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Opinions.. Road Armor Fender Flares or Stock Flares with High-Line Lights?

jeepinalaska

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Alright decision making time... I'd love any opinions or recommendations! I have a 2019 Sahara unlimited. I want to do one of two things to my fenders.

First would be to take off the inner fender and trim on my stock fender flares and install the awesome American Adventure Lab High-Line Day Time Running Lights to replace the current turn signal lights ( https://americanadventurelab.com/product/jeep-jl-high-line-fender-brace-with-daytime-running-lights/ ). This would be keeping the stock fender itself. If I'm spending that much on lights I figure I may as well get the RGB option for $100 more, so coming to $395.

My second idea is to get completely new aftermarket fender flares. The ones I love are Road Armor's Stealth Fender Flares with the Switchback DRL's ( https://www.northridge4x4.com/part/...r-stealth-front-fender-flare-w-switchback-drl ).

If I'm paying $395 for the lights alone and staying stock on the flares, does it make more sense to go with Road Armor and whole new flares for a bit more? Both are such clean looks imo. In either of these cases I believe I would need to purchase inner fender liners correct?
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Kona Damien

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In my opinion, I would consider how much extra clearance you are looking for? The Sahara’s seem like they would lose out to the Road Armor’s. But... the stock fenders will have more road spray protection b/c of the extra width.
I can see why you are having the dilemma.
 

Headbarcode

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I just recently chopped my front fenders to install the AAL highline LEDs, inner fender liners, and fender retention hardware kit. I like how it added an extra level of aggressiveness and purposefulness, without looking too attention grabbing. If you go this route, I'd highly recommend the hardware kit to add rigidity and get rid of the white plastic clips. Their liners are specifically designed to go with a chopped factory fender, whereas other companies liners would leave a gap across the top edge. With some artful trimming, the factory liners could be used but will rob the extra wheel well clearance that could be gained with their liners. Also, the chop adds about 3.5" of clearance to the top of the tire.
 

D5grvty01

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I like both options as well. Going with the AAL because it’s a cheaper option
 

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ChattVol

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I just recently chopped my front fenders to install the AAL highline LEDs, inner fender liners, and fender retention hardware kit. I like how it added an extra level of aggressiveness and purposefulness, without looking too attention grabbing. If you go this route, I'd highly recommend the hardware kit to add rigidity and get rid of the white plastic clips. Their liners are specifically designed to go with a chopped factory fender, whereas other companies liners would leave a gap across the top edge. With some artful trimming, the factory liners could be used but will rob the extra wheel well clearance that could be gained with their liners. Also, the chop adds about 3.5" of clearance to the top of the tire.
Or you could simply paint the fender clips black retaining the ability for the fender to pop off if in a tight spot and potentially avoid body damage. The clips hold the fender against the body...How does the AAL hardware kit add additional rigidity?
 

Headbarcode

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Or you could simply paint the fender clips black retaining the ability for the fender to pop off if in a tight spot and potentially avoid body damage. The clips hold the fender against the body...How does the AAL hardware kit add additional rigidity?
This is just my opinion, but a fully intact unchopped fender would benefit more from the pop clips in a tight spot because the fender can be popped to save the body. When chopped, they become quite flimsy and very easily buckle without transmitting enough force to affect the body. Litebrite near fully folded the fender in towards the hood and the highline led was bowed into a frowny face, but no further damage than a scuff was caused. If the full structure was there, body damaged might have happened because it was a crush rather than a sheer situation. The retention hardware eliminates that small wiggle that the clips can't avoid, helping to eliminate any buffeting in the wind when up at speed
 

ChattVol

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This is just my opinion, but a fully intact unchopped fender would benefit more from the pop clips in a tight spot because the fender can be popped to save the body. When chopped, they become quite flimsy and very easily buckle without transmitting enough force to affect the body. Litebrite near fully folded the fender in towards the hood and the highline led was bowed into a frowny face, but no further damage than a scuff was caused. If the full structure was there, body damaged might have happened because it was a crush rather than a sheer situation. The retention hardware eliminates that small wiggle that the clips can't avoid, helping to eliminate any buffeting in the wind when up at speed
Good thoughts. IMHO, the AAL kit chopped fenders are more flimsy than unchopped largely due to them being solely braced by the front fender LED bracket. Their hardware kit seems to simply replace the clips with bolts into nutserts...which would be beneficial if the clips were popping out or sliding around and you wanted a stronger connection..but I don't see how they add anything to further support the rest of the fenders extending away from the body.

I was going to spend an extra $150 on the AAL kit before I chopped the fenders. However, after chopping them and trying them out with the factory clips, they are holding on to the body fine without movement between the body and clips when I push/pull on them. I checked with @TTEChris who has chopped JL fenders on his jeeps and many others and he recommended reusing the clips. I called AAL and their guy felt their hardware may not be ideal for wheeling in tight spots if you want the fenders to be able to pop off.
 

Headbarcode

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Good thoughts. IMHO, the AAL kit chopped fenders are more flimsy than unchopped largely due to them being solely braced by the front fender LED bracket. Their hardware kit seems to simply replace the clips with bolts into nutserts...which would be beneficial if the clips were popping out or sliding around and you wanted a stronger connection..but I don't see how they add anything to further support the rest of the fenders extending away from the body.

I was going to spend an extra $150 on the AAL kit before I chopped the fenders. However, after chopping them and trying them out with the factory clips, they are holding on to the body fine without movement between the body and clips when I push/pull on them. I checked with @TTEChris who has chopped JL fenders on his jeeps and many others and he recommended reusing the clips. I called AAL and their guy felt their hardware may not be ideal for wheeling in tight spots if you want the fenders to be able to pop off.
Yeah, I'll definitely agree with you guys about the benefit of the fender popping off and simply being able to pop it back in and continue the fun. I mainly went with the additional hardware kit because using the AAL liners replaced half the clips anyway, so my light OCD kicked in for uniformity and the added rigidity allowed me to avoid drilling the outside fender lip to secure it to the highline brace.

I'm getting a set of 38x13.5 Pat's mounted on a set of 17x9x4.53bs KMC Brutes after work today, so I'll be chopping the rear fenders tomorrow. Hopefully AAL rear liners won't take forever to show up. I'm interested to flex everything to see what if any adjustments will be needed for clearance. Trying to get everything ready for my winter off season. Planning a tour of various offroad parks from Pennsylvania to Tennessee
 

Kona Damien

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I just got my AAL lights today. I dremmel’d the stock inner fender until I can afford some aftermarket ones. They are very nice. I did not put the “outside” fender nuts yet as I am waiting for the final inner fender liners. I think the measurement will be off with the inner plastic liner in place as opposed to when I remove it. I plan on using black plasti dip to cover the “weird” areas like the white clips and anything that shows body color.
 

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I just got my AAL lights today. I dremmel’d the stock inner fender until I can afford some aftermarket ones. They are very nice. I did not put the “outside” fender nuts yet as I am waiting for the final inner fender liners. I think the measurement will be off with the inner plastic liner in place as opposed to when I remove it. I plan on using black plasti dip to cover the “weird” areas like the white clips and anything that shows body color.
I'm a bit confused by "outside" fender nuts. The brace/LEDs have 2 main mounting points and a 3rd optional point that requires drilling the outer edge of the fender to nut and bolt it to the outer edge of the brace. The only other hardware is when you replace the white clips with the nutcerts needed to install the fender liners. The liners come with preinstalled nutcerts that replace 8 specific white clips per side. I chose to go a step further by also installing their sold seperate fender retention hardware kit that replaces the rest of the clips left after doing the liners. And I fully agree, their products are very nice.

Congrats on the new upgrade!
 

Kona Damien

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I'm a bit confused by "outside" fender nuts. The brace/LEDs have 2 main mounting points and a 3rd optional point that requires drilling the outer edge of the fender to nut and bolt it to the outer edge of the brace. The only other hardware is when you replace the white clips with the nutcerts needed to install the fender liners. The liners come with preinstalled nutcerts that replace 8 specific white clips per side. I chose to go a step further by also installing their sold seperate fender retention hardware kit that replaces the rest of the clips left after doing the liners. And I fully agree, their products are very nice.

Congrats on the new upgrade!
the 3rd optional point is what I was referring to. With planning on a full gut of the plastic inner fender I didn’t want to drill the painted area of the fender (outside) until they are fully gutted. I feel the hole may not be in the exact same place with the plastic fender in place as compared to when I remove it. I hope that clears up my weird writing?
 

Headbarcode

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the 3rd optional point is what I was referring to. With planning on a full gut of the plastic inner fender I didn’t want to drill the painted area of the fender (outside) until they are fully gutted. I feel the hole may not be in the exact same place with the plastic fender in place as compared to when I remove it. I hope that clears up my weird writing?
Gotcha. I too am hesitant to drill the fender, and I have the unpainted ones. Once I replaced the white clips with the nutcerts, the fender stopped flopping as much and drilling that spot seemed less needed. I might try some 3m double sided tape and see how long that lasts. I'm not a fan of the stainless screw. The chopped fender and low profile led strip looks too clean without it.
 

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I just got my AAL lights today. I dremmel’d the stock inner fender until I can afford some aftermarket ones. They are very nice. I did not put the “outside” fender nuts yet as I am waiting for the final inner fender liners. I think the measurement will be off with the inner plastic liner in place as opposed to when I remove it. I plan on using black plasti dip to cover the “weird” areas like the white clips and anything that shows body color.
pics? Mine came yesterday also and I plan on doing the same thing this weekend.
 

Kona Damien

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Here are some crappy pix. I have been at work so I haven’t even gotten it out since Sunday.

F69D51B7-F901-4999-849A-AAC53ED9B069.jpeg


2FBFB79D-C431-41EB-BACC-24AB0BAB7853.jpeg
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