I dont usually push out derogatory info on the web. I usually find it to be a waste of time. This bumper however needs to be redesigned and I thought I could save others some time.
I should point out that I have been in cherokees for about 20 years and know them pretty well. I am also a competent shadetree mechanic and steel fabricator. This bumper simply isnt designed well.
1) the nut strips do not fit on my 2000 XJ and I had to order replacements from JRC. When I called XRC to see if they had a solution I was told that they had never heard this before. Due to the hump in the tunnel this is all over the net. Had they told me to sheer off the back of my existing ones prior to me ordering this would have saved me $40.
2) their instructions are simply comical. i rarely read these (cuz I am a guy) but the fitment was so bad I was double checking myself.
3) they include tons and tons of hardware but if they added bolts with 1/4 inch more length to offset a skid plate this would have saved several trips to the hardware store.
4) maybe I had a bad run on fabrication but nothing fit up right. Nothing. My forarm and 3lb hammer is the only way this thing went on. Jeep is straight and not tweaked by the way. It was a road hauler before I got it.
5) even after I got it on I still had to modify the cam for fitment. This is all over the net too. The design is a joke and I know it is going to wear so I took it and made a template to either fab a better one or know I will need a replacement. You can see this all over the net too.
6) even after all of this, whoever put mine together put a very very fat weld on this that I had to grind down and repaint just to open and close the latch.
I am sure someone will say they like theirs, and thats great. I am posting this as customer service was clueless and there are much much easier ways to build in adjustment for solutions. I really should have researched this brand before I bought. I wouldnt have bought it had I seen the cam adjusment or latch alone. At this point, its on my jeep so I just need to find a tree to back it into a few times to adjust the alignment.
I should point out that I have been in cherokees for about 20 years and know them pretty well. I am also a competent shadetree mechanic and steel fabricator. This bumper simply isnt designed well.
1) the nut strips do not fit on my 2000 XJ and I had to order replacements from JRC. When I called XRC to see if they had a solution I was told that they had never heard this before. Due to the hump in the tunnel this is all over the net. Had they told me to sheer off the back of my existing ones prior to me ordering this would have saved me $40.
2) their instructions are simply comical. i rarely read these (cuz I am a guy) but the fitment was so bad I was double checking myself.
3) they include tons and tons of hardware but if they added bolts with 1/4 inch more length to offset a skid plate this would have saved several trips to the hardware store.
4) maybe I had a bad run on fabrication but nothing fit up right. Nothing. My forarm and 3lb hammer is the only way this thing went on. Jeep is straight and not tweaked by the way. It was a road hauler before I got it.
5) even after I got it on I still had to modify the cam for fitment. This is all over the net too. The design is a joke and I know it is going to wear so I took it and made a template to either fab a better one or know I will need a replacement. You can see this all over the net too.
6) even after all of this, whoever put mine together put a very very fat weld on this that I had to grind down and repaint just to open and close the latch.
I am sure someone will say they like theirs, and thats great. I am posting this as customer service was clueless and there are much much easier ways to build in adjustment for solutions. I really should have researched this brand before I bought. I wouldnt have bought it had I seen the cam adjusment or latch alone. At this point, its on my jeep so I just need to find a tree to back it into a few times to adjust the alignment.