Cutting the front bumper ...

[car_enthusiast63]

well for some reason I have been having this idea of cutting off the lower valance on my bumper to give it more ground clearance and more tire clearance because I plan on going to 36s next time I need tires. When I get to thinking and wondering like this its a little dangerous cause I will end up saying screw this and just go for it and see what happens. What do you guys think? Would it look better without it? Or not really? Any ideas?

[car_enthusiast63]

Has anyone seen this done to a truck with the sport bumper? I cant seem to find any what so ever on google

[Redtruck-VA]

I personally wouldn't do it, but with that said, if you are serious about it I would clean the truck up all pretty and sit down in front of it with a few beers and study it for a while before making the final decision.

[car_enthusiast63]

Yea I think thats a good idea actually, a good while just staring at the front end and trying to picture it without and seeing it with, I'm a little hesitant because its not like the chrome bumper I used to have that I could take it off and if I dont like it put it back on, thanks for the input btw

[Onk]

take a good shot of the front of your truck...and post it on here...

I need to see a good picture of the front

[car_enthusiast63]

761

Well this is the best picture I could find right now on my computer of almost a completely head on shot, I just realized most my photos are angled a bit to see the whole truck or something, I'll see if I can get a better one today a little more clearly

[03 Rammer]

On my Laramie bumper the black air dam just un bolts, is it different on the sport? I took mine off for more ground clearance and the fact it wasnt looking to good.

[car_enthusiast63]

Yea I know what you mean, the sport bumper is different though, if I would want it off it would have to be cut off and theres no turning back apparently on it lol, Do you like it better without the air dam? Does anyone think it would look bad if I did it since my truck is a 4x2?

[Onk]

My truck is a 4x2....

Do you think it looks bad?? Lol

I say chop it off since you are lifted...if you were lowered, then i would leave it...

[car_enthusiast63]

Not at all!! your truck looks great, so that may motivate me to do it, I'm still a little iffy about it though, and its funny after searching in google images for a while I actually saw 2 with them chopped off but they were actually bagged trucks laying frame. I might just end up doing it, you think it would look good?

[03 Rammer]

Do it, I love the way mine looks. Gives the truck a taller stance IMO.

[car_enthusiast63]

Yea thats part of the reason I also want to take it off, better ground clearance, and the appearance of a higher truck without touching the suspension, I may just go for it next chance I get.

Thanks Guys for the input and opinions!!

[OklaHemi]

i didnt know they were molded in. i thought they were added on since they werent color matched.

[car_enthusiast63]

Yea I actually thought so too at first when I got it, I actually color matched mine when I painted the cover, but if your ever under the truck or got the hood open take a look at the bottom valance its actually all one piece

[OklaHemi]

ill look tomorrow. we just got back from circ de solie and im tired. that was hands down the coolest shit i have ever seen in my life

[car_enthusiast63]

well you know for a fact you had fun when you get home so damn tired you dont feel like doing anything lol

[OklaHemi]

it was a great time. i love that fact that my little brother works at the BOK(convention center). i got to free tickes to the circ that were bad ass seats. i got to go watch dane cook and sit in the boxes, all the hockey and arena football i can stand. i have to go watch gaga with my wife in a couple of weeks. its awesome

ill probably go with him to watch some of the march madness too, they are doing the second and 3rd rounds here in tulsa.

[car_enthusiast63]

Sweeeeet that sounds awesome!!

[OklaHemi]

its fully appreciated and way better than anything on tv

[car_enthusiast63]

Well Ive been busy with school work and getting ready for test but I have decided that I will be cutting the bottom part of the bumber off after all. My question now is what would be the best tool to give me the cleanest cut possible? I was thinking of using a hacksaw, will that work fine?

[Onk]

Without looking at it, I would think a box cutter with a brand new blade....

[car_enthusiast63]

Interesting, I didnt think of that but I actually think that will work better than any other method, Thanks Kevin! I was thinking the down side to a hacksaw would be the blade heating the plastic and warping it and melting some peices if I did the cut too slow or something.

[Onk]

i know I have cut some pretty thick plastics with box cutters before....gotta put a new blade in but its worth a shot

[car_enthusiast63]

I will deffinitely give that a shot, I'll see if I have a chance tomorrow, If so tomorrow I'll get it done and have some pictures up if not, Wednesday for sure, Thanks for the help Kevin!

[Onk]

you're welcome Jordan!!
Hope it works!

[txbass06]

Whichever way you go about it, be extremely patient and take your time. Make the cuts closer to the ground than you actually want it so you've got room for the blade slipping or whatever. It'll be easier to trim the excess than trying to put it back on lol

[car_enthusiast63]

lol that is absolutely true and I only get one shot to do it right, Thanks Mark

[txbass06]

Glad you didn't take that the wrong way lol. I've screwed up a lot of things in the past whether it be from inexperience or just plain impatience and not all of them were a cheap or easy fix either lol

[car_enthusiast63]

Trust me been there too many damn times before lol, I sometimes just loose my patience and thats were things go down hill, I've learned from some past experiences though lol. Well we will see how this goes

[03 Rammer]

I would think a a recirocating saw or a jig saw would do the trick for you. Just Tap a stragiht line first then follow it. "MEASURE TWICE CUT ONCE!!!" ;)

[car_enthusiast63]

I've always done "Measure Once Cut Twice" lol thats why it doesnt work out to well, naw I'm just joking, for sure though, it will avoid all the swearing if I dont do so from aggravation of an uneven cut, I have learned to measure a bunch of times before I do anything just in case. And that also seems like a good idea, I will be doing it tomorrow I will see which approach I take and I'll post pics after I'm done

[car_enthusiast63]

Thank You everyone for the help!! I greatly appreciate it

[car_enthusiast63]

well I got the chance to do it today and sadly I couldnt find my box cutter so i actually ended up using a pocket knife, very sharp and cut the plastic easily actually, only took me about 10 min to do, well here it is

767

768

[Onk]

Jordan that looks a lot better!!!

You happy with it?

[OklaHemi]

looks awesome jordan. nice work

[03 Rammer]

Looks good, good job man! :)

[txbass06]

Lookin good man. Did the same to mine a while back. I pulled mine off to paint it an it never made it back on my truck

[car_enthusiast63]

Jordan that looks a lot better!!!

You happy with it?

Thanks Kevin and yes I am very happy with it, got the ground clearance up to another 4 or 5 inches to the bumber and now gives the appearance of it sitting a bit higher than before

[car_enthusiast63]

Thanks guys for the compliments and for the help as well, I greatly appreciate it

and Mark the 2nd gen looks much better without it IMO I was thinking of taking the one off my dads just for the hell of it, he also has a 2nd gen.

[txbass06]

I had a few people ask if I had added it to mine while it was still on there. Aside from a few friends, nobody has said anything since I pulled it off so it seems like us Ram guys aren't the only ones that like it off lol

[car_enthusiast63]

lol lets face it, Rams are the best trucks out in the streets and off as well!! And we are some of those lucky owners lol :waytogo:

[OklaHemi]

and how

[car_enthusiast63]

So I've been thinking, maybe the next thing I do out front on the truck, Skid Plate, I got some sheet metal laying around and maybe one of these days I'll try to make one that goes from the bumper to the front axle, this is a big maybe cause I dont know how to work with metal that good so I will see, just a thought for now