Skills school How to make a bumper protection plate

BUMPER PROTECTION PLATES used to be popular, but I suspect interference with rear parking sensors might have made them problematic for some drivers.

And in theory, if we always stick to the rules when hitching and unhitching, there should be no contact between the caravan hitch and the back of the car.

However, even after many years of experience, I find it difficult to guarantee I will not cause small scratches on the car over a period of time, and this could eventually affect its trade-in value.

Make your own plate

I wanted a bumper protection plate made of thicker metal, so rather than buying one, I decided to have my own made.

I drew out a plan for the plate to be cut from 3mm stainless steel by my local fabricators. Measuring 380 x 220mm, this was designed to carry two seven-pin sockets at the corners.

I have since had to reduce the height, to avoid covering a central fog lamp on a previous car; and with the advent of 13-pin sockets, one of my socket mounting points has now been blanked off, using a small offcut of black Perspex.

To be able to fit pre-wired sockets, be sure to have slots wide enough to accommodate the 13-core cable cut into the socket centre hole.

A 3mm metal thickness makes a robust plate that should last forever and if you follow my advice, insist on stainless steel nuts and bolts for socket mounting, which makes future access to the socket much easier.

The only problem is as already mentioned above – whether the plate interferes with reversing sensors, which are obviously better not turned off.

It would be a good plan to cut a similar-sized example from aluminium, mount it in place, then safely wave something backwards and forwards behind the car, listening to see that the reversing sensors are triggering as you would expect.

A well-constructed bumper protection plate should give you the peace of mind that hitching and unhitching your caravan will not risk damaging the bodywork of your vehicle.