In getting ready for a 16 week foray to WA, the NT and FNQ I've been doing a total under-body check on my PX2 Wildtrak and I noticed that there is - (IMO) - a basic design fault with the ARB Summit rear step bar and that if you have one you should check out.
If like me you have been through dust, desert sand and some creeks and rain feel down below the number plate and into the rear of the bar where the number plate light is situated and my guess is you will feel some mud.
The only way to remove this build-up is to undo the 8 retaining bolts ( round head, square shank 6 mm x 1.0 mm pitch with a 10 mm hex head self locking nut ) and gently prize off the alloy cover ( mine was siliconed onto the bar ). When you do this you will see that there is an area below and behind the number plate light where dust, water and mud can collect but there is no way for it to be drained washed out and dried.
It also leads to the question of how you can easily replace the LED number plate light ????? Simple answer is you cannot !!! You have to remover this alloy cover plate !
Okay once this hollow is cleaned out and dried I think the only way of preventing it collecting crud again is to fill it with a polystyrene foam, well, that was my solution anyway.
I removed the number plate light, used some expanding foam and once it was fully cured, with a sharp knife cut away and shaped it enough to allow the replacement of the light, wiring and its bracket but so it would still be hard up to the underside of the checker-plate top cover and blocking all the forward facing opening to prevent dirt and water from ever getting in there again.
I then replaced the checker-plate top cover, this time however I refrained from using as much silicon as ARB had - I just used a few dabs along the bars length as in removing the cover the first time I had to prize it off with tyre levers and this had caused some distortion that I then had to gently repair.
I also replaced the OE round headed bolts with stainless steel items, yes, I know that there will be some electrolytic action between the S/S bolts and the checker-plate aluminum cover but I figure that will be better than the OE bolts that were very badly rusted- two of which the nuts snapped off.
I would strongly advise against anyone drilling a drain hole in the bar in this area as this would seriously affect the bars tow load rating.
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