How to Install Poison Spyder Brawler Lite Front Bumper w/ Brawler Bar & Plate Gussets - Bare Steel on your 07-18 Jeep Wrangler JK; 2018 Jeep Wrangler JL

The Poison Spyder Customs RockBrawler Rear Bumper with Tire Carrier is easy to install with the right tools and good mechanical abilities. If you are not confident in your mechanical skills, please seek the help of a professional to perform the installation. Please read through these entire instructions before proceeding with installation.

Please check your packages immediately upon arrival to ensure that everything listed is included, and to check for damage during shipping. The locknuts and washers are shipped attached to the mounting studs inside the bumper. If anything is missing or damaged, call Poison Spyder at (951) 849-5911 as soon as possible.

(1) JK Brawler Lite Front Bumper
(8) 1/2-13 nylon insert lock nut
(8) 1/2 flat washer​

The JK Front RockBrawler bumper and associated components are shipped un-painted. You will want to paint or powder-coat these components prior to installation. If painting them yourself, we recommend starting with a quality etching primer and allowing sufficient cure/dry time between coats and before you apply color. Quality spray-can paints are fine, however be sure to thoroughly paint all of the inside corners and hard-to-reach areas of the bumper. A little extra time and attention to detail on your preparation and paint process will pay off in longer-lasting good looks and rust prevention.

1. Park vehicle on a level surface and set the emergency brake. You will want to wear eye protection beyond this point.

2. Remove the plastic lower air dam. Use a push-in retainer removal tool to pop out the plastic push-in retainers along the front edge and also underneath/behind the air dam where it attaches to the crash bar. If you do not have a push-in retainer tool, a flat-edge screwdriver or small pry-bar may be used.

3. If your Jeep is equipped with factory fog lamps, reach behind the bumper and disconnect the wiring harness plugs from the sockets at the back of each lamp. A small flat head screwdriver may be useful to release the tangs on the plug

4. Use a ratchet and 19mm deep socket to remove the eight (8) nuts that fasten the bumper to the frame. There are two of these nuts on the inner side, and two on the outer side, of each frame rail where it joins the bumper.

With these nuts removed, remove the bumper from the Jeep.

5. If your Jeep is equipped with factory fog lamps, these may be removed from the stock bumper and re-installed into the Brawler Lite bumper. Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the four (4) retaining screws from each lamp, on the back side of the bumper.

Install the factory fog lamps into the fog lamp mounts in the back side of the Brawler Lite bumper. Re-use the OE retaining screws. These sheetmetal screws will form their own threads as you drive them into the retaining rings on the RockBrawler bumper, so press firmly as you twist the screwdriver.

6. Remove the plastic top bumper cover. You may be able to remove the two plastic screws with a Phillips screwdriver. But it is likely they’re “frozen” in place and will have to be pried up with the push-in retainer removal tool.

NOTE: The factory “crash bar” is the thin sheetmetal crossmember which runs from one side to the other, at the front of the Jeep’s frame, just behind the bumper (the bumper should already be removed at this point). It may be left as-is if desired, if the JK Brawler Lite Skid Plate is not being installed along with the Brawler Lite Bumper.

IMPORTANT: If installing the Skid Plate, refer at this point to the instructions that came with the Brawler Lite Skid Plate, and proceed with those steps. Return to these instructions and proceed with the next step, below, once the Brawler Lite Skid Plate installation instructions have been completed.

7. Install the Brawler Lite Bumper onto the frame. There are eight (8) threaded studs located on the inside/backside of the bumper, which will correspond with the bumper mounting holes on the frame. It may be a tight fit due to slight manufacturing variances from Jeep to Jeep, but the bumper will fit with some gentle persuasion. You may need to use a rubber mallet or soft dead-blow hammer to tap the bumper into place. Be careful not to mar your paint or powdercoat finish.

8. Locate the 1/2-13 nylon insert lock nuts and 1/2” flat washers that came in the hardware kit with your Brawler Lite bumper. Install a flat washer and lock nut onto each of the eight bumper mounting studs at the outside and inside of the frame rail on either side of the Jeep. Snug these with the 3/4” deep socket, extension and ratchet. Torque these nuts to 70 ft.-lbs.

9. If you installed the OE fog lamps into the Brawler Lite bumper, plug the harness connectors back into the sockets in the back of each lamp. Use the OE wire harness pushin retainers to secure the harness to the three (3) provided holes on a flange inside rear of the Brawler Lite bumper You may have to locate them by feel as the area is hard to see once the bumper is installed.

Congratulations, you have completed the installation of your Poison Spyder JK Front RockBrawler Bumper!