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Bushwacker Flares on a '97 XJ ?!?!?!

Why bother if you are ever going to take it off road, you will be sorry.
I an not trying to be mean, but I ended throwing them away and now I have holes in my fenders.
Just warning you.
 
seanR said:
Why bother if you are ever going to take it off road, you will be sorry.
I an not trying to be mean, but I ended throwing them away and now I have holes in my fenders.
Just warning you.
Click to expand...

Eh, just depends on where you wheel and what your driving style is. And maybe just how lucky you are... Mine have held on fine for a couple of years now, although they have some nice gouges in them. ;)

Only real difference I'm aware of on the '97+ install is dealing with the windshield washer fluid reservoir that's in the front driver-side fender.
 
I had them on my 2000.... took them off after about 6 months. pain in the ass! If I could go back I would of never put them on. waste of money IMHO and rather shoddy.

Personally I think XJs look better with no fender flares whatsoever (pending you dont have to worry about cops). Out here in Cali I dont think any of the cops care. Not like it really rains, snows or there is any gravel on the roads to kick up.
 
If I ran big rocks like most of the guys out west, I'd probably have never done them. For the terrain we wheel though, all I really have to worry about is them getting taken off by a tree or from leaning into the side of a gulley. I generally don't like how XJ's look without flares, which is one reason I did the BW's in the first place.
 
I put them on and of course had issues with the washer fluid bottle and also having them get ripped of by the tires at full stuff. The back ones didn't fit worth crap on my 4 door. I heard that early on they didn't fit the '97 and up well in the back. No shit!
 
The were no sheet metal changes to the rear door/fender area for the '97+ bodies, so the flares aren't going to fit any better or worse on a '97+ than they are on a '96-. The rear flares just aren't a great fit to start with.
 
Jeepin Jason said:
The were no sheet metal changes to the rear door/fender area for the '97+ bodies, so the flares aren't going to fit any better or worse on a '97+ than they are on a '96-. The rear flares just aren't a great fit to start with.
Click to expand...

The flares fit the rear very nicely if you do what the instructions say and cut away the pinch seam. If you only cut to just before the pinch seam then you'll have to do some trimming of the inner lip of the flares.

The only difference between the early XJ's and the 97+ XJ's when it comes to mounting bushwackers is the plastic rear bumper end caps. It's easist to take those caps off, do your sheetmetal trimming, then trim the caps and reinstall. The wash fluid bottle isn't a problem, just don't drill into it.
 
And if you drill into the washer bottle, some silicon in the hole works great.. Ask me how I know..

cover.jpg
 
I have them on my '98 You also have to cut or remove the side mouldings. Some screws you'll have to cut, otherwise they'll hit the doorjambs if its a foor door. Only reason I put them on was my stupid offset mickey thompson wheels. I think theres only one thats perfectly intact after about 9 months. Cost me $800 to have them installed and painted at a body shop. Also, I can't use my front bumper ends because the flares are in the way a little bit.

P.S. Invest in bumpstop extensions.
 
if i could do it over again, i would just relocate the stock flares, and man, brush does a number on the bushwackers!

truckin098.jpg
 
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