Replacement bumper caps

**sande005** · 10-24-2020, 09:15 PM

It took 3 years, but I finally lost a bumper cap while driving. Luckily, I learned from my last RV that that may be something that happens. They also like to disappear while parked in a campground. So I drilled a couple of 1/8th holes in the bumper (front and back on each end) right after getting it home. Done so I could use a piece of coat hanger through the holes to act as insurance to keep the stinky slinky from deploying as I drive.

I got a set of "hatch caps" at the Camping World near the last CG I was at. Plastic frame that goes around the bumper, with hinged covers that close over the end. Seemed great. Until I went to put them on, and discovered that the plastic material was so soft, the retaining screws used to hold them on immediately stripped.

Any recommended replacements that are more elegant than my coat hanger (and will stay on, of course)?

**powerscol** · 10-25-2020, 10:05 AM

What I did was drill a hole from top to bottom through the tube and cap material and used a piece of copper welding rod with a L bent in the top and put it top down through the hole in the cap/tube. Rod only need to extend through the cap/tube bottom an inch or two. To get the stinky slinky out, I just pulled the rod and removed the cap, but you door one could stay in place, and removed the hose. I always put the rod back so it does not get lost. Rod holes should be a snug fit for the rod.

**geotex1** · 10-25-2020, 02:14 PM

Best ever made:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Lost every other stopper style until these came out. Last camper had the same pair for 8 years before someone decided they needed them for their camper while ours was in the storage lot!

**sande005** · 10-25-2020, 02:53 PM

Originally Posted by geotex1

Best ever made:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Lost every other stopper style until these came out. Last camper had the same pair for 8 years before someone decided they needed them for their camper while ours was in the storage lot!

Wouldn't you know! I carried those around the Camping World I stopped at...then saw the hatch caps I bought, so put them back. Thanks for the recommendation!

**powerscol** · 10-25-2020, 03:03 PM

Originally Posted by geotex1

Best ever made:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Lost every other stopper style until these came out. Last camper had the same pair for 8 years before someone decided they needed them for their camper while ours was in the storage lot!

What fun are those - you would miss the surprises. Birds nest, wasp nest, and honey bees just to start. I can still remember getting to a camp ground and pulling the plug and having to run like heck, yellow jackets swarming everywhere. I had been driving fo 8 hours, so I guess they were a bit mad. Lucky the camp store had some wasp spray. I carry a can with me now

**OurNewEra** · 10-25-2020, 03:04 PM

Originally Posted by sande005

It took 3 years, but I finally lost a bumper cap while driving. Luckily, I learned from my last RV that that may be something that happens. They also like to disappear while parked in a campground. So I drilled a couple of 1/8th holes in the bumper (front and back on each end) right after getting it home. Done so I could use a piece of coat hanger through the holes to act as insurance to keep the stinky slinky from deploying as I drive.

I got a set of "hatch caps" at the Camping World near the last CG I was at. Plastic frame that goes around the bumper, with hinged covers that close over the end. Seemed great. Until I went to put them on, and discovered that the plastic material was so soft, the retaining screws used to hold them on immediately stripped.

Any recommended replacements that are more elegant than my coat hanger (and will stay on, of course)?

Great timing. Got my TT home from storage today and saw I was missing one of me be. Personally think some one grabbed it.

I found two Camco options. Camco 40325 which is original equipment - the one I lost. There is also the Camco 40324 same as the 25 but this one has a tether you can connect to the bumper.

I'm going with the 40325 and will do something similar to @powerscol to secure a little better. I'm ordering 2 from walmart.com. Keep a spare for when the other one disappears.

**OurNewEra** · 10-25-2020, 03:06 PM

Originally Posted by sande005

It took 3 years, but I finally lost a bumper cap while driving. Luckily, I learned from my last RV that that may be something that happens. They also like to disappear while parked in a campground. So I drilled a couple of 1/8th holes in the bumper (front and back on each end) right after getting it home. Done so I could use a piece of coat hanger through the holes to act as insurance to keep the stinky slinky from deploying as I drive.

I got a set of "hatch caps" at the Camping World near the last CG I was at. Plastic frame that goes around the bumper, with hinged covers that close over the end. Seemed great. Until I went to put them on, and discovered that the plastic material was so soft, the retaining screws used to hold them on immediately stripped.

Any recommended replacements that are more elegant than my coat hanger (and will stay on, of course)?

Great timing. Got my TT home from storage today and saw I was missing one of mine. Personally think some one grabbed it.

I found two Camco options. Camco 40325 which is original equipment - the one I lost. There is also the Camco 40324 same as the 25 but this one has a tether you can connect to the bumper.

I'm going with the 40325 and will do something similar to @powerscol to secure a little better. I'm ordering 2 from walmart.com. Keep a spare for when the other one disappears.

**OurNewEra** · 10-27-2020, 05:15 PM

Originally Posted by OurNewEra

Great timing. Got my TT home from storage today and saw I was missing one of mine. Personally think some one grabbed it.

I found two Camco options. Camco 40325 which is original equipment - the one I lost. There is also the Camco 40324 same as the 25 but this one has a tether you can connect to the bumper.

I'm going with the 40325 and will do something similar to @powerscol to secure a little better. I'm ordering 2 from walmart.com. Keep a spare for when the other one disappears.

I owe the unknown person I falsely accused of taking one of my bumper caps an apology. I apologize. My DW happened to find a bumper cap in our bushes next to the driveway this morning. Go figure. Apparently I got a little too far into the bushes and one of them popped of the cap. Mystery solved.

But in the meantime I had ordered new ones from Walmart.com. I ordered 2 each not knowing that they came as a 2 pack. So now I have 4 extra bumper caps! I'll throw them in the pass through, I'm sure I'll run across someone that will need one.

I did come up with a solution to keep them with the trailer. I ran a piece of 5/32" paracord through the bumper and attached a cap to each end of the cord. Similar to the old mittens on a string. I used metal crimp collars on the end of the cord and right behind the cap on the cord. So it should be pretty secure. If not, I have 4 more to go through.