Well, I finished the install. I took pics and made notes along the way, so here is the write-up.

Here is my JK before I started tearing into it.


Take off your stock bumper. I did not document this step, as it is documented in several other bumper installs. I will say that I did use the "screw in a wood screw and pull" method to remove the retaining pins on the stock plastic skid and beauty cover. Just screw a wood screw a couple of turns into the center of the pin, pull out the center, then pry out the retainer.


Work first on putting together the light assemblies. First, attach the turn signal lamp. It just sits into the light pocket and is attached with 3 screws.


You will need to cut out a small section of the light pocket to fit the fog light. The fog has an adjustment screw that sticks down and hits the rim of the light pocket. Set the fog lamp and bracket assembly on the light pocket and mark where you need to cut. You can just trim about 1/2" deep and 2" across.


You will also need to trim a corner off the fog baseplate because it sticks out from the bracket. If you do not trim, the baseplate will hit the turn lamp and not allow the fog to settle into the light pocket. Here's a pic showing the fog trimmed and attached to the backing bracket.


After trimming and installing the fog into the backing bracket, set the subassembly into the light pocket and check for fit. You can see in this pic how the fog backing bracket is right next to the turn signal base. The piece of backing plate I trimmed was sticking out right where the turn signal base is. I know that it looks like the bracket is backwards due to the semi-circle cutout on the side opposite the turn signal. It looks like this side should be against the turn signal, but the bracket is angled and will only fit flush against the base of the light pocket if it is installed in this direction.


Now, go to the new bumper and install the light assembly. It is a tight fit getting to some of the screws where the fog bracket is located, but with patience it can be done.

Here is the bumper showing where the light pocket attaches.


Here is the bumper with the light assembly installed.


Next, the electrical. The instructions are really sketchy. The fog wiring is straight forward. Wire the black wire on the fab fours harness to the black wire on the stock harness, and the red fab fours wire to the white stock wire. Use the supplied tap connectors.


It is a little trickier on the turn signals. There are 3 wires for the turns, one ground wire and 2 power wires (1 for turn, and 1 for running lights). The 2 power wires are identically colored. The running light lead is the far wire from the ground, and the turn signal lead is in the middle of the stock connector (the picture has the turn and running light leads reversed. I discovered this the first time I used the turn signals with the headlights on. The text above is correct, not the pic). Attach the supplied tap connectors and then attach the supplied wires to the taps.


Leave the light wires on the ground, pushed back out of the way, then install the bumper. The bumper install is very straight forward. Just lift it up, guide it onto the frame rail attachment points, pushing the 8 bolts on the bumper into the 8 holes on the frame plates, and attach the bolts. You will need 2 people to lift and place the bumper, then one person steadies it while the other puts on the bolts. (Forgot to take a pic here, but it is so straight-forward, I doubt you need one anyway)

Attach the lighting wires to the lights per the Fab Fours instructions. Then zip tie the wires out of the way.


You will want to go back and seal the ends of the stock harness so water doesn't get into it where it is open now. Fab fours said to fill it with silicon, but I didn't like the permanence of that, so I just electrical taped them closed.

Your bumper is installed.


Total time elapsed was about 4 hours, with 2.5 of those hours spent assembling the lights.

The winch install will come later, as I have to go out with the family this afternoon.

 

Nice write up! The bumper looks good...........and nice garage!

 

Great write up.

I'm pretty sure this is the bumper for me, but I've got a question about the angle of the Brush Guard. Is it canted forward, rearward or straight up?

Any chance you could take a picture from the side that includes the bumper?

--Andy

 

The brushguard tubes are tilted just slightly forward. I ran out and took a pic for you.




-------
Paul

 

One other note...I tried to install my Smittybilt XRC8 winch last night. The control box for this winch does not mount on top of the spool like most Warn's do, but it mounts on the left side of the winch on top of the motor assembly. The winch itself fits the bumper just fine, but there is no room for the control box if it is mounted to the winch itself. The control box will have to be relocated.

Not a big deal, but I wanted you to know. Quite a few people are buying this winch, as it is a great bargain. I have located a spot under the hood to place the control box, right next to the battery. I will lay the control box on it's side and velcro it to the battery. This places the plug in for the remote facing up, and places the control box behind the battery heat shield. It should be protected from the engine heat and any water splash fairly well.

I bought 2 short 4 gauge battery cables. I will swap the long cables that came with the control box for the box-to-battery run to the terminals for box-to-winch, and then put the new cables on the box-to-battery run.

--------
Paul

 

Hey man, that bumper looks great. Thanks for the write up and the extra pic. They should give you a commission on my sale, 'cuz this was the deciding factor for me.

Great job.

 

Well, somehow I reversed the running light and turn signal leads where they connect to the stock harness. I discovered this when I tried to use the turn signals this morning with the headlights on. The running lights were on extra bright with the headlights and the turn signals did not work unless the headlights were off. I reversed the hookup at the stock harness and everything now works perfectly. The writeup has been corrected.

-----
Paul

 

That just looks great!
I am really leaning towards this or the AEV...

Why can't I just be happy with one of the mid priced great bumpers out there...

The FabFours just looks so unique!

I just wonder if its too much, the AEV is more subtle I think.

Uggg choices choices...

 

I am now down to the wiring on my front bumper. I would point out that if you have a Rubi, the sway bar disconnect gets in the way a little, but it can be worked around. You just have to get creative with the size (or none) of the extension on your socket wrench.

I've got the rear bumper in the garage and will start it next week. Thanks for the great write-up on this because the instructions are very sketchy. That is the problem with instructions written by someone who knows how to install it. They presume you know as much as they do about the whole set up.

 

nice write up. your garage is badass by the way