new jeep owner

I guess I got lucky when I installed mine. I did read the instructions several times before installing and had no issues. I love these handles so much that I have justified the loss of the visor. I have considered trimming the visor to clear the handle on the driver's side and was wondering if anyone went that route.

robrtb

Take a look at their FAQ, questions 3 and 5

Grabars site:
http://www.welcomedistributing.com/i...formation_id=9

These helped during my install 5 months backs.

KBennett2007

I ran into the exact same problem. The spacers were rattling like crazy so I re-read the directions over several times and followed them to a Tee and presto, no problem. If I recall you must thread the top bolt on first then the lower one. I just went slowly and had no problem.

jknit

So, I gave up on the grabars pretty much right after this post. Great customer service I just didn't want to deal with tapping the holes etc. I stumbled across Stejager grab bars and brand in general. Maybe I have been living under a rock, but I had never head of them. They are awesome, and come in like 10 different colors

Ryan0260

It only took me about 15 minutes to install my grabars with no issues. Very simple and solid product.

jknit

they are a solid product with great customer service, unfortunately. for a majority of jeeps the fronts go in nice and easy, however for some of the newer models, the factory loctite is so thick on the front bolts you have to tap it out to get the bolts to thread through all the way or they get stuck. It isn't Welcome Distributings fault, and they present a solution to everyone, it just wasn't a project I felt like dealing with

irongate

I agree, just take your time and read first. And no problems, but sometimes we all get in a hurry and then we have to redo what we just did instead of reading the directions like we should of.

Again a very solid product to grab a hold of.

jknit

I am going to venture a guess that you don't have a 2015...seems as though all of you are only half reading the post, which is fine, this is something that is impacting newer models. I read they directions very clearer, thread the bolts themselves through with cutting oil, took my time etc. Had I wanted to re-tap, I am sure they would have installed just fine, but that wasn't something I was interested in doing. I think every single post, I have stated they make a great product, and their customer service is even better.

Ryan0260

Must be a hit or miss problem. Mine is a 2015, and installed easily.

watkinsc

I just picked up a set of the Grabars from my 2015 JKU. I got the 4 pack that included front & rear handles. The rear went in no trouble, and literally installed in seconds. Now, moving up front, that is a very different story. I tried like hell to get them in at the same time and after about an hour, I gave up and though I would contact the company that makes them, Welcome Distributing. I sent an email and got a call from Ken the next week. He was very helpful and provided me with a list of things to try to make the handle install go as it should, easy...

A week later after I bought a M8X1.25 Tap and used some cutting oil to clean out the OE thread lock, and even removed the plastic to get a better view of what was going on, I still did not have any success, so I buttoned it back up again.

A week later, I was determined to beat these handles and get 4 bolts installed. I took everything apart, tried using the long bolt, no spacer to "bend/tweak" the factory welded nut(s). I threaded the supplied hardware in with no issue by hand to ensure I did not have a cross-threading issue, and make sure 100% the OE goop was gone. I tried top bolt first, side bolt first, and still zero luck. I called Ken back after sending an email over the weekend, posting on their FB page, and leaving a VM. Yes, I was very upset, as I invested about 4 more additional hours into installing these handles and even had a Jeep buddy here assisting and even he was unable to yield any results at all. Ken called me back today and told me to try drilling out the holes on the handles to give it some more room.

I took it all apart again today and tried drilling out the handle holes on 1 handle, slightly drill to open that hole up a little bit as Ken communicated, and still not able to get these damn things installed. I called Ken back and now he seems upset with me that I can't get them installed, and he keeps going on that it is a Jeep issue, not his handles. It seems like more JK owners are experiencing the same thing I did. Maybe Jeep changed things on those welded nuts or angles for 2015, maybe it is a handle issue.

Some folks on here install the fronts as quick as the rears. I read directions and I am pretty good at following them to the letter. I know that my mechanical skills are not this bad that I am not able to make this work, and again we are only talking about 4 damn bolts here, that is it.