Toilet brushes are the unsung heroes of the bathroom world. Everyone has one, but nobody wants to talk about it. They quietly battle the aftermath of last night’s questionable decisions, scrubbing away stains no one dares to mention. Rarely celebrated, always necessary, they sit in their corner like a tiny, bristly warrior, ready to save the day while the rest of the house ignores them.
RVers have their own toilet-related unsung hero, seldom talked about: Bumper plugs. If they leave you, you’re in a fix. Fixing runaway RV bumper plugs is the focus of this DIY piece.
RV bumper plugs, also known as bumper caps or end caps, are used to seal off the ends of the bumper tubes on RVs. They serve multiple purposes, primarily to prevent insects, rodents, and debris from entering the bumper tube, which is often used to store the RV’s sewer hose. They also help to secure the sewer hose and prevent it from sliding out during travel. But there’s the issue—“help to secure the sewer hose.”
In your travels, how many times have you seen the remains of an RV sewer hose, mashed by the tires of passing vehicles when their grand protector, the bumper plug, flew the coop (or the tube), leaving the hose to its own devices?
Fixing runaway RV bumper plugs
Keeping a bumper plug in place can be a major headache. Much like toilet brushes, you only notice bumper plugs when you don’t have one, proving that in the world of RV hygiene, they’re both unglamorous and absolutely indispensable. For your consideration, we present four approaches to keeping those uncelebrated helpers right where they belong—in the end of your RV bumper.
Todd puts the thumbscrew to his runaway plugs
“End caps were always falling off,” writes Todd Bender. “[I] looked at those ‘fancy’ covers on Amazon with questionable reviews. Drilled, tapped and added a thumb screw.” If your toolbox has a set of threading taps, you’re already ahead of the game.
Jeff keeps his without a hitch—just a hitch pin
Jeff Crouch complained, “The plastic caps didn’t even survive on the way home from the dealer.” Jeff blasted a couple of holes through the bumper and the not-to-be runaway cap. One hole was for the hitch pin to keep the cap in place, the other for a plastic wire tie to hold the pin. We’d recommend something more UV-resistant than plastic.
From one pin to another—here’s Allan’s take
Simply described as “Simple!” Allan Wooley drilled a hole in the top of his bumper and used the existing hole in his bumper plug for a feed-through for his retainer. Not a hitch pin, but an appropriately sized snap pin.
Or just ditch the bumper plug altogether
Vincent Padilla thinks his approach is best: forget the bumper plug. “I gave up on the caps a long time ago and put long bolts and wing nuts. Haven’t had a problem since.” He adds that he feels his approach is superior in that, “I think it airs out the hose better.”
Got a bumper plug retainer or just a sewer hose retaining idea? How about RV hacks of another nature? We’d love to hear about them all. Drop us a line at russ@rvtravel dot com.
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RVT1222
What about magnetic end caps from Camco or the access doors that clamp onto the end of the bumper like the Safoner model? The fastener ideas suggested in this article all have the same problem – loosening from vibration. Another idea is to get a quick-release pin from McMaster-Carr or Grainger and drill two holes at the top and bottom of the bumper to insert the pin.
The quick release pins are the easiest way to keep the cap on. Add a lanyard secured to the bumper to the pins to keep them from getting lost.
“What about magnetic end caps from Camco”
That is what I use and they are great. No issues at all and easy-peasy to remove.
magnetic cap at the working end. The other end is an insect resistant cap with a lanyard. Neither has ever accidently come off. And our single-axle TT had so much bounce that I installed SumoSprings to smooth out the ride.
I have ones that wrap around the outside end and clamp on with a bolt, washer and nut, the door is hinged with a clip pin that has a nice design. This is hassle free and doesn’t modify the bumper.
Thank you for sharing the different solutions, Russ and Tina! Oddly enough in 75000 miles (over 9 years) of RVing I have never seen a flattened or dismembered sewer hose on the road. We haven’t a bumper, but we do have a separate area within one of the storage bays that is designed for storing sewer hoses. It holds several feet of hose quite easily. Have a great week and safe travels!
I use the magnetic end caps from Camco. They work great.