Removing Front Bumper Air Dam - Dope or Nope? (2005 KJ)

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JasonTheOverlander

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After repairing a dent in my front bumper with the old boiling water trick, I decided to remove the black plastic air dam which sits just below the bumper. I had to break a few rivets to get it off so I can't really put it back on if I wanted to. I like the look better without it. It creates the illusion that there's more ground clearance. I figured it would also improve the approach angle as I noticed that it had already been scraped up a bit. The only downside was that removing it reduced the rigidity of the bumper. I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing. Any thoughts on whether or not this was a good idea?

Also if anyone wants a used air dam I plan on selling it.
 

nohitter64

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Many people trim those for the same reasons..typically stop at the part that shields the radiator support and the massive electrical line that Jeep decided to put in front of the radiator support.
 

kejobe

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Mine has been gone since before I bought it 6ish years ago. No issues.
 

duderz7

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I cut mine away many moons ago... I added a couple of screws where the fender and bumper overlap to reduce the floppy bumper effect.
 

tommudd

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Lets see
04 front bumper gone
03, very little of it remains
05 cut off bottom portion 2 weeks after buying it to make it easier to get to oil filter LOL
 

OldJoe

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After repairing a dent in my front bumper with the old boiling water trick, I decided to remove the black plastic air dam which sits just below the bumper. I had to break a few rivets to get it off so I can't really put it back on if I wanted to. I like the look better without it. It creates the illusion that there's more ground clearance. I figured it would also improve the approach angle as I noticed that it had already been scraped up a bit. The only downside was that removing it reduced the rigidity of the bumper. I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing. Any thoughts on whether or not this was a good idea?

Also if anyone wants a used air dam I plan on selling it.
Removed mine from an '04 when I put on the hooks. 1/4" plastic rivets can gotten on Amazon. If you ever need to remove the flares, youll
 

Elly

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Mine came loose in the winter. In the spring I was able to reattach it by using black zip ties. Works great and if it gers banged up in the snow...all good
 

eldredg

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After repairing a dent in my front bumper with the old boiling water trick, I decided to remove the black plastic air dam which sits just below the bumper. I had to break a few rivets to get it off so I can't really put it back on if I wanted to. I like the look better without it. It creates the illusion that there's more ground clearance. I figured it would also improve the approach angle as I noticed that it had already been scraped up a bit. The only downside was that removing it reduced the rigidity of the bumper. I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing. Any thoughts on whether or not this was a good idea?

Also if anyone wants a used air dam I plan on selling it.
Only thing I would comment is that you might lose a fraction of a MPG in fuel usage by removing the air dam. And it is said by some that your engine cooling may be slightly less efficient. But it's you Jeep so do what you want to it.
 

tommudd

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Only thing I would comment is that you might lose a fraction of a MPG in fuel usage by removing the air dam. And it is said by some that your engine cooling may be slightly less efficient. But it's you Jeep so do what you want to it.
People say that about an ARB as well
Never lost any MPGs and towing a box trailer a lot for miles never got hot
 

06MoneyPit

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After repairing a dent in my front bumper with the old boiling water trick, I decided to remove the black plastic air dam which sits just below the bumper. I had to break a few rivets to get it off so I can't really put it back on if I wanted to. I like the look better without it. It creates the illusion that there's more ground clearance. I figured it would also improve the approach angle as I noticed that it had already been scraped up a bit. The only downside was that removing it reduced the rigidity of the bumper. I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing. Any thoughts on whether or not this was a good idea?

Also if anyone wants a used air dam I plan on selling it.
What does yours look like?? Thinking about doing the same
 

tommudd

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The 05 , New tires, lifted more after this picture , then sold that lift getting ready to do another one, but cut bumper this far, more later
 

tommudd

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The 04 after an ARB bumper, After a Rock Lizard bumper, after nothing left but the Matrix Front Brush Guard
 

duderz7

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Definitely an improvement, but many including myself cut at the crease at the bottom of the main bumper and a bit below the side markers
 

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