TrailReady UPDATE ***WITH PICS ***

0311_DoC · **Posted:** Tue Oct 30, 2007 5:18 pm

I received this from TR for my bumper install. Is removing the front fenders a PITA? do I need to get replacement hardware to put the flares back on? This seems awful extreme to mount a bumper... anybody wanna throw in there 2 cents.... Darby????????? anybody.........

02-Present Jeep Liberty Front Bumper Installation Instruction

Introduction: Of all the TrailReady bumper products, the Jeep Liberty Winch bumper requires the most modifications to install, including trimming the fender flares and relocating the wind shield washer bottle. It is our recommendation that the consumer consider having a professional installer provide this service.

Step One: Remove existing bumper, Grill, Front Fender Flare and wind shield washer bottle.

Step Two: Using a cutting tool (saw-zall, die grinder, etc.), you must remove approximately 1.5” of sheet metal material at the lowest point of the inner fender. You can determine the exact cut required by attempting to position the bumper and seeing where the interference exists. (Figure 1)

Step Three: Place nut plates inside the frame rail and position over the existing holes. (Figure 2) Position bumper over uni-body front cross member. Center it side to side and push it firmly against the cross member until the bottom bracket holes line up with the holes in the bottom of the frame. (Figure 3) Drill 4 ea. ½” holes in the top and bottom of the cross member corresponding with the holes in the top and bottom of the bracket. (Figure 4)
Important: review step five before proceeding.

Step Four: Secure bumper using the 4 ea. ½” x 5” long bolts through the new holes drilled and 8 ea. 3/8” bolts through the bottom of the frame rail into the nut plate inside.
Step Five: On 2002-2004 Models the front flares must be trimmed to

the top of the bumper. It is the responsibility of the installer to determine the best method to accurately mark and cut the flares for the best result. You may want to install the bumper and mark the sheet metal at the top of the bumper, then remove the bumper and install the flares to transfer the mark to the flares. Some installers simply cut the fenders too long and repeat cutting in small increments until the desired cut is achieved. (Figure 5) You may now install the Grill.
On 2005-current models, the flares terminate above the bumper leaving a gap in which the turn signal must be cut from the bumper and installed between the flare and the bumper. At the time of this writing TRP has not yet made provision for this attachment.

Step Six. Relocate the windshield washer bottle. On the Liberty, the stock location is way down behind the front bumper. To gain the approach angle the TR bumper provides the reservoir must be moved up under the hood. On our Project Liberty, we installed a cold air intake which allowed us to put the tank roughly where the stock air box is located simply buy shortening the filler neck. It’s up to the installer to relocate the tank to his or her satisfaction. (Figure 6)

0311_DoC · **Posted:** Tue Oct 30, 2007 5:25 pm

and what about this step

"On 2005-current models, the flares terminate above the bumper leaving a gap in which the turn signal must be cut from the bumper and installed between the flare and the bumper. At the time of this writing TRP has not yet made provision for this attachment."

anybody have any ideas??????

Endurance · **Posted:** Tue Oct 30, 2007 5:46 pm

You have to cut the blinker part of your stock bumper off because you are going to reuse it. No big deal though. Search the forum for TJM bumper, there should be enough pictures.

As to the fenders, I dont know how it works with the TR bumper, but on the TJM I just had to cut them off a little because they were too long and sticked out past the bumper.

0311_DoC · **Posted:** Tue Oct 30, 2007 5:50 pm

Endurance wrote:

You have to cut the blinker part of your stock bumper off because you are going to reuse it. No big deal though. Search the forum for TJM bumper, there should be enough pictures.

As to the fenders, I dont know how it works with the TR bumper, but on the TJM I just had to cut them off a little because they were too long and sticked out past the bumper.

So basically the OEM turn signal has to be rigged somehow between the flare and the bumper?

Endurance · **Posted:** Tue Oct 30, 2007 6:04 pm

0311_DoC wrote:

Endurance wrote:

You have to cut the blinker part of your stock bumper off because you are going to reuse it. No big deal though. Search the forum for TJM bumper, there should be enough pictures.

As to the fenders, I dont know how it works with the TR bumper, but on the TJM I just had to cut them off a little because they were too long and sticked out past the bumper.

So basically the OEM turn signal has to be rigged somehow between the flare and the bumper?

Im not really sure anymore. I looked at some TR pics but couldnt tell what they did to the turning signal.

edit: I wouldnt be concerned about turning signal or fenders, thats all gonna be self explanatory when you get the bumper. The only thing that would worry me is relocating that washer bottle.

0311_DoC · **Posted:** Tue Oct 30, 2007 6:21 pm

I was asked what my OEM looks like so here are a few pics:

Rock Lizard · **Posted:** Tue Oct 30, 2007 6:27 pm

Can't say for sure until I see a picture of the 05+ trailready, but you have the easy bumper to trim instead of the OEM bumper that has the weird shape to it. I would assume you can just cut along this line even with the top of the bumper and you shouldn't have a gap like the other OEM bumper would have.

[/list]

0311_DoC · **Posted:** Tue Oct 30, 2007 6:33 pm

Rock Lizard wrote:

Can't say for sure until I see a picture of the 05+ trailready, but you have the easy bumper to trim instead of the OEM bumper that has the weird shape to it. I would assume you can just cut along this line even with the top of the bumper and you shouldn't have a gap like the other OEM bumper would have.

[/list]

so the OEM turn signal will just sit on top of the TR bumper? I guess i assumed it would go behind the slots in the TR bumper. Maybe that is a 04 and below thing. well the bumper is in my garage and I havent taken pics of it yet. im at work till Thursday morning.

elephantrider · **Posted:** Tue Oct 30, 2007 6:33 pm

i know your a bit of a ways off on the install completion, but im really exited to see what it looks like finished !!

good luck. i thought darbywalters had a trailready ( i thought ) may want to ask him if he has any details that would help you out...

0311_DoC · **Posted:** Tue Oct 30, 2007 6:35 pm

jasonk wrote:

i know your a bit of a ways off on the install completion, but im really exited to see what it looks like finished !!

good luck. i thought darbywalters had a trailready ( i thought ) may want to ask him if he has any details that would help you out...

well he had an 02 or 03, so it was a lil bit diffrent

Rock Lizard · **Posted:** Tue Oct 30, 2007 6:38 pm

0311_DoC wrote:

so the OEM turn signal will just sit on top of the TR bumper? I guess i assumed it would go behind the slots in the TR bumper. Maybe that is a 04 and below thing. well the bumper is in my garage and I havent taken pics of it yet. im at work till Thursday morning.

They might have made the bumper flat all the way across from what it sounds like in the directions, which is why you would trim the signal housing from the stock bumper. You can't trim the 02-04 OEM bumpers like the 05-07's, which is why most bumpers have new housings for the OEM lights for the earlier models.

0311_DoC · **Posted:** Tue Oct 30, 2007 6:47 pm

man now I cant wait to get home and look it over. And figure this out.. I will definately take pics to see what everyone says i should do

0311_DoC · **Posted:** Tue Oct 30, 2007 7:35 pm

Step Two: Using a cutting tool (saw-zall, die grinder, etc.), you must remove approximately 1.5” of sheet metal material at the lowest point of the inner fender. You can determine the exact cut required by attempting to position the bumper and seeing where the interference exists. (Figure 1)

Step Three: Place nut plates inside the frame rail and position over the existing holes. (Figure 2)

Position bumper over uni-body front cross member. Center it side to side and push it firmly against the cross member until the bottom bracket holes line up with the holes in the bottom of the frame. (Figure 3)

Drill 4 ea. ½” holes in the top and bottom of the cross member corresponding with the holes in the top and bottom of the bracket. (Figure 4)

Step Five: On 2002-2004 Models the front flares must be trimmed to

the top of the bumper. It is the responsibility of the installer to determine the best method to accurately mark and cut the flares for the best result. You may want to install the bumper and mark the sheet metal at the top of the bumper, then remove the bumper and install the flares to transfer the mark to the flares. Some installers simply cut the fenders too long and repeat cutting in small increments until the desired cut is achieved. (Figure 5)

I dont know if this is a 02-04 or 05-06, I am guessing the 02 and up

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Tue Oct 30, 2007 7:40 pm

By the looks of it the TR bumber will cover up about half of your factory fogs in the grill and you'll just need to cut off the turn signal and not much else to fill the gap.

What a joke,glad they wouldn't sell me one when I visited there place in Everat WA to look at buying there SFA KJ.

0311_DoC · **Posted:** Tue Oct 30, 2007 7:46 pm

tjkj2002 wrote:

By the looks of it the TR bumber will cover up about half of your factory fogs in the grill and you'll just need to cut off the turn signal and not much else to fill the gap.

What a joke,glad they wouldn't sell me one when I visited there place in Everat WA to look at buying there SFA KJ.

Yea im not to thrilled about this as well. I thought it would look like the pics. It seems that the the 05 and up are going to look different. Now I know why i didn't see any pics of the newer model KJ's with a TR bumper .....

0311_DoC · **Posted:** Tue Oct 30, 2007 7:57 pm

Endurance wrote:

0311_DoC wrote:

Endurance wrote:

You have to cut the blinker part of your stock bumper off because you are going to reuse it. No big deal though. Search the forum for TJM bumper, there should be enough pictures.

As to the fenders, I dont know how it works with the TR bumper, but on the TJM I just had to cut them off a little because they were too long and sticked out past the bumper.

So basically the OEM turn signal has to be rigged somehow between the flare and the bumper?

I wouldnt be concerned about turning signal or fenders, thats all gonna be self explanatory when you get the bumper. The only thing that would worry me is relocating that washer bottle.

Yea I have no idea where im gonna put the washer bottle in the engine compartment of the CRD, and as far as the turn signal or flares, there is still gonna be a gap im sure. i gotta figure out if there is a way just to mount some sort of amber turn signals behind the slots in the TR bumper.

DarbyWalters · **Posted:** Tue Oct 30, 2007 8:26 pm

Lights from a 2002 will fit the slotted area

06LIB · **Posted:** Tue Oct 30, 2007 8:33 pm

My .02 ........switch out your front flares for 02- 04 flares

Guest · **Posted:** Tue Oct 30, 2007 8:39 pm

Wait, are the bumpers the SAME for the '02-4 and the '05-7?

0311_DoC · **Posted:** Tue Oct 30, 2007 8:46 pm

ThunderbirdJunkie wrote:

Wait, are the bumpers the SAME for the '02-4 and the '05-7?

they look the same. but since the OEM turn signals are in a different location and OEM bumpers are different I can see where the interesting fabrication is going to come in to play, we shall see. I will post pics when I get home on Thursday of what the bumper looks like

TrailReady UPDATE WITH PICS

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