Removing BSM/RCTA for high clearance bumper

So...I have a 2020 Trd Pro Tundra that came from Canada. I want to install front and rear SS built bumpers. I will have to remove the BSM/RCTA system from the truck so that I can install the rear bumper. Is there anyone out here that has done this? Of course I would love to be able to keep it and still have the rear bumper, but Ive read just about every resource on the subject and how the sonar works and it would be impossible unless I mounted it exposed to the outside of the truck. Ive toyed with the idea of doing just the front bumper but In my opinion it looks terrible and I truly want a high clearance bumper. I would love anyone's input/thoughts on this. Thanks!

 

I’ve installed BSM and Parking Sonar in three US-Spec TRD Pro’s at this point. Here is what I know:

BSM - unplug the sensors and that’s it. The CAN system won’t see them any more and it will hide the option from your instrument cluster.

Parking Sonar - unplug the Parking Sonar ECU (buried up behind the glove box). This will deactivate the system completely. You can also remove the switch (just unplug it) and use the spot for something else if you like. If you don’t unplug the ECU and you accidentally turn on the switch with the sonar devices removed, your instrument cluster will get very angry and show all kinds of warnings about the system not working.

Then you can unplug the sonar units in the front and rear, and remove the excess harnesses. There is a short added harness at each front corner of truck for the front sensors that you don’t need to keep (reduces wires dangling down in your bumper area). In the rear, you can remove the entire rear bumper harness and then make up a new one with wiring for your license plate lights (that’s all that’s left in the harness after you remove the sonar and BSM). I’ve actually got a connector available that could be used to make up the license plate light harness, leading the original one you have in tact.

 

You're the man. Thank you!

I had no idea that there was sonar units in the front as well, I thought it was just the front unit for the cruise control tss stuff. Are the sonar units for the front in the front bumper? I didn't see anything when I installed my fog lights. I believe the SS built front bumper is compatible with the TSS since it doesnt obstruct the tss sensor in any way or require it be moved.

I'm going to dive under the truck and check on things tomorrow wiring wise. As far as the license plate lights If i understood you correctly, the harness that the lights are on is all part of the same harness the rear sonar units run off of. Ideally, id like to be able to ziptie the wiring harnesses up and out of the way rather than remove them in the event I sell my truck and want to return it back to as stock as possible. I'm wondering if the bumpers are going to be more of a pain in the ass than they are worth but I really really like the look of them, and have already hit my rear bumper on a few things while wheeling so I will definitely enjoy the added clearance.

 

There are a few aftermarket rear bumpers that do support BSM but none are "high clearance"; the hitch is the lowest part. The brands are ICI, CBI and now C4 Fab. I recommend avoiding the Steelcrap one with the recessed tunneled sensor design.

I believe @RainMan_PNW has one of them installed on his truck , the CBI?

 

I kept my parking sensors but if I were to do it again I would just remove it all. I’ve got the SS built front and mazzulla rear. Added the parking to both.

 

Are you mainly concerned about the TSS and BSM? Unless you installed it yourself I don’t think the 2020 Pro’s came with Parking Sonar, so you should only have to worry about BSM in the rear.

As far as I know from what I’ve seen with the SS built bumpers, your front TSS shouldn’t be affected and you should be fine there. The only mods you would likely need to make would be on the rear for the BSM sensors. If you really wanted to keep the BSM, I’m sure you could fab up some type of cover and or box style enclosure (that has to be the right material/thickness to be compatible with the sensors) that you could tack to the bumper.

 

Good point. Unless it is a Canada thing PROs generally don't come with BSM.

 

Yep CBI has one that is BSM compatible, and now so does C4 (it’s on my wish list )

CBI - https://cbioffroadfab.com/product/2nd-gen-toyota-tundra-rear-bumper-2014-2021/

C4 - https://c4fabrication.com/collections/tundra-2014/products/tundra-overland-series-rear-bumper-2014

 

Yep you’re right about BSM as well, totally forgot about that. Since @RainMan_PNW set me up with it on mine, I forgot it’s not standard

 

The C4 is the newest option and probably my first pick unless I choose to mod one of the nonBSM bumpers.
CBI seems to have some interference with the tailgate.
ICI is the oldest and fairly expensive. Blocky looking too.

 

Yea they just finally started offering it not too long ago, happy they finally got it incorporated. It’s definitely my first choice as well for the same reason as yours, wasn’t excited about the issues folks on here have seen with the CBI’s contacting the tailgate.
I’ve noticed some people also not being really jazzed about the quality of their bumpers from CBI. To be fair, I contacted them recently asking if they fixed the issue with contacting the tailgate, and they said they did, so hopefully no one has that issue moving forward with the new ones

 

The only concern with the C4 Fab is the Gen 2.5s have two sensors to support. Toyota turned over to a new design in the middle of the run (I think was in 2017 for the 2018s). The size and mounting is different from what I recall but I haven't looked at them in some time. I am hoping C4 Fab accounted for that change.

Also reading back on some of the issues with the ICI killing BSM sensors over time I suspect there isn't enough shock and vibration dampening on these mounting location but that should be easy enough to fix with some rubber washers or rubber standoffs.

 

I was surprised by the announcement from C4. Good on them for modifying their existing design. I'm keeping an eye out for an install video. I am curious to see how the sensors actually mount to the bumper.

 

Interested in this connector for the license plate light - Did the same thing you mentioned after my instrument cluster went haywire after i removed my rear bumper with sensors & BSM. Had tabs made for the front ones so Im considering doing the same for the rear.

 

@reywcms I like having the parking sensors, so I would probably add them to both front and rear any photos of that in your build thread? I have a really narrow parking space so they do help. If they go away im not gonna cry about it but If i can make the effort to keep them id do that.

 

@RegGex I did not install it myself, since my truck is Canadian I believe Toyota installed all of it either at the port or ?? Im not super concerned about the BSM /RCTA in fact I turned it off a few days ago to get a feel for how the truck is without it, and honestly I dont miss it. I have an FJ and its like looking out of a submarine so i've got experience in driving around without those goodies and being good about blind spots.

 

@Djayyykiddoh Youre saying you removed the bsm like im planning to do? any tips or is it pretty straight forward unplugging/unbolting things?

 

Yep! There’s pics of the rear bumper where I added the provisions. Mazulla doesn’t come with them. Let me add a pic of the front bumper.

 

Canadian-spec TRD Pro’s have BSM and parking sonar. Something to do with their version of DOT requirements or how their packages are set up for import… it’s technically an SR5 with the upgrade packages and then the added TRD Pro components or something.

The two round black sensors in your front bumper corners are parking sonar - nothing to do with TSS. As for the rear bumper, there really isn’t enough slack in it to move it far from standard position. If wanting to keep the factory parts to revert back to stock, you’d be best served to just pull and save the harness with the rest of the pieces if you’re not installing the sonar in the new bumper. If you choose just to skip BSM, you can tape over the BSM plugs to keep them from getting full of road grime and crap.

CBI has fixed their design that interfered with the tail gate. @memario1214 has pictures in the thread he has posted. They also added to their design the ability to bolt on a tire swing - some like it, others don’t. I need to modify mine still to alleviate the tailgate contact, but it’s not high in my priority list. Part of me wants the swing-out option… The fit/finish on my CBI otherwise has been great (I did have it coated locally) and they’ve been very responsive to questions and even sending me some random spare parts.

C4 has announced they are now BSM compatible. I haven’t actually seen pictures of the BSM version of the bumper, but it’s good to see more companies committing to it. Had it been available when I ordered the CBI, I may have swayed to the C4, though I do like the top step in the CBI (I just wish it was anodized black).

All the options that are BSM compatible are not high clearance. It’s pretty much not an option with how the Toyota system is designed I don’t think - the location and angle of the BSM sensors has a relatively small window of tolerance. It’s too bad they didn’t go with something integrated into the tail light housing like a few other brands.

 

Are you looking to reinstall your rear parking sensors or just have the license plate light? It’s not clear in your response…

 

When I went under the truck I believe there was 3-4 main connectors that I unplugged, and then when I removed the 10 or 12 bolts holding the bumper to the chassis everything came out all in one. Have a friend near by to help, the OEM bumper+support is heavy lol.

I didn’t remove the parking sensors or the BSM radar things out of the bumper individually cause I wanted a quick plug&play just incase I went back to the factory bumper. Eventually I’ll find time to get some tabs made and welded on for the rear parking sensors on my tube bumper.

My fault, yes I’m interested in that license plate connector harness you have just to have the rear plate light back. Didn’t wanna go hacking away at the oem harness to tap in a light if I didn’t need to.