Rear impact guard

A trailer comprising:

• a front end provided for attachment to a truck;
• a rear end spaced in a longitudinal direction from the front end to define a cargo area between the front and rear ends;
• a frame, the frame including
• a rear bolster extending in a transverse direction across the rear end of the trailer below a bottom rear edge of the cargo area, the rear bolster including at each end a light guard at least partially surrounding at least one tail light aperture formed therein,
• a pair of spaced rear frame posts extending upwardly from respective distal ends of the rear bolster,
• a pair of lower rails extending forwardly from respective lower portions of the pair of rear frame posts, and
• a pair of corner gussets, each of which is secured in position to fortify a joint between one of the pair of rear frame posts and a respective one of the pair of lower rails;
• and
• a rear impact guard including a bumper extending transversely and spaced below the rear bolster, a pair of outboard posts extending between the bumper and the rear bolster adjacent the respective distal ends of the rear bolster, and at least one inboard post extending between the bumper and the rear bolster at a location between the pair of outboard posts,
• wherein each of the pair of outboard posts is secured to the trailer frame with a plurality of joints, each of the plurality of joints including at least one removable fastener, the plurality of joints including
• a first joint established between a first flange of the outboard post and the light guard, and
• a second joint established between a second flange of the outboard post and the corner gusset.

A rear impact guard kit for converting an existing trailer rear impact guard having a bumper with free distal ends to a rear impact guard in which the distal bumper ends are secured to a rear bolster of the trailer, the kit comprising:

• a pair of outboard posts, each of which includes a lower end adapted for securement with a respective one of the distal bumper ends and an upper end adapted for securement with a respective distal end of the rear bolster;
• for each of the pair of outboard posts, at least one reinforcement member configured to fortify a joint between a trailer frame rear frame post and a trailer frame lower rail at the distal end of the rear bolster;
• for each of the pair of outboard posts, a first fastener extending vertically to define a first joint along a rearward portion of the upper end of the outboard post;
• and
• for each of the pair of outboard posts, a second fastener extending horizontally to define a second joint along a laterally outboard portion of the upper end of the outboard post.