2010 Escape:
So I was wondering if anyone had any feedback re: removal of the rear bumper "step pad" (Number 6 on the diagram below) and looked underneath to see how the rear bumper itself looks where it is covered by this step pad. (Well I know some of us here did, because I searched BUT couldn't see any post-removal descriptions of if it was easy/problematic - sometimes innocent looking panels can be nightmares and I am sort of a newb at this stuff)
The WHY of it: I recently "refreshed" the tire hoist "receiver" hole that had a lot of rust on it, and while cleaning it with PB Blaster/Wd40 and a lot of compressed air, I couldn't help but notice that some of that went/flowed down in between the step pad and the rear bumper cover. Now I am curious to see if I can remove it and clean up underneath. Might be a good potential place to look for "future crud/rust" forming area anyway, and clean periodically, methinks.
It is also sun-faded and gray - needs to be removed and painted/detailed at some point anyway.
Looks like it's 2 Torx screws (number 7 on diagram) AND a bunch of clips that holds it on to the rear bumper. (See 2 images below)
So I was wondering if anyone had any feedback re: removal of the rear bumper "step pad" (Number 6 on the diagram below) and looked underneath to see how the rear bumper itself looks where it is covered by this step pad. (Well I know some of us here did, because I searched BUT couldn't see any post-removal descriptions of if it was easy/problematic - sometimes innocent looking panels can be nightmares and I am sort of a newb at this stuff)
The WHY of it: I recently "refreshed" the tire hoist "receiver" hole that had a lot of rust on it, and while cleaning it with PB Blaster/Wd40 and a lot of compressed air, I couldn't help but notice that some of that went/flowed down in between the step pad and the rear bumper cover. Now I am curious to see if I can remove it and clean up underneath. Might be a good potential place to look for "future crud/rust" forming area anyway, and clean periodically, methinks.
It is also sun-faded and gray - needs to be removed and painted/detailed at some point anyway.
Looks like it's 2 Torx screws (number 7 on diagram) AND a bunch of clips that holds it on to the rear bumper. (See 2 images below)