Is it just me or does anyone else find the plastic fenders on the new Wranglers hideously oversized?

I only ask because I happened to be driving next to one for about 15 minutes on the highway this afternoon. It was a 2 door, that looked all stock, and the fenders just looked way to big for the stock tire and wheel package.

Sean

They make good beer landers. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />
Wait until you ride inside one with the top off.

You'll wish they were even wider!

Even bone stock those big 18" tires throw up mud and gravel like nothing I've ever driven. In snow there's a constant roost flying up next to you and out the back.
I imagine it's far worse with a lift and 35" mud terrains.

Personally, I didn't originally care for the plastic fenders, but then they started to grow on me, thinking of how many times we had to pull out the yj fenders from those random trees that would pop up in tight corners, plastic is far more flexible. Also, maybe jeep is being smart, and thinking ahead, knowing people will install bigger tires.

I still dont know how i feel about the jk tho. I do like the 2 doors more than the 4 doors. The grill seems too curved for a jeep, and was wondering, is the JK grill plastic, or metal?

I also have noticed how the front fenders, and body lines are actually more like the old flat fenders, because the body tapers, and the fenders are separate.

I was looking at pics of the 97 - 06 vs the 07 08, and I realized that is what the main difference was, the metal fender with the plastic flare vs the full plastic fender on the 07 08. I was thinking it did give the jeep more of a flat fender that was cooked on hot so it puffed up and melted a little, type of look.
Maybe jeep was thinking ahead to make the fenders more tree friendly or easily replaceable, who knows....

Sean

Xenon makes a good looking set of replacement flares for the JKs.

I think they did just that, already banged up one of my front fenders sliding off a root into a stump. Dealer quoted me $100 for a new one and 1/2 hr labor to install it.
Just a big scrape and the turn signal didn't break so I'll leave it for now. I was glad to hear they're cheap and easy to replace when damaged.

The JKs are also overall bigger than TJs, YJs, and CJs

I was sceptical about the JK but since I bought it I have ran it through the mill and I am loving it. the front grill is plastic and not metal by the way. The fenders are a bit big if you dont have some good tires. The Rubicon package looks great and I am very happy with it. I still have an intermitten overheating problem that has not been fixed. I have brought it back to the dealership 2 times and they say they can not reproduce the problem. It only happens when trail ridding for more than an hour or 2 maybe once that gets lined out i will enjoy it more.

Ya, Like i said, the JKs are growing on me, especially after seeing more of them built up into true "JEEPS"

Personally, I think the over sized fenders are a smart decision. More motivation to upgrade tires, and less money spent on extended flares.

Next time you are out trial riding and it starts to overheat...pop the hood and see if your fan is running. The guy's Jk I posted a pic of above, had the same problem. The fan was never hooked up from the factory. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shame.gif" alt="" /> It started puking coolant after about 1 minute of using the winch to recover a cherokee.