Rear Bumper Deflector

[racegas]

I've got my rear bumper off for some body work and took this part off as well. It is the narrow black plastic strip that is attached to the body with 12 'rivets' and that extends horizontally, rearward under the top lip of the bumper.

It had more rivets that were not secured in the holes in the body than were secure. The end of the rivets are all 'flat' - they do not have the typical 'donut' at the 'blind' end that comes from installing a blind rivet. On a couple, I can see what look to be grinding or abrasion marks, that could have come from manufacturing and not a PO trying to remove them. I can find them listed in the parts book, but there is not enough detail to see if they are a pop rivet or a special rivet that is just a snug fit. They are about 1/4" in diameter, with a 3/16" open space in the center of the shaft, which is obviously unusually large.

Can anyone confirm what style these were to begin with? Or tell me what they have used to secure this piece when replacing it?

[rang-a-stang]

Hm. Mine is completely missing; interested in what you find out... I see the holes for the rivets but nothing is there.

[Heavy_Metal_Thunder_81]

I've actually never seen an FSJ with one still there haha.

[rang-a-stang]

I wonder if they are only on 79+? Looking at Sadie, she doesn't even have the holes.

http://www.ifsja.org/forums/vb/showpost.php?p=1555517&postcount=241

I'll probably just manufacture something for mine out of a rubber mat or something and just use nuts/bolts/washers. Unless you're doing a hardcore restore, I would either use stainless rivets or stainless steel hardware.

[SOLSAKS]

my 1988 wagoneer had the plastic filler panel.
in some vehicles that peice is cosmetic
to fill in unsightly gaps.
or it may be to help divert debris, ?

mine was attached to the body with small screws
and the bumper fit over it.
( best i can recall )

i cleaned and dyed mine back to black
and re-installed.

they are barely visible
some folks do not put them back on.

dave in NC

[babywag]

I threw the one on my '88 away, they are riveted on.
Normal rivets would work, or even sheetmetal screws.
Pretty much unseen when a bumper is installed.

They're kinda a specialty type like other automotive body rivets.
Generally only available from dealer or autobody supply places.
IIRC you would need a special tool to reinstall the OE ones.

[Full Size Jeeper]

Could someone post a pic of what it looks like. Mine is gone and was interested in what it looks like and if it had any function other than a filler.

[Cecil14]

It may well have been an effort in the later years to block off any gaps and improve airflow as much as possible. MPG requirements were going up, and without changing any other technology AMC had to do what they could to meet regs.


aa

[80Limited]

You're in luck! I'm redoing my body bushings and adding a body lift.
Just pulled my rear bumper. Looks like it's held on by aluminum rivets.

[Full Size Jeeper]

I'am thinking it is to keep dirt and oil from getting sucked up onto the back window and tailgate. My 78 has the holes, so it must have had one.

[Brynjminjones]

I'd wondered what that was. All I know is that when working on the rear of the Jeep, I always drop stuff in that gap and that piece of plastic makes it very difficult to get stuff back out again!

[rang-a-stang]

I had one on my Falcon wagon back in the day and took it off becuase it was dry rotted and cracked. What I found is without that little splash guard, the rear bumper acts like a scoop; scooping up road grime, exhaust fumes, muddy water when it rains, etc. and adding them to the vortex that is already behind a blunt rear end. I noticed my tailgate and rear window got much dirtier, much faster w/o it. I don't think they are "needed" but I plan to have one when I put my bumper back on...

[racegas]

You're in luck! I'm redoing my body bushings and adding a body lift.
Just pulled my rear bumper. Looks like it's held on by aluminum rivets.

The rivets I have look to be a 'friction fit', as there is nothing on the hidden end to hold them in the holes - i.e. the typical donut from pulling the pin with a rivet gun, or a 'splayed' end like a peel of a banana. Can you feel/look at the underside of the body sheet metal and tell me what the ends are like on yours?