Removing the front lower Airdam

[aqualung]

My biggest fear with these, is reversing in deep snow or mud and having them ripped partially off. Then you have a dangly bit on the front until you can get underneath it with tools to get it off.


I took mine off on my JK almost immediately. I like how it had that boxed steel beam underneath for actual protection. It looks like there’s nothing like that on the JL, so the tie rod will be the first thing to hit a rock or stump.

No crash bar like the jk? Uh oh lol.

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[4LowPhoto]

How was the process? Easy?

Very, a mix of the plastic bolts that pop off like the grill retainers, and some bolts just come off.

 

[SamfromTX]

This is a must leave on item atleast for people who offroad as it protects vitals..

On the Rubicon, it is a thick metal. I agree with you because this looks like a skid plate for the electronic sway bar disconnect. The plastic one, on the other hand, is of questionable value.

 

[Fuel Fire Desire]

I just did mine a few minutes ago. 10 minute job, 5 of which was spent looking at stuff underneath.


There is a metal plate behind the dam, but it's thin steel, and more of a bracket to support the dam than anything else. Nothing immediately vulnerable underneath on the Sport S, except the tie rod, but if it's hard enough to hurt the tie rod it will annihilate that plastic and tin.

It is nice to see provisions for a proper and serious skid plate though. That will probably happen whenever I decide on a bumper.

 

[Spank]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the steel skidplate doesn't appear to hang as low as the plastic airdam does. That was the same deal with the JK's skidplate that was paired with the 10A/Hard Rock bumper.

 

[LailaiJl]

I just did mine a few minutes ago. 10 minute job, 5 of which was spent looking at stuff underneath.


There is a metal plate behind the dam, but it's thin steel, and more of a bracket to support the dam than anything else. Nothing immediately vulnerable underneath on the Sport S, except the tie rod, but if it's hard enough to hurt the tie rod it will annihilate that plastic and tin.

It is nice to see provisions for a proper and serious skid plate though. That will probably happen whenever I decide on a bumper.

Yay! It looks Awesome! I hope to get ours off when we do the lift.

 

[LailaiJl]

Quadratec made a video about it! We aren't alone air dam removers!

 

[Fuel Fire Desire]

They never removed the dam support bracket. I thought about leaving it on there, but there were two dangly tabs on the bottom that would have been immediately mangled off road.

It’s one of those things that’s easy to remove when new, but I’m sure after a few years of rust, the interlocking tabs that mate with the frame will rust together as one.

 

[Sean L]

Might be worth it to take it off before a trail ride and back on afterwards.

 

[dangerz]

I kept the support bracket on. Probably won't do much on the trails, but if I nail something on the highway, it'll give some additional protection.

 

[tbill59]

Kept steel plate - parked on an incline so shows a bit more, but I think this looks so much better.

 

[WXman]

Well I decided to leave it on my JKU after actually crawling under with tools to take it off. I looked at it and realized that it served a great purpose. Yes, it saves fuel. But it also directs road salt, water, and possible road debris away from vital axle components while on the highway. So I figured I'd give it a chance and if it gets ripped off on the trail, so be it. It was meant to come off. Well, I wheeled that Jeep all over the offroad parks of the south and never once did it ever get ripped off. I had it in deep mud, no problem. Deep snow, no problem.

My advice is to leave it on and let it do it's job.

 

[aqualung]

Well I decided to leave it on my JKU after actually crawling under with tools to take it off. I looked at it and realized that it served a great purpose. Yes, it saves fuel. But it also directs road salt, water, and possible road debris away from vital axle components while on the highway. So I figured I'd give it a chance and if it gets ripped off on the trail, so be it. It was meant to come off. Well, I wheeled that Jeep all over the offroad parks of the south and never once did it ever get ripped off. I had it in deep mud, no problem. Deep snow, no problem.

My advice is to leave it on and let it do it's job.

I always put mine back on during winter months for reasons you listed.

 

[SubZero_JL]

Looks SO much better, I will be making these mods to mine!

Did you have to do any cutting? I attached a picture of how mine is now. I can take of the metal piece with 2 bolts but I still have 2 vertical pieces hanging down further than yours.

 

[am1978]

Practically everyone who swapped out their bumpers removed the splash guards, but some kept the skid plate or installed an aftermarket skid.

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