Trailhunter silver rear valence delete w/ black paint DIY

[tilly4wunna]

Hated the standard silver rear valence on this trim. Replaced the front bumper with a black aftermarket bumper (CBI super stock covert front bumper) to add a winch (factor 55) which made me dislike the silver rear valence even more.

May eventually get a aftermarket bumper, but don’t quite need it yet. I was surprised at how expensive the black OEM valence replacement part costs.

I ended up using spray paint (black trim and a matte acrylic cover), and so far happy with the look and outcome, as all trim is black now and matches other exterior paint like the fender flares and door handles. Photos below are about 2 months after and the colour has held up well.

Had to remove the rear bumper to access the clips to get the valence off. Took about 3-4h total for disassembly and reassembly, not including the spray painting and drying times. I’m a car noob, so I’m sure it could be quicker for anyone with more experience.

For a visual on the process, I found this video linked below from Rago helpful, up until the bumper removal. After that, there are white clips to remove, and unplugging the parking sensors. After reassembly, everything works normally including parking sensors and rear hatch.

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[calvincartier]

Hey brother from another mother. U did an an amazing job. I’m thinking off doing the same thing but needs some encouragement . I’m a rookie here with all these mods projects. So far so good I just take my time and mostly trying to figure out on my own.

 

[bt75cj5]

Looks very clean !!! I'm glad to hear that the rear parking sensors work!!! I was thinking about doing the same to mine, but was worried about those sensors not working properly... Thanks for sharing!!!

 

[tilly4wunna]

Hey brother from another mother. U did an an amazing job. I’m thinking off doing the same thing but needs some encouragement . I’m a rookie here with all these mods projects. So far so good I just take my time and mostly trying to figure out on my own.

You got this bro! This was my first time ever doing any mods to a vehicle. YouTube and Internet forums were my friend. I like the black door and rear strips on yours.

 

[tilly4wunna]

Looks very clean !!! I'm glad to hear that the rear parking sensors work!!! I was thinking about doing the same to mine, but was worried about those sensors not working properly... Thanks for sharing!!!

Good luck! Removing the fender flares and full bumper cover allows you to avoid painting over the parking sensors which are not directly on the valence (so those are still grey) which is probably necessary to keep them functional.

 

[samsamdar]

If anyone with a trail hunter wants the matte black trim, I’d be willing to trade my matte black trim for your silver trim lol

 

[cama0303]

Very good looking. what steps did you find to attach to the rock sliders?

 

[tilly4wunna]

Very good looking. what steps did you find to attach to the rock sliders?

https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/438...0?variation0=5899511194&variation1=5899511180

I ordered these off Etsy. They are 3D printed, and I was not sure what to expect, but they've been great. I've had them for about 4-5 months and zero complaints as it was way less money than other options (such as replacing the rock sliders, other step options that are more permanent). I got the 7" length x 4 (would recommend nothing shorter than that).

Snap on/off of the OEM rock sliders in 3-5 seconds. Sturdy to step on. I keep them on during daily driving, and take them off whenever I go into the backcountry at the same time as airing down tires so offroad protection and ground clearance is unaffected. Can snap them back on once I reach the campsite.

 

[mfoga]

https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/438...0?variation0=5899511194&variation1=5899511180

I ordered these off Etsy. They are 3D printed, and I was not sure what to expect, but they've been great. I've had them for about 4-5 months and zero complaints as it was way less money than other options (such as replacing the rock sliders, other step options that are more permanent). I got the 7" length x 4 (would recommend nothing shorter than that).

Snap on/off of the OEM rock sliders in 3-5 seconds. Sturdy to step on. I keep them on during daily driving, and take them off whenever I go into the backcountry at the same time as airing down tires so offroad protection and ground clearance is unaffected. Can snap them back on once I reach the campsite.

How do those steps do when in wet, snowy or icy conditions. I don't live in those but I found that stock running boards I have are sketchy in those conditions when I would be in mountains for snowboarding.

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