I hope some of you will be around this weekend, because I am going to do this one.

 

the skid plate is great and super easy to install. Here is a pic..

 

Man, I don't know how long it's been since I posted that but I've had mine installed for a pretty good while now....it even fits on the new bumper...

 

Reading all the posts I was begining to wonder if I wanted to do this one, It is easier then I thought. I made my cuts with a knife and heat gun, fast and painless. The hardest part again was that pos front skid plate, I am not putting it back on. I am going to get the skid row plate. Just gotta find a place that sells them. It was 2 hour job could of got it done in 1 1/2 hours.

 

I did mine yesterday...then I found this thread. Here is what I learned while I was working on mine. Sorry, no pics.
You don't need to take off the grille or the little frame cover. I knew I was going to mess up the plasic rivits on the air dam, so I just used self tapping screws to put it back on. For cutting the top of the bumper I drilled out the four corners (so they'd be round and pretty), cut it with a knife, then used a dremmel to clean it up. For the back of the bumper I cut the same hole as the top but extended it about half an inch towards the front. Then I cut smaller little strips to the side of the rectangle I had cut (picture a Chevy emblem). Then I put the whole assembly (plastic/hooks/bumper) together and bolted it back up to the front.
Oh, an extension for your ratchet will save a lot of time when bolting it back up to the frame.

 

Ok, so I'm about ready to do this mod, but I'm a little nervous after reading all the trouble people have had installing the tow hooks. Why did Jeep have to make this such a PITA upgrade for JK owners? The ones on my previous TJ were a breeze to install. One thing that concerns me is that I bought the set off ebay and they didn't come with the reinforcement plates or nuts (as mentioned in #35-37post). Are people running installing them without the plates? The guy I bought them from says you use existing nuts on the bumper to attach. Is this true?

 

So I recently got some tow hooks from SoccerMan1080. He sent the tow hooks, bolts, and re-enforcement plates with them so I had everything I need. I had all the screwdrivers, socket heads, etc also so I was good to go. I used a utility knife and hair dryer to heat up the plastic. It took some work (definitely not like cutting butter), but it wasn't too difficult either.

It took about 2 hours today from start to finish and everyone's advice and pictures on this site were extremely helpful so thanks to everyone who contributed! I now have tow hooks so I can be pulled out when/if I get stuck somewhere. Woo hoo!

 

okay so i am fixing to attempt this mod just got my tow hooks in.. the only thing i am not real clear on yet is where the 4x6 holes are cut on the inside of the bumper. Once i take it off will it be clear or what.. i know where the outside cuts are at and i am clear on put it all together then put it on the jeep just not sure where to cut inside.. thanks..

 

for anyone concerned with using/not using the reinforcement plates with the factory front tow hooks. i was only able to find them at $10 each(you need 4 of them). instead of paying $40 and have them shipped from detroit, i came up with a cheaper way. after reading an earlier post in this thread that the reinforcement plates were nothing more then 1/8" thick steel, i went to a hardware store and bought 24 of the largest 1/2" fender washer i could find. i stacked 3 on each nut and bolt, actually was thicker then 1/8". because i found big washers, the space between one set of washers on the top bolt the other set of washers on the lower bolt was about 1/8 inch. also covered about 3.5" horizontally which is wider then the reinforcement plate to begin with. i spent a total of $10 for the washers. from the looks of it the reinforcement plate is nothing more then a 1/8" washer on the inside of the bumper you slide on over the bolts before you nut them down.