers, and clip nuts supplied. Reattach the support braces and factory skid plate.
23. Install your fog or driving lights in the bumper at this point, if you have them. Reinstall the factory grill.
24. Tuck the fender well plastic up into the back edge of the new bumper. You’re done.
First, the general consensus is that the instructions provided by the manufacturer are inadequate. That is an understatement. The printed instructions in the box don’t even come close, and the two YouTube videos only help a little. Here’s how I did it and a few helpful things I learned along the way.
1. Unpack the Expedition One bumper and inventory the hardware.
2. Install the fairlead reinforcement bracket and fairlead.
3. Install your winch in the bumper. I used a Warn M8000 with synthetic rope.
4. Pop the hood and remove the FJ grille. Two 10mm bolts and two plastic claws that can be popped out with a flat blade screwdriver.
5. Remove the factory bumper skin. Five plastic claws on the top, two 10mm screws in each fender well and a bunch of 10mm bolts on the bottom. It will now just peel off by starting at either end.
6. Remove the thin sheet metal brace at the top of the bumper held by 3 10mm bolts.
7. Remove the triangular plastic pieces at the bottom of the fender wells by snipping off the soft plastic rivets from the backside.
One of the YouTube videos shows the removal of the sheet metal brackets at each end. The printed instructions do not mention this and I didn’t do it. It looks to me like those brackets help stabilize the headlights, so I left them in place.
8. Remove the stock steel bumper by removing the 4 14mm head nuts, THEN remove the bumper mounts, held by another 8 14mm nuts. These nuts will be reused to mount the new bumper.
9. Next, I stacked a few washers behind the bolt for the top driver side radiator bracket. This pulls the top of the radiator mount forward a little bit and pushes the bottom back. The result is a small gap between the AC line bracket bolt and your new bumper, thereby avoiding the rubbing and squeaking many have suffered after installation.
10. If you have a 2010-14 Fj, the windshield washer reservoir hangs down and is unsightly and vulnerable to trail damage. If you are going to remove it, now is a good time before you install the new bumper. Pull the fill neck out by releasing the white plastic clip at the top with needle nose pliers and then just twisting it out.Disconnect one of the washer hoses at the bottom and let the washer fluid drain into a bucket while you have a soda and a snack.
11. Turn the steering wheel all the way to the right, fold back the inner fender well, and remove the 3 10mm bolts that hold the washer reservoir and its cover in place. Unplug the two washer motors and the other hose.
12. At this point, I used a generic coolant overflow bottle purchased online to make a new washer fluid reservoir.
Amazon.com: Dorman 603-001 Coolant Reservoir Bottle: Automotive
Just twist the two pumps out of the factory reservoir and cut two 35mm holes in the new washer bottle. I didn’t have a hole saw of the correct size, so I just traced 35mm circles onto the plastic and cut them out CAREFULLY with a Dremel tool and small router bit. I also took a sander and ground off the “Coolant Only” lettering on the cap.
13. Unsnap the windshield washer pump harness from the plastic plug that holds it to the body. Free up the paired hoses and pull them back into the engine compartment. Pull the washer pump harness through the hole that the hoses used to go through.
14. Now you can plug in both pumps and connect both hoses. Fill your (much smaller) reservoir and test it. If the switches aren’t operating their correct locations, just swap the hoses.
15. My little washer bottle squeezes snugly between the emissions air pump, radiator fill neck and A/C line. I’ll drill a hole and mount it more securely later.
16. Now is a good time to hang the reinforcement brackets, instead of waiting until the bumper is already on. Attach the captive nut/plate and wiggle it into the hole in the frame. The frame hole is plugged with at brittle plastic plug that I had to break out with a screwdriver.
17. The instructions are pretty good at this point, except they refer to a 7/16” bolt for the bottom hole when it is actually a 2” bolt just like the top bolt. If you are going to drill your frame and use the long 3/8” bolt, now is a good time to to it. I chose not to. It’s not in the instructions AND the manufacturer has said it’s only for those who are using the 9500-10000 pound winches.
18. Figure out a way to lift the bumper. It’s heavy. Find a couple strong friends to help or use some mechanical assistance. I used an engine hoist and some ratchet straps to make it super easy to line up the bumper.
19. Next, lift the bumper into place and attach it with the 14mm nuts from the factory bumper. The 3 hole spacer plates go on with the pointed end facing down and inward toward the center of the vehicle, so they can follow the angle of the bumper. At this point, check to see if the bumper is lined up and level. There isn’t much fiddling or adjustment to do, but this is your only chance.
20. Bolt up the reinforcement bracket to the bumper with the 1/2” by 2” bolts top and bottom. You’ll use 5 washers for each bolt. Bolt, washer, bumper, 3 washers, bracket, washer, nylock. Tighten them up with a 3/4” wrench and socket.
21. Route the winch power leads and secure them with zip ties as necessary.
22. Remove the factory skid plate and the bolts on the two support braces behind the skid plate. Slide the Expedition One fill plate between the support braces and the radiator support. Attach the fill plate to the bumper with the button head Allen screws, washers, and clip nuts supplied. Reattach the support braces and factory skid plate.
23. Install your fog or driving lights in the bumper at this point, if you have them. Reinstall the factory grill.
24. Tuck the fender well plastic up into the back edge of the new bumper. You’re done.