Nudge Bar Install

[Hado]

Today I installed a genuine Toyota nudge bar. I bought it from eBay for half the price of one from a Toyota dealer.

It was reasonably easy to do. It took about an hour - although the instructions said it would take twenty minutes. (I suppose it would only take that long after you have done it the first time.)

The instructions are well written and straight forward - so I will only include some tips in addition to the instructions.

The long bolts which go into the two tow points to hold the nudge bar on uses a large nut.

You need a 32mm socket to tighten it - this is not a common size - and I bought one from SuperCheap for $10.

When you insert this bolt into the tow point you need to use locktight and it is tightened with a 24mm open ended spanner. However, the 24mm slot in the middle of the bolt is not very wide and a good quality Sidchrome 24mm spanner wouldn't fit in the slot.

I had to go and buy a cheap 24mm spanner - which was thinner and would go into the slot. It only tightened half a turn so I wouldn't do this again - just use something like multi-grips.

BTW you don't lose your tow point it just moves to the end of this bolt and you can still insert the tow ring through similar access covers in the front of the nudge bar.

Here is a pic:

[Rolla Boy]

My Sidchrome spanners don't fit the slots either, but the Stahlwille ones do :)

Well done on the install... Should take you 20 mins to do the next one :P

[Kesawi]

Vehicle looks great

[holmesie]

Looks good Hado

[PC XT]

Good work every body likes a saving

By the way only use those tow points in an emergency, I have been told not to use them.

I took my Nudge bar off to fit my Spot lights its very easy wit the right tools

Edited December 15, 2009 by PC XT

[Kesawi]

I took my Nudge bar off to fit my Spot lights its very easy wit the right tools

Just out of interest, why did you take the nudge bar off to fit your spots?

[PC XT]

I took my Nudge bar off to fit my Spot lights its very easy wit the right tools

Just out of interest, why did you take the nudge bar off to fit your spots?

I did not want any extra holes to mount the HID pendant lights (mount from the top NOT BOTTOM LIKE most spots) and also I Had to mount the Ballast behind the number plate, not your usual installation trust me. Mine are beside the number plate, very neat and very unobtrusive they look factory.

I could mount more light on the top side of the bar if I needed too, all with no additional hole so totally reversible :D

[hysterical]

Hi

We just took delivery of a Kluger KXR and i am interested in getting the nudge bar installed myself (either with an aftermarket or genuine toyota).

I tried looking for the tow point you mentioned that is used to mount the nudge bar today but cannot really find it.

Is it possible for you to post a photo from the bottom of the car on how it is mounted ?

Thank you

[Blackkluger]

so your ended up getting those ! i was watching that. Was it the one with those driving lights on it?

[whofan]

Today I installed a genuine Toyota nudge bar. I bought it from eBay for half the price of one from a Toyota dealer.

It was reasonably easy to do. It took about an hour - although the instructions said it would take twenty minutes. (I suppose it would only take that long after you have done it the first time.)

The instructions are well written and straight forward - so I will only include some tips in addition to the instructions.

The long bolts which go into the two tow points to hold the nudge bar on uses a large nut.

You need a 32mm socket to tighten it - this is not a common size - and I bought one from SuperCheap for $10.

When you insert this bolt into the tow point you need to use locktight and it is tightened with a 24mm open ended spanner. However, the 24mm slot in the middle of the bolt is not very wide and a good quality Sidchrome 24mm spanner wouldn't fit in the slot.

I had to go and buy a cheap 24mm spanner - which was thinner and would go into the slot. It only tightened half a turn so I wouldn't do this again - just use something like multi-grips.

BTW you don't lose your tow point it just moves to the end of this bolt and you can still insert the tow ring through similar access covers in the front of the nudge bar.

Here is a pic:

Looks good and what a great feeling you get from landing a bargain, well done.

I'm curious, what (if anything) is between the rear of the nudge bar and the bumper paint?

I'm thinking that the nudge bar would rub against the paint so that if its ever removed you'll have a nasty outline of where it used to be fitted.

Or is there some kind of rubber or felt placed in there I can't see?

Edited April 10, 2010 by whofan

[Blackkluger]

There is approx 1cm gap between the plastic cover and the bumper....unless you hit something, they dont touch.

[whofan]

There is approx 1cm gap between the plastic cover and the bumper....unless you hit something, they dont touch.

I am potentially setting myself up for a fall here... but simply must ask the question.

If you attach a "nudge bar" shouldn't that protect your car from "nudges" ??

With the 1cm gap I'm thinking that a "nudge" will result in a scratch, dent or both.

Are they really just a platform for mounting driving lights?

I acknowledge that they add some bling to your ride but idea of adding them to protect from nudges doesn't seem to be a benefit.

[Kesawi]

I am potentially setting myself up for a fall here... but simply must ask the question.

If you attach a "nudge bar" shouldn't that protect your car from "nudges" ??

With the 1cm gap I'm thinking that a "nudge" will result in a scratch, dent or both.

Are they really just a platform for mounting driving lights?

I acknowledge that they add some bling to your ride but idea of adding them to protect from nudges doesn't seem to be a benefit.

The 1cm gap is between the plastic cover and the front bumper. The cover is not structural and simply hides the connections to the tow points. Looking at the design of the nudge bar the mounts into the tow points are rigid and attach direct to the chasis, which sould prevent the bar from moving backwards. The lower bars, which run back underneath the car, look like they work in tension to stop the top of the bar rotating back onto the grill. The following link has pictures of the install which should give you a better idea of how it fits together:

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3152847&postcount=29

This link shows the damage after a frontal collision with a nudge bar fitted:

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=304748

The collision was a little bit more than a nudge.

Edited April 11, 2010 by Kesawi

[Hado]

There is approx 1cm gap between the plastic cover and the bumper....unless you hit something, they dont touch.

I am potentially setting myself up for a fall here... but simply must ask the question.

If you attach a "nudge bar" shouldn't that protect your car from "nudges" ??

With the 1cm gap I'm thinking that a "nudge" will result in a scratch, dent or both.

Are they really just a platform for mounting driving lights?

I acknowledge that they add some bling to your ride but idea of adding them to protect from nudges doesn't seem to be a benefit.

There is a gap as pointed out - I tightened my bolts as much as I could to make this as small as I could.

And yes mine is just a place to mount driving lights - hopefully :P

[whofan]

What about washing the car, does the nudge bar come off or stay on? Is it a hassle to remove?

I'd imagine there is a build-up of crud under there after a while.

I'm only asking questions because I'm interested

Great post Hado, what is it now, a week or so old and almost 1500 reads.

[Hado]

What about washing the car, does the nudge bar come off or stay on? Is it a hassle to remove?

I'd imagine there is a build-up of crud under there after a while.

I'm only asking questions because I'm interested

Whofan

No nothing comes off - the whole unit is very solidly attached to the car.

Maybe it does get dirty behind the covers but you can't see it.

I saw a OEM Nudge Bar on eBay earlier in the week for $450 - it went very quickly.

Kind regards

Hado

Edited April 15, 2010 by Hado

[whofan]

Hado,

I was going to scold you on having an outdated signature and suggest you add your new side steps and nudge bar... whoops, you're ahead of me there

It's been great reading about your upgrades, I suspect you're making a few Grande owners feel as if they could have saved $10k

Are you willing to cut a hole in the roof to install the sunroof?

[Hado]

Are you willing to cut a hole in the roof to install the sunroof?

No - one of the reasons I got a KX-S was because it didn't have a sunroof. Personally, I never really use them and they take away headroom.

My last vehicle had twin sunroofs. Other than opening them an inch to let hot air out after parking in the sun, I rarely used them. Too much wind noise - when do you drive with your window down in a modern climate control car?

The Kluger definitely doesn't need them - the aircon works so well and with the dark tinted windows it doesn't get that hot and it cools very quickly.