End caps on rear bumper come loose

[gmacklem]

Ok, this is a plumbing related question, I guess. The end caps on the rear bumper come loose while I am moving. I am afraid that sooner or later one will come off and the sewer hose will come out on the highway. It is a new trailer and the hose actually fits pretty snug so I am not sure how the end caps are coming loose. Is there a better method for securing the caps to the bumpers?

[KyDan]

They will come off eventually.
I found mine half out more than once so I drilled mine and put a safety pin thru them.
I made the safety pin out of #9 galvanized fence wire.
You can buy the large safey clips at most farm stores or even a well stocked
hardware store. Think of a large version of the safety clip that comes with your
receiver hitch.

If you're totally baffled, I can take a photo and post- that is unless someone else
beats me to it!

[Dave_Monica]

Originally Posted by gmacklem

I am not sure how the end caps are coming loose.

Do you have anything else attached to the bumper...spare tire or bike rack? The end caps work their way out with flexing of the bumper.

I've attached mine with a couple of SS screws but I don't use the bumper for hose storage.

Dave

[force]

On one side I used self tapping sheet metal screws, 2 in opposite corners.

And on the other side I added a small bungy cord so I could still get to my hose.

[Cajun Po-Boy]

Saw this pic on another site...thought it might help you

[Dovetail]

Black duck tape works in a pinch.

[RollingDownTheHighway]

One of mine came off on the way from the dealer when we bought it. I use black electrical time on them now. I'm keeping it one more season beforing trading it in for 5'er, so I don't want to drill anything into the bumpers for a 4.99 part

[RoadTrip]

I have a plastic bag scrunched up as a filler between the cap and bumper. But I've also found that turning the cap 1/4 turn will help find the tightest fit.

[Capt. Mike]

WirthCo 30000 Black RV Locking Bumper Plug $6.56 each at amazon.com and probably available at other places, too. Put them in, then push in the center of the cap to expand the edges and lock them in place. My OEM caps kept coming out, too, but these have eliminated the problem.

[rick42wood]

I have had many, many trailers and none of them came with end caps that worked. It's one of those things that look nice on the sales lot but are hopeless. I silicone one end on and I throw the other end cap away. Then I drill a hole in the top of the bumper near the end and simply drop a 4" nail through it. It doesn't look that pretty but I have never lost a hose and it is always dry when I go to use it.

[jevanb]

SS screwed mine on. Got sick of stealing everyone elses after I lost mine.

[rotorhead1250]

I didn't know they came off either until my sewer hose was draggin 20 feet behind me! I drilled one small hole through the bumper and into each cap and insert a SS sheet metal screw in it. I still store my dump hose in the bumper.

[gmacklem]

The WirthCo bumper caps look like a cheap, easy, no-drill solution. I will have to pick up a pair.

Thanks everyone.

[gmacklem]

Oh, for the people who don't store the hose in your bumper, where do you store it? Seems awful messy to put anywhere else.

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by gmacklem

Oh, for the people who don't store the hose in your bumper, where do you store it? Seems awful messy to put anywhere else.

Originally I used a pair of rubber maid totes for all of my sewer stuff.

Now I use a pair of vinyl fence posts with rain gutters as pull out trays. I keep them in the bed of my truck. I'll eventually mount them under the camper- but they fit nicely along side of my hitch.

[Cajun Po-Boy]

Originally Posted by gmacklem

Oh, for the people who don't store the hose in your bumper, where do you store it? Seems awful messy to put anywhere else.

5" square white vinyl fence post with end caps mounted under my front storage bay area...best mod I could have done

[fivecodys]

We have owned two different travel trailers and I mad the same mod to both.
I went to the hardware store and bought two 1/4"x6" bolts.
These bolts had about 1-1/2" of threads on them.
I cut them where the threads ended and drill a small hole all the way through about 1/4" from the end.
With the black rubber caps pressed into the ends of the bumper, I drilled a 5/16" hole through the bumper and through the flange of the caps.

The 1/4" pin I made pushes down through both and I stick a little spring pin through the hole so the pin can't fall out.
It has worked perfectly.

One of the previous posts used wire for the pin. I like that idea too.

Bill

[rip]

This is low-skill, cheap and simple...

Go to 99-cent store, pick up a set of fondue skewers.
Drill appropriate size holes thru top/bottom bumper and nylon end-caps.
Cut two skewers from the set to 6".
Attach a bungee-wrap to each skewer.
Insert your new "end-cap skewers".

Hey now, your end-caps are secure, and that skewer won't come out and puncture a tire behind you. Now be nice and share the left over skewers from the set with your camping friends, or, well, cook something nice on the pit.

[Herk7769]

Never gonna happen!

[KyDan]

End cap skewers-
What a great simple solution!!
Good photo too.

My -minor- problem is I can't get at my bumper from 2 opposite sides
on one end.
I can drill the back and the bottom but not the top or the front so my
holes are 90 deg apart on that end rather than 180 deg on opposite sides.
On the other end I can drill top and bottom.

I made it work anyway.....

I believe on rough roads the sewer hose actually slides back and forth
inside the bumper and it WILL eventually nudge out the end cap if you
don't secure it somehow.