How to Install Poison Spyder Brawler Full Width Rear Bumper w/ Hitch - Bare Steel on your Wrangler

These installation instructions apply to the following Poison Spyder products: 

17-61-010 JK RockBrawler Rear Bumper
17-61-010-D JK RockBrawler Rear Bumper with Recovery Shackle
Tabs (shown above)
17-62-010 JK RockBrawler II Rear Bumper
17-62-010-P1 JK RockBrawler II Rear Bumper - Black SpyderShell
17-62-040-D JK Brawler FULL Width Rear Bumper - Tabs
17-62-040-DL JK Brawler FULL Width Rear Bumper - Lights - Tabs

(1) JK RockBrawler, RockBrawler II or Brawler FULL Width Rear
Bumper
(1) JK RockBrawler Rear Bumper Mount Hardware Kit
PN: HWKIT-17-62-010 includes:
(2) 1/2-13 X 4-1/4 Gr8 Hex Head Cap Screw
(2) 1/2-13 Gr8 Nylon Insert Lock Nut
(4) 1/2” SAE Hardened Flat Washer
(2) 3/8-16 X 1 Gr8 Hex Head Cap Screw
(2) 3/8-16 Extruded U-Nut Clip
(2) 3/8” SAE Hardened Flat Washer

The Poison Spyder Customs RockBrawler Rear Bumper comes as unpainted, bare steel. You will want to either powder coat or paint the bumper prior to final installation. If painting yourself, careful preparation will make a big difference in the quality and longevity of your paint job, even using “rattle can” aerosol paints. Begin by thoroughly cleaning the bumper with solvent or de-greaser, then make sure all residue is removed. Even if you use cheap paint, try to use a good quality primer. “Etching” primers are best to use on bare, unpainted metal. Allow it to properly dry before painting, and between paint coats. 

1. Park the Jeep on a flat, level surface and set the parking brake.  

2. Remove existing rear bumper and disconnect the rear sway bar where it bolts to the outside of the frame rails. Keep the OE hardware that attached the bumper to the frame rails, as some of it will be re-used.  

3. With the help of a friend, pre-install the RockBrawler™ rear bumper on to the Jeep. The bolt flange of the RockBrawler™ bumper will mount between the outside of the frame rail and the sway bar bracket. Note that there are three bolt holes in the bolt flange on each side of the bumper. Two of these bolt holes will align with the stock bolt holes in the frame rail, where the sway bar bracket attaches. Use the OE hardware to secure the bumper in place using these two bolt locations on either side.  

4. Use a felt-tip pen or 3/8 center punch to mark the location of the third bolt hole on the frame rail, for each side.  

5. Look underneath the bumper, note that there are 4 bolt holes along the bottom surface of the bumper. The driver’s side, outside hole will need to be marked to drill a corresponding hole in the crossmember that sits just behind it. Use a center-punch or fine-tip felt marker to mark the hole location. You may notice that the outside passenger side already has a hole through the crossmember. Disregard the two center holes. 

6. Remove the bumper from the Jeep.

7. Drill upward through the crossmember, at the hole location marked in the previous step. Start with a smaller drill size such as 1/4”, then step up to the 1/2” bit for the final hole size. Drill through both the bottom and top surfaces of the bumper, trying to hold the drill perpendicular so the holes are vertically aligned.  

8. Drill the third bolt hole on the sides of each frame rail to 1/2”. It is best to start with a smaller drill size such as 1/4”, then step up to the 1/2” size bit.  

9. Apply touch-up paint to the bare metal around the edge of the holes that were drilled in the previous steps. Properly coating these areas at this time will help to prevent rust in the future.  

10. Insert a 3/8-16 Clip Nut through the oblong-shaped hole in the frame rail, and clip it into the new hole just drilled. Make sure the extruded thread barrel of the clip nut points inward. Do this on both frame rails.  

11. Reinstall the RockBrawler™ bumper using the OE hardware in the two original bolt locations on the sides of the frame rail, and a supplied 3/8-16 X 1 Gr8 Hex Head Cap Screw with 3/8 Flat Washer in each of the new bolt locations on the outside of the frame rails. Note that both the bumper’s mount flanges are inserted between the outside of the frame rail and the sway bar bracket.  

12. Insert the 1/2-13X4-1/4 Gr8 Hex Head Cap Screws into the two outside holes along the underside of the bumper, with a 1/2 Gr8 Flat Washer under the bolt head. Insert the bolt up through the holes in the bumper and both top and bottom surfaces of the crossmember. Secure them with a 1/2-13 Gr8 Nylon Insert Lock Nut and 1/2 Gr8 Flat Washer, where they protrude through the top of the crossmember. You may have to do this by feel, as the nuts and washers will be threaded on inside the bumper shell,  

13. Once the entire bumper is mounted and tested for proper fitment, remove the bumper for paint or powder coat. If painting yourself, careful preparation will make a big difference in the quality and longevity of your paint job, even using “rattle can” aerosol paints. Begin by thoroughly cleaning the bumper with solvent or de-greaser, then make sure all residue is removed. Even if you use cheap paint, try to use a good quality primer. “Etching” primers are best to use on bare, unpainted metal. Allow it to properly dry before painting, and between paint coats.  

14. After the bumper has been painted or powder coated, re-install by repeating the above steps. On Brawler FULL Width Rear Bumpers with provisions for mounting recessed LED pod lights, pre-install the LED lights into the bumper prior to re-installing the bumper on to the Jeep. On RockBrawler and RockBrawler II Rear Bumpers, 2-1/2” round LED backup lamps (sold separately) may be installed after the bumper has been installed on to the Jeep.  

15. Torque the eight bolts (3 on each side and two underneath) to 45 ft.-lbs.  

Congratulations, you have completed installation of your RockBrawler Rear Bumper!