wondering why..question on bumper plugs

ItsyRV wrote:
...I thought about the vinyl holders but I have no place to put it; top is obstructed by spare tire and ladder, bottom has the hitch and aux lights, and the back has my collection of comeback bumper sticker for tailgaters and horn honkers. Can't hide them from view!

The guys who like vinyl can chime in, but your vinyl hanger does not need to be on or near the bumper. Anywhere crossways under the frame is fine. Often I see them up close to the sewer outlet, or just ahead or behind the wheel wells. Preferably where it won't get dragged and torn off when crossing obstacles like driveways. Right at the sewer outlet makes the most sense, from the standpoint of that being nearest the job at hand.

A bucket does work fine though.

I've only had bolt-on bumpers as well. I added a section of pvc fencepost on top of the factory bumper for my everyday hose+fittings and only use the factory bumper to store my backup sewer hose.

To get it in and out of the factory bumper, I have to giggle the hose while pulling and rotating it gently. But that would be a pain if I had to do it every time, hence the fencepost addition for my everyday hose.

Boomerweps wrote:
Mounting bolts?
Mine, like I had thought all of the so called bumpers, are welded on. No interior restrictions.

That would be nice, but alas I have bolts.
Check page 6 of the Parts Catalog for my RV and it will show the brackets that attach to the square steel bumper/carrier.
1994 IC421RB Full Parts

bpounds wrote:
Our RhinoFlex fits the bumper, but only barely. If you turn the 4 little wings on the fittings so that they point toward the corners of the bumper, it should fit. I'm even able to leave in place the elbow end fitting that bayonets onto the threaded sewer fitting. But if you've got bolts inside the tube you may be out of luck, unless you get someone to weld the bumper in place and pull out the screws.

Yeah, the bolts (two sets on either side of center) are smack on center on the coach side wall so anything sliding along the walls will get hung up. Welding would be the answer but I've lived with it so long, the old bird seed bucket will have to keep service as a hose container. I thought about the vinyl holders but I have no place to put it; top is obstructed by spare tire and ladder, bottom has the hitch and aux lights, and the back has my collection of comeback bumper sticker for tailgaters and horn honkers. Can't hide them from view!

The hole is there because they can use less material to make the plug and yet charge you the same price.

Doesn't seem like much, but if you add it up by the 1000's of plugs they make it adds up for them.

CFerguson wrote:
The hole is also to let the wasps come and go more easily. Ask me how I know.

tee hee hee..............

TurnThePage wrote:

CFerguson wrote:
The hole is also to let the wasps come and go more easily. Ask me how I know.

Yep! I've sealed the ends of mine and use the tried and true vinyl fence post instead. I think the A/C cover and maybe the ends of the awning arms are the only places I haven't yet defended from those evil critters.

Hahaha. Man, I fought the propane wasps for years. It literally took like 3 years before I realized that they weren't coming up from the bottom of the tanks, but thru the small vent hole on top. DOH!

I did the same fix on the bumper plugs, but also installed some small pvc screened plugs to allow continued ventilation.

ItsyRV wrote:
O.K., how do all of you get the hose into the bumper carrier? For the life of me, I can not get the rigid ends of the hose to go through the void without getting hung up on the mounting bolts inside. I already replaced the mounting bolts with round head truss type bolts but it seems the rigid ends barely clear the side walls let along any protrusion. I was told I can always just remove the ends and install them when needed but that seems to defeat the tight seals of the ends. It's a finger cross moment with the two hose couple in the middle, so removing the applied ends seem risky.

So there has to be some way of doing it I'm missing. Any suggestions?

(The stinky slinky is the RinoFlex Extreme)

Our RhinoFlex fits the bumper, but only barely. If you turn the 4 little wings on the fittings so that they point toward the corners of the bumper, it should fit. I'm even able to leave in place the elbow end fitting that bayonets onto the threaded sewer fitting. But if you've got bolts inside the tube you may be out of luck, unless you get someone to weld the bumper in place and pull out the screws.

Or, just get the vinyl posts and go that way. I don't get the attraction that some have for that, but to each their own. I also carry additional lengths of the cheap blue slinkies, and those I roll up in a 5 gal bucket in a storage compartment.

This is what I use to secure the square plugs. Bent up out of some SS welding wire.

On our old TT which we had for 16 years I stored the sewer hose in the bumper.

Our current 5th wheel is almost 23 years old. I have always stored my sewer hose in the bumper. I drain the hose after I rinse it out and then slide it into the bumper. There is very little water left in the hose.

I have had no rust problems on the inside of either trailer bumper.

The hole in the bumper plug is for ventilation and to make it easier to get the plug loose.

I drill a hole in the top of the bumper down into the rubber bumper plug and then insert a screw into the hole; this helps keep the bumper plug in place. It prevents a long sewer hose from pushing the bumper plug out.

time2roll wrote:
Just permanently attach or discard the bumper plugs.
Use a 5" vinyl fence post to carry the sewer hose. No more issues.

They do work nice.
This is what happens when one has way too much time on their hands during a long winter:




Hoses are right next to sewer connection and snap into the storage position. The handle ejects the hose. First hose keeps second hose in next post cover from getting loose. No covers to handle!

Just permanently attach or discard the bumper plugs.
Use a 5" vinyl fence post to carry the sewer hose. No more issues.