Any experience with bushwhacker install?

Does anyone have any experience putting on Bushwacker fender flares on a 97 or later XJ?

I've been reading around and it seems it is difficult to make the rear flares fit without cutting the weld beads at the read, of the rear wheel wells.

I've read the online articles and I've read Bushwackers installation instructions. Now I'd like to have a tie breaker and get the information from a real live person.


Yes I have searched and read, and I'm still asking...

i used a large hammer and just bent the lip up flat against the inner wheel well.. seal it up with some paint, then mounted the flares. not hard really. the hardest parts was pre-drilling all the holes WATCH OUT FOR YOUR WINDSHIELD WASHER TANK! MINE NO LONGER HOLDS LIQUID! was tired and was nto paying attention.. kerplunk.. not 1 - but 2 holes in the stupid thing. also, it comes with these 2 little trim pices for the rear door, with self tapping screws. Pre-drill those holes and tighten by hand! thos elittle screws will snap very easily.

Awsome product! highly recommend!

TwistedXT said:

i used a large hammer and just bent the lip up flat against the inner wheel well.. seal it up with some paint, then mounted the flares. not hard really. the hardest parts was pre-drilling all the holes WATCH OUT FOR YOUR WINDSHIELD WASHER TANK! MINE NO LONGER HOLDS LIQUID! was tired and was nto paying attention.. kerplunk.. not 1 - but 2 holes in the stupid thing. also, it comes with these 2 little trim pices for the rear door, with self tapping screws. Pre-drill those holes and tighten by hand! thos elittle screws will snap very easily.

Awsome product! highly recommend!

Click to expand...

Great! I can use that mini-sledge I bought a few months ago from Wal-Mart!

Yes I've read about about the drilling of the washer fluid reservoir.

Be careful of the wiper fluid bottle on the drivers side front. Mine got drilled into on accident.

BFH, you can do it...

Get some plastic(1/8") and use for backer to the bolts. I used strips so it made it easier to mount without it spinning while tightening. When you hit something it will just pull the bolts out of the metal. I think my strips are 1-1/2" wide and I cut them to do 2-3 holes each.

scottmcneal said:

BFH, you can do it...

Click to expand...

the cure-all.

Please oh please don't run the BW's, they are garbage and the ugliest most vile thing you can do for your jeep. I busted my entire passenger side the first trip out on mine a year ago barely leaning on them, and I mean barely. They seem somewhat stout while your installing them, but as soon as you hit a trail you realize they are the most brittle pieces of crap you will ever purchase. For the cost of the BW's plus a few hundred $$ you can pay a shop to build you a custom set of tube fenders, or buy yourself a welder and do it yourself. Seriously you will regret running these things, I spent hours this summer doing work trying to get rid of the signs that I ever had them on my jeep.

-Alex

i dont reckon they look bad, in fact i like them,

however i can see why people think they're crap

install took ages.

longest part was putting the rubber liner on the flare. what a PITA.

rear is definatly more difficult than the front.

Cutting is quick but fitting them takes a bit to line up if you're alone, i suggest get someone to hold them for you.

also i drilled into my washer bottle too. that was annoying. but put some silicone over the hole and it actually holds water now.

good luck with them. Also they allowed me to run 31's with only a 1" lift, in fact with only 1 " of lift and more bump stops i can run 33's

here is a pic, good luck with the install

Ba-Riedo said:

Please oh please don't run the BW's, they are garbage and the ugliest most vile thing you can do for your jeep. I busted my entire passenger side the first trip out on mine a year ago barely leaning on them, and I mean barely. They seem somewhat stout while your installing them, but as soon as you hit a trail you realize they are the most brittle pieces of crap you will ever purchase. For the cost of the BW's plus a few hundred $$ you can pay a shop to build you a custom set of tube fenders, or buy yourself a welder and do it yourself. Seriously you will regret running these things, I spent hours this summer doing work trying to get rid of the signs that I ever had them on my jeep.

-Alex

Click to expand...

Alex; Thanks for the warning. I've read several posts like this from people that really didn't like them. It's a heck of a decision. Not only because of the cost of these pieces of plastic but the amount of damage you must do to your otherwise pristine vehicle. Only time will tell if I feel the same way you do. Right now I'm excited about getting them on and seeing how much more clearance I will have. Again, thanks.

AussieDave said:

i dont reckon they look bad, in fact i like them,

however i can see why people think they're crap

install took ages.

longest part was putting the rubber liner on the flare. what a PITA.

rear is definatly more difficult than the front.

Cutting is quick but fitting them takes a bit to line up if you're alone, i suggest get someone to hold them for you.

also i drilled into my washer bottle too. that was annoying. but put some silicone over the hole and it actually holds water now.

good luck with them. Also they allowed me to run 31's with only a 1" lift, in fact with only 1 " of lift and more bump stops i can run 33's

here is a pic, good luck with the install

Click to expand...

That is pretty interesting. I didn't think of that. Keeping the XJ low and the added traction would make it a better steep crawling rig. I think it's pretty cool that not only does the Internet allow us to discuss things from one continent to another but it is also cool that you guys have XJ's down there.

Ugh... ok... to install these, drill a bunch of holes in your rear quarter panels, the only panels on your XJ that aren't replaceable... then a big hammer and beat the sh*t out of them, then at that point you're ready to put on the bushwackers.

See, they've got you locked now. Once they're on, you have to run 'em. So when they break every week, you have to replace them. Because if you just left them off, your jeep will look like a tweaker went at it with a hammer and drill.

crazyjim said:

Ugh... ok... to install these, drill a bunch of holes in your rear quarter panels, the only panels on your XJ that aren't replaceable... then a big hammer and beat the sh*t out of them, then at that point you're ready to put on the bushwackers.

See, they've got you locked now. Once they're on, you have to run 'em. So when they break every week, you have to replace them. Because if you just left them off, your jeep will look like a tweaker went at it with a hammer and drill.

Click to expand...

The holes are simple. Cover them with armor! :yelclap:

Before 2003, Bushwacker cut out flares for Cherokees were made in a nice soft flexible plastic. The soft version don't stay pretty for long as they get scored easily being pushed into mud banks or rubbing against trees but they didn't crack, at least mine didn't. The main problem I had with the soft Bushwackers on my '93 was the heat of the sun melting the flares at the nutsert fasteners I used.

My 2001 has the crap hard plastic Bushwackers. I haven't cracked one yet but my rears have had a few scrapes but nothing visible at a distance like those on my '93. If you can find a used set made before 2002 you may prefer them.

Mudderoy said:

The holes are simple. Cover them with armor! :yelclap:

Click to expand...

In the rear? Yeah just get THOR's, the ones on the doors not as simple and same with the ones on the front fenders. Hence my extensive bondo and painting this summer to go from this: (look closely at the rear door)





To this:






-Alex

Mudderoy said:

Alex; Thanks for the warning. I've read several posts like this from people that really didn't like them. It's a heck of a decision. Not only because of the cost of these pieces of plastic but the amount of damage you must do to your otherwise pristine vehicle. Only time will tell if I feel the same way you do. Right now I'm excited about getting them on and seeing how much more clearance I will have. Again, thanks.

Click to expand...

I actually lost clearence in the fronts with them. If your dead set on running them perhaps leave off the rear door pieces for a while unless you really like them. This way if you wanna ditch them your only out fenders for the fronts and you can cover the rear with THOR armor.

-Alex

Ba-Riedo said:

I actually lost clearence in the fronts with them. If your dead set on running them perhaps leave off the rear door pieces for a while unless you really like them. This way if you wanna ditch them your only out fenders for the fronts and you can cover the rear with THOR armor.

-Alex

Click to expand...

how the hell did you lose clearence on them? did you install them properly? I gained from 1"-2" clearance front and back on all wheel wells.

I reckon i could lower my jeep to 1" under stock height and still run 31's with bushwackers.

maybe you didnt chop enough of the fenders? I'll put some 33 swampers (measure 33.8" on this weekend and show how they fit now with only 1" lift and bushwackers)

I plan on attaching a steel bar around from my bullbar to some home made sliders soon to protect the front, and doing similar in the rear to a home made rear bumper, then dont have to worry about breaking the flares

AussieDave said:

how the hell did you lose clearence on them? did you install them properly? I gained from 1"-2" clearance front and back on all wheel wells.

I reckon i could lower my jeep to 1" under stock height and still run 31's with bushwackers.

maybe you didnt chop enough of the fenders? I'll put some 33 swampers (measure 33.8" on this weekend and show how they fit now with only 1" lift and bushwackers)

I plan on attaching a steel bar around from my bullbar to some home made sliders soon to protect the front, and doing similar in the rear to a home made rear bumper, then dont have to worry about breaking the flares

Click to expand...

Yeah they were installed properly, but in the fronts my fenders are trimmed above the line that the bottom of the bushwhacker sits at. So when I put them on, I lost clearance. It's really not that difficult of an idea to grasp.

-Alex

My tires (33") ate the BW's all the time. You will definately want to adjust bumpstops. I recently went to 37"s and if I didn't do the bumpstops they would be gone all together.

I didn't install the rear door pieces either.

crazyjim said:

Ugh... ok... to install these, drill a bunch of holes in your rear quarter panels, the only panels on your XJ that aren't replaceable... then a big hammer and beat the sh*t out of them, then at that point you're ready to put on the bushwackers.

See, they've got you locked now. Once they're on, you have to run 'em. So when they break every week, you have to replace them. Because if you just left them off, your jeep will look like a tweaker went at it with a hammer and drill.

Click to expand...

Damn your full of it... CrazyJim, I get so tired of hearing you whine. Why don't you go out and jump that piece of pre-runner crap till you bend that LP 30 you got in there. Better yet, why don't you just sell it before you roll it... oh wait, it's already for sale isn't it.

Mudderoy has picked out some BW flares to use on his XJ, and has asked about install. Not your decision on purchasing... he's already done that.

MUdRoy, just get a air saw with a small blad, cut a few wedges up to the pinch seem, and gently pound and fold the pices back. Then throw some good paint on there. Check behind your inside pannel to make sure there are no through holes into the cabin area. If there are, no biggy. Just run a bead of silicone caulk along the inside edge of the fender well.

Mark your holes for the flares, and drill them. I used a touch up paint brush with some black paint to cover the raw edges. Then dropped some silicone in them and bolted them up. Just take your time, their not hard to do. Worth measuring and re-measuring to get them right. Your rig looks nice, and I can see that your somewhat of a perfectionist. They will turn out fine.

If they get ripped off and your tired of the whole thing eventually, if you get into some hard core wheeling, then down the road make some steel flares. A few have done those with really nice results.

In the front, they're much easier, you'll have no problem. Also, with the front fender liner out, you'll want to do the tried and true pool noodle mod. Take a fat pool noodle, cut in half. Wedge in the rear of both front fenders to keep the water and grime out of your door hinges. Will keep them from squeeking and eventually wearing out the hinges.

Put those BW's on there, and get some pics up. Red late-model XJs with bling rims look great.

Here are some pics of a friends Jeep that we did... His Jeep has RE 3" lift with 32" tires. Plenty of room for 33's.